Letting My Brother's Best Friend Take My V-Card (Jessie and Luke)

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JOSH THE PAST

The house was too quiet.

I walked into the dark kitchen, the weight of the day pressing heavy on my shoulders. Jess was finally home from the

hospital, my parents had gone back to their hotel, and Luke was probably with Jess, That left me here, alone with my thoughts- dangerous territory.

I tossed my keys onto the counter, the sound cutting through the silence, and dropped into one of the kitchen chairs. My head fell into my hands as a string of curses tumbled out of my mouth. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck."

I didn't know how long I sat there, running everything over in my mind, wishing I could go back and undo the past. The image of Laura's face, her tears, her voice when she said, It meant something to me, played on a loop in my head, ripping me apart. How had I been this stupid? How had I let her get away?

The longer I sat there, the darker my thoughts became. My hands balled into fists on the table as frustration churned in my chest. I couldn't stop thinking about what I'd done-how I'd. ruined everything we'd had because I'd been scared like a coward. And then I saw it-headlights filtering into the dark house

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through the front window.

For a second, I thought it was Jess or Luke, but they would've just walked in. Whoever this was had knocked.

My heart started hammering, the sound loud in my ears as I pushed up from the chair. A small, stupid piece of me hoped- prayed-it was her.

I swung the door open, and there she was.

Laura.

Standing on my doorstep.

She looked the same as she always did-messy ponytail, oversized sweatshirt, and jeans that clung to her legs just right. But there was something different in her eyes. Sadness? Resolve? I couldn't tell, and it scared the hell out of me. "Laura," I said, her name barely a whisper. It felt strange on my tongue, like a question I wasn't sure I wanted the answer to.

She didn't say anything at first. Instead, she held out something that was nearly half her size-a canvas..

"This is for you," she said quietly, her voice soft but steady.

I reached out, taking the painting from her hands and lifting it so I could see it better in the dim light. The brushstrokes were rough but purposeful, carving out the silhouette of a football player on a rain-soaked field. My jersey number was clear as day, bold and unmistakable.

To be honest, it was amazing.

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"This is..." My voice trailed off as stared at it, my throat tightening. "This is amazing. When did you...?"

"It doesn't matter," she said, stepping past me into the house. Her tone was guarded, and there was something about it that made my stomach drop. "It's yours. I painted it for you and wanted to give it to you as a graduation present."

Her voice sounded sad, and suddenly, the truth hit me like a punch to the gut.

This wasn't just a gift. This was a goodbye.

She wasn't here to give me a second chance. She wasn't here to talk things through or to forgive me. This was her way of letting me off the hook-her way of walking away.

And the worst part? I didn't deserve anything else.

"Yeah. Uh. Thanks," I mumbled, barely able to get the words out. "I really like it."

I set the painting carefully against the wall, my fingers lingering on the edge of the canvas for a moment longer than necessary. When I turned back to her, she was watching me, her arms crossed over her chest. We stood there, staring at each other, the silence heavy and loaded.

didn't know what to say.

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And then something in me snapped.

Before I could think, I stepped forward, closing the space between us in two quick strides. My hands found her waist, and I pulled her to me, crushing my mouth against hers.

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For a split second, I thought she'd push me away. I thought she'd slap me or yell or something-anything but what she did.

She kissed me back.

Her body melted into mine, her hands gripping my shirt as she tilted her head, deepening the kiss. The world fell away, and all I could feel was her-her warmth, her softness, her everything.

My arms wrapped tighter around her, pulling her as close as I could. I didn't want to let go. Hell, I couldn't let go.

I poured everything into that kiss-all the words I didn't know how to say, all the apologies, all the promises I wanted to make.

When she finally pulled back, her chest heaving and her lips swollen, she didn't step away. She stayed in my arms, her forehead resting against mine as we both tried to câtch our breath. "Laura," I whispered, my voice raw.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at me, her expression unreadable.

"I don't know what this means," she said softly. "I don't know if I can trust you again."noveldrama

I swallowed hard, my hands trembling as they stayed on her waist. "I know I don't deserve it. I know I don't deserve you. But I'll spend the rest of my life proving that I can. I swear, Laura. Just... don't leave. Don't walk away.". Her eyes filled with tears, but she didn't let them fall.

"Okay," she whispered.

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It was just one word, but it was enough. For now, it was enough.