I always thought my first time would feel completely different from how it actually did. I was 21 when it happened. I'd heard my girlfriends talk about it before. Some joked about it, while others described how special it had been. I usually just listened because I had no experience of my own. I'd been dating my boyfriend for a few months. I genuinely liked him, but I'd never told him how nervous the thought of having sex for the first time made me. That evening, we were at his place. We were supposed to watch a movie, but eventually, neither of us was really paying attention to what was happening on the screen. He kissed me, and this time, it felt different. Not suddenly or like something out of a movie. It was more like we were slowly getting closer without either of us being in a hurry. When he noticed I was getting nervous, he stopped and asked if I was okay. I still remember how relieved I felt in that moment. I didn't have to pretend I knew exactly what I was doing. I could simply be honest. I told him I was scared it might be uncomfortable or that I might do something wrong. He smiled slightly and said we didn't have to rush anything. Somehow, that one sentence took away part of my fear.