COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER
LAURA
I texted Jess to say that I was on my way back. Her reply came almost instantly: “What happened? Are you okay?”
I ignored it. There was no way I could explain it over text.
The Uber pulled up in front of my house twenty minutes later. My hands were shaking as I fumbled with the door handle. By the time I stepped inside, the weight of the night hit me like a freight train.
The tears started falling the second the door clicked shut.
Jess appeared from the living room, her face etched with concern. “Oh my God, Laura,” she said softly, pulling me into a hug.
I buried my face in her shoulder, trying to speak, but the words caught in my throat. Finally, I managed to choke out, “His girlfriend pitched up.”
And then I broke. The sobs came in waves, each one stronger than the last.
Jess rubbed soothing circles on my back, murmuring, “It’s okay. Let it out.”
I didn’t even notice the front door opening behind me.
Footsteps. Voices.
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“What the hell happened?”
The sound of Josh’s voice stopped me cold. It wasn’t loud, but it was sharp–serious in a way I hadn’t heard before.
Jess turned slightly, keeping one arm around me. “Someone made her cry,” she said, her tone clipped.
“Yeah, I can see that!” Josh snapped. “Who the fuck did it?”
I glanced up, my vision blurred with tears and saw him standing there with Luke beside him. Josh’s jaw was tight, his hands curled into fists at his sides.
His eyes locked on mine, and for a moment, the air felt heavier.
“Laura,” Josh said, his voice low and steady, but there was an edge to it that made my chest tighten. “Who. Did. It?”
The intensity in his tone made it clear he wasn’t asking out of curiosity. He wanted a name.
I shook my head, wiping at my face. “It doesn’t matter,” I whispered.
“The hell it doesn’t,” Josh shot back, his eyes narrowing.
Luke placed a hand on Josh’s shoulder, but Josh shrugged it off, taking a step closer. “Laura,” he said again, softer this time. “Just tell me.”
I couldn’t. I didn’t want to relive it–not with him, not with
anyone.
“It’s fine,” I mumbled, my voice trembling.
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Josh didn’t look convinced. His gaze darted to Jess, silently demanding answers.
Jess hesitated, glancing at me for permission. When I didn’t stop her, she sighed and said, “Some guy she went out with. He has a girlfriend. Probably just wanted to get in her pants. Asshole.”
Josh swore under his breath, running a hand through his hair.
“That’s why she’s upset,” Jess added, as if it wasn’t obvious.
Josh’s eyes darkened, and his jaw clenched so hard I thought it might crack.
“Okay. Chocolate and bed. You are staying over and taking a shower right now. I’m bringing up all the chocolate I can find, okay?” Jess leveled with me, and I wiped my face furiously, nodding at the prospect of chocolate and doing my best to ignore the fact that Josh was staring a hole straight through my head.
I faintly heard Josh ask Jess who the guy was, but she didn’t answer him. I could feel scared all the way up the stairs, but I couldn’t care right now. I needed to wash off the smell of this horrible night. A small part of me half wished Tim’s girlfriend didn’t pitch because I might have had this whole virginity thing behind me. What did it matter if I never saw him again? That was the whole point…
I was halfway out of my shoes when the door swung open and a furious Josh stormed in. “Josh. What the hell are you…“I stumbled back onto Jess’s bed with Josh stopping inches from me. He was seething, and I could practically see smoke coming out of his ears.
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“Can I help you with something?” muttered, too exhausted and embarrassed to care right now.
“Yeah. How about you tell me what the fuck you were thinking!” I groaned and kicked off the last shoe before falling back on the bed. “I was thinking Tim seemed like a nice guy and very
capable of taking my virginity… Once the words left my mouth, I realized I couldn’t take them back… Shit.
