Chapter 1: Introduction
Abigail's pulse was racing as dusk settled that evening. She glanced nervously around the apartment, every fiber of her being aware of the oppressive atmosphere. Her roommates, two other women from her church group, were out for the night, and she was alone in their cozy and cramped apartment.
Growing up in a strict Mormon household in rural Utah, Abigail found herself lost and overwhelmed by this newfound freedom since moving into her first "real apartment" with her friends.
Her parents had always kept her on such a tight leash, monitoring her every move to ensure she followed the scriptures laid out by their faith. Her every waking moment was devoted to prayer, study, and church activities. Her father even went so far as to install content filters on their internet connection so she couldn't access anything that might "pollute her young mind."
And yet she couldn't help feeling overwhelmed and frustrated when it came to the one subject her parents had warned her about the most: sex.
At 24 years old, she had never even experienced an orgasm. She felt like she was the only one among her friends who hadn't. They giggled and whispered about their sex lives, yet Abigail was still a virgin, still dipping her toes into the murky waters of self-exploration.
That night, she decided it was time to take the plunge.
She locked her bedroom door with a soft click, sliding the bolt shut and exhaling a deep breath.
The sound of the TV still wafted in through the walls, and the streetlight outside stretched across her bed in a long, glistening rectangle.
Her fingers danced along the hem of her shirt, hesitating momentarily before gripping it and slowly peeling it off. Abigail's cheeks burned, but anticipation began to bubble in her stomach. She let her shirt fall to the ground, standing there in her white cotton bra, with her pale, soft skin gleaming in the filtered light.
Her nipples hardened under her bra, an unmistakable sensation that was almost alien to her.
Abigail reached behind her back, trembling fingers fumbling with the hooks on her bra, finally freeing her breasts and allowing the gentle evening breeze to caress her.
Her hand slid down her stomach, resting hesitantly on her cotton pants, toying with the strings that held them up. It was as if she was crossing some unseen barrier, a forbidden line her parents had warned her about endlessly.