Skirmish

Crystal has an arsenal of

cute friends

I crush on a husky one,

despite her warning

“He’s a dog.”

I’m thrilled

he likes me back.

We talk, laugh

go out for drinks at dance clubs

where I dance and he drinks.

After, we make out

in the family room of his house

while his parents sleep,

presumably—

I’ve never met them.

And I perpetually block

his barrage of attempts

to have sex,

because frankly

I’m scared of sperm.

He takes me on a weekend trip

to a cabin upstate,

asks if I like champagne

“Not really” I respond

right before he presents

a classy pink bottle.

He pouts at how I’ve ruined

his perfect surprise

and I give him a

consolation blow job

because, hey, I barely ate today

and my sperm-o-phobia

happens to be

fertilization specific.