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

BACK TO REALITY JESS

The aircraft jerked again, a low rumble vibrating through the cabin, and I instinctively tightened my grip on the armrest. Outside the window, the clouds looked dense and grey, swirling as we descended, but i t was the sudden feeling in my chest that had me clutching the armrest with white-knuckled intensity.

"Do you think... do you think this was how they felt?" I murmured, my voice barely audible over the hum of the engines. "That first flicker of panic...

and then everything just....went down." I let out a shaky breath, the weight of those words hanging in the air between us. It wasn't something I thought I'd bring up here, but the sensation clawed at me, an unshakable

• whisper of fear.

Laura blinked, clearly taken aback, her eyes darting to mine with uncertainty. She pressed her lips together, searching for words, but I could tell she didn't have any comforting answers.

"I don't even want to imagine how scared they must have been," she finally said, her voice soft and steady. "I don't think I'd ever be able to..." She trailed off, glancing down, and for a moment, we sat in silence, both caught in our own thoughts. The plane lurched again, a steeper descent this

time, and I heard the murmur of nervous passengers around us. But Laura's hand reached over, wrapping around mine, grounding me. Her fingers squeezed reassuringly, and I took a deep breath, focusing on the warmth of her hand instead of the memories BACK TO REALITY

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pushing into my mind.

fine," Laura said, her voice carrying al determination that helped settle some of the anxiety creeping up inside me. "This

match her confidence, but the feeling. lingered, gnawing at the edges of my mind. They probably

my hand tighter, her gaze shifting, and I could feel her eyes studying me. There was something else she wanted to say, something weighing on her. "Jess," she

blinked, surprised. "What about

for the first time since we'd taken off, a small smile tugged at her lips. "I...well, he thinks you're the most beautiful woman he's ever

doing half the time. And he thinks I'm be Laura laughed too, the sound of it easy and bright, but she kept

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everything he sees. I mean, he's right,

murmured, glancing out the

a deep breath, my gaze drifting to the edge of

to be finding. I wish I did. Laura's hand tightened over mine, and I glanced up to see her face, her eyes just as clouded with grief. She looked away for a moment, struggling for words, then finally whispered, "Jess... I'm not sure that I'm really moving on. I'm trying. I'm trying so hard, but if I'm hones it's all pretend. I still miss him- God, I miss him

a painful kind of understanding settled between us, the kind only shared by those who've lost someone they loved too much to ever let go.