I remember saying that the first time about twenty five years back and that first time is still clearly etched into my memory.

It was when I was in my twelfth grade. It was a funny combination of students. There were eight boys and sixteen girls. Boy, were we boys lucky? Sixteen sweet girls of sixteen.

Anyway, it was at the Biology lab. That day it was raining outside because of which the weather was kind of chilly. Everyone else had left and there were only two of us left. There was a lot of formalin, chloroform and I don't know what else, in the air and it had an intoxicating effect on us. The door to the lab was closed and so were all the windows. I held her hand in mine. It was warm to touch and I could feel a slight trembling of her fingers because of anticipation. I pulled her hand slowly towards myself. I was very sure that if she didn't do it by herself, I was going to force her this time. We had been there for long and we were running out of time. She also seemed ready this time and let me guide her hand, but at the last moment she pulled her hand away and said, “I can't.” In desperation, I shouted, “Come on, It's just a prick.” The Biology teacher entered the lab at that point and came towards us. He was thoroughly disappointed and I could see it in his eyes. I was the last person he would have ever imagined to let him down. As expected he failed me and the girl, my partner in crime. She apologized to me for the last minute jitters. I told her not to worry, because, maybe I also wouldn't have been able to go through with it.

Even today, I always look away every time someone is ready to jab my finger. I know it's just a prick and that it won't even hurt that much or for long, but I can't look at someone actually doing it to me. However, I never shy away from them. Unlike the one that day, twenty five years back, which was just a class test, these are real blood tests and the tests can't be done without blood.