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

THE CALL

JESS

I heard something fall in the kitchen, shattering to the floor.

I sat up so fast that the lounger wobbled beneath me, my heart hammering in my chest as Laura stepped out onto the porch.

She was holding her phone in one hand, her face pale, her wide eyes brimming with something I couldn't quite read-shock? "What's wrong?" I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.

"Did something happen to my mother?" I pressed, my throat tightening as the words rushed out. My mind spun with possibilities, each one worse than the last.

Laura shook her head slowly, her lips parting as if to speak but no sound came out. Finally, she managed to look me in the eyes and said softly, "No. They, uh... Jess."

I stared at her, every nerve in my body on edge.

"They found survivors of the wreck."

My breath hitched, and for a moment, the world around me stilled. The sounds of the pool, the distant rustling of the trees, and even the beating of my own heart seemed to fade into nothing.

"What?" I whispered, barely able to get the word out. My hands gripped the edges of the lounger, knuckles white. "What do you

mean? Survivors?"

Laura nodded, her expression torn between relief and

hesitation. "It's... they haven't released names yet. Just that they found people alive."

Alive.

a strange mixture of hope and fear

Alive.

my voice breaking. "Did

"No. I only got bits and pieces. But they said the survivors were found on a boat near some island Ican't remember. Local fisherman picked

realize I was holding my breath, which didn't come out

as though grounding. myself would stop the spiral of emotions

overwhelm me.

I whispered, more to myself

know," Laura said

from mine. She wasn't ready to have hope. Neither was I. The weight

watch it shatter again.

I finally asked, my voice small, hesitant. The question lingered

blinked a few times, as if pulling herself back to reality.

in on an air ambulance tomorrow," she muttered,

beat. "Are they-did the people get sick or injured?" I asked softly, the weight of my

in it now.

screen still lit up with the call log. Her thumb hovered over the glass, but she didn't

cracked, her words trembling like they didn't want to leave her mouth. "They... they

pool, unfocused, her expression tight with something

said, though my voice

she murmured, but there was no conviction

the silence, the soft lapping of

weight of those few words pressed down on my chest, heavy and