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

CHAPTER 9 JESS

I was dreading today.

Not because Monday was special.

I dreaded today because the chances of seeing Luke were one hundred percent.

Luke has been hot and cold, and it started giving me whiplash. I couldn't figure him out, and I was done trying. It's a new week. It's a new me.

If he thinks he can just offer to be my first but then hook up with half the girls in this town right in front of me, he's sadly

mistaken. I was drunk that night. I made a mistake. One I intend to correct.

I finally confessed to Laura and Sam about Luke, and they were convinced I was drunk and imagined it. I gave up trying to convince them. It doesn't matter-there's no more Luke. There's been no more Luke for a long time, and it will stay that way. I grew up, and he grew up to be an asshole.

So what was I afraid of? I could do it and then get it over with. Maybe I'm afraid of crossing that line with Luke because there's no going back once I'm over it. Maybe I'm scared that he wouldn't want more.

I spotted him first when I got to school. Our eyes locked for a

CHAPTER

few seconds, and I was the first to break it. I couldn't look at him without a guilty feeling churning in my stomach.

Today, I made a little effort with my appearance. Borrowing Laura's jeans and a normal-sized T-shirt for once. I also kept my hair styled and straight and even tried some makeup. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it was a lot of effort for me. I walked in as fast as I could, feeling the burn of his stare sear into me so when someone called my name, I almost leaped out of my skin.

"Hey! Jess!"

I spun around, clutching my chest and breathing heavily. "Geez!"

It was Tom, and he had a smile plastered on his face.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to make you jump. You okay?" He leaned in and put a hand on my shoulder. I stared at it for a second, just sitting there like I was the most normal thing ever - a boy touching a girl. Only for this girl, boys never touched her - well, not until Luke a few nights ago.

I was dumbfounded, but luckily, Tom didn't notice.

"You look good, Jess," he said matter-of-factly.

Was that a compliment?

"I... Uh. Thanks? I guess..." I finally mumbled, and Tom laughed like I'd just told a funny joke.

"Are you buying tickets for this Friday? I was hoping you'd come

11 288 outtert

to watch the game, and then maybe I'd buy you an ice cream or something afterward."

I was about to answer when someone beat me to it. "She's busy Friday,"noveldrama

I looked up to see Luke and Josh standing behind Tom. My brother answered on my behalf.

"Actually, Tom, I'm not busy," I said sweetly, giving my brother a death stare. By now, Laura and Sam were standing behind me, and I saw Josh look past me for a second. Did he just look at Laura?

"Great!" Tom said, but he seemed a little nervous. I watched Luke glare at me behind him, and before they could say anything else, I reached for Tom's arm and pulled out a pen.

"Call me," I smiled up at him, scribbling my number on his arm, and Tom beamed back at me.

Luke and Josh stepped forward, staring after Tom. "What's your problem?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest. "You are not going out with Tom," Josh repeated, coming right up to my face. I looked back, refusing to back down. "Where do you get off telling me what to do? I don't exist to you, remember." I spat back at him.

"It's not happening, Jessica," Luke repeated, and I glared at him.

"Hey, Laura," Josh said suddenly, his voice light and charming.

I turned to see Laura turn a deep shade of red. What the hell was that?

14:11.

I ignored that little exchange because I didn't have the capacity to try to figure out what the hell was happening there.

I was about to turn when Josh stepped in front of me. "Jess, you are not dating a football player. You are not dating anyone in this school. You got it?" Josh spoke to me like I was a child- when we were the exact same age, for crying out loud! "Get off your horse, Josh. I am not your responsibility, and you don't get to tell me what to do." I was seething. We were making a scene at school. It was just great.

"You are my responsibility! Mom and Dad are never here, so I am in charge," Joh stepped back, squaring his shoulders.

"Asshole," I mumbled and gave up the fight. I wasn't going to win this one, not here.

I spun around before they could say anything else, linked my arms with Sam and Laura, and dragged us to AP English.