Letting My Brother's Best Friend Take My V-Card

PART 3 - CHAPTER 144

PART 3 - CHAPTER 144 JESS

The rhythmic slap of my shoes against the pavement echoed around the nearly empty campus. My body hummed with energy, every muscle and tendon firing like clockwork, propelling me into the run. I loved this.

The solitude, the way my thoughts could scatter like the leaves along the path. No one to judge me. No questions. No missing pieces.

As I rounded the corner by the library, I almost screamed when someone stepped into the path from fucking nowhere!

I swerved to avoid them, my heart hammering wildly in my chest, and before I knew it, I was on my knees, gasping for breath. My hands pressed into the cold pavement, trying to regain control of my racing heart Shit.

"Jess!" A voice cut through the pounding in my ears, and I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up, still panting, and found Aiden crouching beside me, his face twisted in concern. "Are you okay?"

I blinked up at him, still trying to catch my breath, confused by the panic on his face. My breath came in sharp bursts, but I wasn't injured, just scared shitless for a second. I stood up and

PART 3 CHAPTER 144

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brushed the dirt off my knees. "Am I okay? You scared the shit out of me," I wheezed, shaking my head, laughing at my

ridiculous response.

Aiden stepped back awkwardly, his brow furrowed, and scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sneak up on you. My bad. I forgot about... Anyway."

He trailed off, his words hanging in the air.

looking him over. "Forgot about what, Aiden?" I asked, frowning at how his eyes darted away

muttered, turning to leave, but I wasn't about to let him off

were wrapped around his wrist. I quickly let go, the awkwardness between us thick in the air. "What used to

on the secret. His shoulders

at him, my brain trying to process his words. "Panic attacks?" I repeated, the phrase feeling foreign in my mouth. I couldn't remember ever having one. But the way Aiden looked at me made it clear he'd seen me have one. "I don't remember..." I whispered, more to myself than

hand hovering near my

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sure if he should. "It's okay. You don't have to remember everything all

absently, my mind spinning. Panic attacks. What else don't I know about myself? It all felt like a puzzle

I said, more to convince myself than Aiden. I wasn't even sure what "fine" meant anymore. But whatever this was, I had to figure it out. Because if I didn't, the

giving me space. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay.

to say something but wasn't sure how. We made our way across campus in silence until

again," Aiden said suddenly,

head. "Yeah. No," I said, brushing him off with

to walk away, thinking that was the end of it, but before I could take another step, Aiden

before could react, his arms were around me, enveloping me. It wasn't the friendly

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expected-it felt different.

More intense.

breath caught in my throat as he pulled back just enough to look down at me, his eyes searching my face like he was seeing something he hadn't before. His hand

my surprise, he brushed a strand of hair from my face, his fingers lingering there for a moment longer than

gesture was intimate, too