white shorts, red face

i had just developed my first serious crush on a boy & had been working hard to get him to like me back. we were 12. it was the summer following 7th grade & my best friend & i were visiting him at his house. we played on his trampoline, ran around like kids do & i decided to help him do a little yard work. i was posing while i dug with the shovel, sticking my butt out in my white shorts. (yeah, you know where this is going)

well, if i started right then, no one told me. my mom picked us up & when i got home, i went to pee & was HORRIFIED to see alot of blood in my underwear. it had, of course, soaked thru my shorts to a lesser degree. i called for my mom & she poked her head in. i don't remember what she said, but she fetched me a pillow-sized pad & a fresh pair of undies.

nothing special happened. no celebratory dinner, no bragging on the phone relatives, just embarassment at the thought that my crush may have seen my first period blood soaking thru my shorts. i never asked!