THE FIRST HEART BREAK
BACK TO SENIOR YEAR
LAURA
The bass of the music vibrated through my chest, a steady pulse that matched the rhythm of my movements. Sam twirled beside me, her laughter spilling out as she threw her arms up to the beat. Jessica was at the bar, sipping a drink and politely dodging the advances of some persistent blond guy who clearly didn’t understand the concept of personal space.
I took another shot, the burn of tequila mixing with the heady rush of the music. It was senior year, and we were supposed to be living it up. No regrets. No holding back.
Except, there he was.
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Luke barreled into the club first, his towering frame cutting through the crowd like a storm. His eyes locked on Jessica and the blond, and I knew this wasn’t going to end quietly. Behind him, though, was Josh.
My heart stuttered, skipping a beat in my chest.
God, I hated how he made me feel. The way my stomach flipped like a schoolgirl’s crush, the way my pulse quickened at just the sight of him. Technically, I was still a schoolgirl, but senior year made it feel like that didn’t count
Sam nudged me in the shoulder, leaning close so I could hear her over the music.
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“Listen,” she said, her voice conspiratorial, “I know we were all pissed about Josh, but… I have to admit it. Now that you’ve stepped over that line, I get it. He’s hot. Before, he was just Jessica’s brother, you know?”
I laughed softly, but the truth was, Josh had never been just Jessica’s brother to me. From the moment I’d met him, there’d been something there–something I couldn’t quite explain.
Luke was already at the bar, yanking the blond guy away from Jessica with a grip that could crush stone. The guy sputtered out an excuse, but Luke didn’t care.
And then Josh turned, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on me.
www
For a moment, I held my breath, waiting for that grin, the one that always showed off the dimple in his cheek. The one that made it impossible not to smile back. But he didn’t smile.
Instead, he weaved through the crowd, his focus locked on me.
“Hey,” he said, his voice low but firm. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
www
I blinked, glancing back at Sam, who gave me a wide–eyed look that said, What the hell is going on? I had no idea, but I nodded
anyway.
Josh took my hand, his palm warm and steady against mine. He led me through the crowd to a quieter corner of the club, away from the pounding music and prying eyes.
When he stopped, he turned to face me, running a hand through his hair. He looked nervous–more nervous than I’d ever seen
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him.
“I’m sorry,” he started, his voice rough. “For everything. I’ve been… I’ve been an idiot, Laura.”
I stared at him, my heart pounding for an entirely different reason now.
He took a deep breath, his eyes searching mine. “I’ve never been in a relationship before. Not a real one. And with you… it’s scary. Because I’ve never felt this way about anyone, and I panicked. I screwed up.”
Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.
“You deserve someone who has their shit together,” he continued, his voice breaking slightly. “Not some asshole who doesn’t even know how to protect the one good thing he’s got.”
“Josh-” I started, but he held up a hand, cutting me off.
“There’s something you need to know,” he said, his face etched with regret. “I… I cheated on you.
The words hit me like a punch to the stomach. For a second, I couldn’t breathe.
I blinked, willing myself to stay composed, even as the tears finally spilled over.
“I was drunk,” he said quickly, desperation creeping into his voice. “It didn’t mean anything. It wasn’t even…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “It was a mistake. The biggest mistake I’ve ever made.”
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I wiped at my face, trying to pull myself together.
“I’m so sorry, Laura. I swear, if I could take it back-”
“I’ll forgive you,” I said softly, cutting him off. “One day, I’ll forgive you. Just… not today, Josh.”
He flinched, the pain in his eyes mirroring the ache in my chest.
“Today, you broke my heart.”
I turned and walked away, leaving him standing there in the shadows.
Back at the bar, Sam looked at me with questioning eyes, but I didn’t say a word. Instead, I grabbed another shot, downing it in one go.
The music pounded on, the lights flashing around me, but all I could feel was the crack in my chest where Josh had once been.
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