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

LOST JESS

The room felt like it had absorbed every ounce of hope we'd brought with us, leaving only the sterile chill of pale blue walls and a metal table that seemed too solid, too final. Laura sat beside me, her knuckles white as she clutched her phone, ending the call with my mother open.

We both tensed, our eyes flicking from each other back to the doorway. The official-a short man with eyes that seemed to hold nothing but indifference-walked in, his face unreadable, almost mask-like.

. For a long second, no one spoke. He glanced at a file in his

hands, his expression a shade too calm and controlled, and I could feel my stomach twisting into knots. A sliver of panic slithered down my spine, and I found myself clenching my hands together in my lap, my nails digging into my palms. I felt Laura's gaze dart toward me, I knew she was barely holding it together. The lines of exhaustion and desperation mirrored on her face.

The man finally closed the file with an air of finality that made my heart stop. He placed it on the table, looking down at us with something that might have been pity-or maybe it was just impatience.

LOST

"Miss..." he began, his accent thick and his tone clipped, but I barely heard him over the rush of blood pounding in my ears. I braced myself, afraid to breathe, terrified of what he might say next.

"Is there any news?" Laura's voice broke through the silence, shaky and small. I saw her hands tremble as she held onto the edge of the table as if it were the only thing keeping her from falling apart. "Please...just tell us if you've found them."

moment, something shifted in his eyes-a flicker of hesitation, quickly masked by a detached professionalism. He cleared his throat, flipping open the file again as if to consult notes he already

his voice cold, almost clinical. "The aircraft

in my stomach, and I forced myself to ask, "And?

my heart sink. He hadn't even tried to soften it. No words of comfort, no effort to acknowledge the agony

would have had them seek the nearest safe landing. Unfortunately, we have no confirmed location of where the aircraft may have gone down. Our search radius is very large." I could feel my throat closing

LOST

had no

heavy and meaningless all at once. My mind was blank, a fog

finding mine in a desperate grip, but I couldn't bring myself to look at her. I couldn't face the tears I knew were pooling in her eyes, the

my

every ounce of strength I thought I'd had left. "There are islands... places they could've landed. You're

weary, as if he were tired of our questions and us clinging to hope. "The search is ongoing, but understand this.

wave of nausea roll over me, my stomach twisting in protest at his words: resources. Priority. As if Josh and Luke were simply...an inconvenience, something to be brushed aside to make room for other problems, other people. I opened my mouth, trying to force words past the lump in my throat, but

giving up, aren't you? You're not going to tell

expression hardened, his eyes