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

LET'S FORGET

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LET'S FORGET

JOSH PRESENT DAY

It had been months since I felt anything close to lightness. Life had a way of pressing its weight into you until you stopped noticing just how heavy it all was. But tonight, for the first time in what felt like forever, I didn't feel the weight quite so much. We'd won. It wasn't just any win either-it was one of those gritty, hard-fought games that reminded you why you fell in love with football in the first place. The kind of game that made you forget for a second that there was anything else in the world but the field. I sat in the locker room, peeling off my gear as the guys whooped and hollered around me. Sweat slicked the air, and the locker room smelled like victory-adrenaline and exhaustion mixed with relief. For once, I didn't feel like a spectator in my own life. I felt... alive. "Saunders!" Mateo, one of our linebackers, called out from across the room. "We're heading out to grab some drinks. Celebrate the win. You coming?"

Before I could answer, one of the rookies, Jackson, laughed. "You know Saunders doesn't go out, man. He never does. Family man. Right, big guy?"

I hesitated, my usual excuse dying on my lips. Normally, I'd laugh it off, tell them I had to get back to Asha, or that I wasn't much of a drinker. But tonight... 10:52

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Tonight, something in me shifted

"Fuck it," I said, standing up and tossing my towel into my. locker. "One drink."

The room went silent for a beat, and then chaos erupted.

"YEAH!" Mateo hollered, slapping my shoulder so hard I nearly stumbled. "Saunders is in!"

"Finally!" Jackson added, throwing his arms in the air. "It's about damn time, man."

doubled as the guys rallied around me, their excitement contagious. For once, that little voice in the back of my

babysitter was already with Asha until midnight, and for the first time in months, I wasn't going

the outskirts of town a proper Texan spot, filled with cowboy hats, country music, and the smell of barbecue wafting through the air. The guys wasted no time,

and argued over who had the worst

Jackson said, nudging me with his elbow, "How about that pretty brunette over

10:52

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cascading over her shoulders as she laughed

but before I could stop myself, the words spilled

Married man

a second, the air

I. It wasn't like I'd been hiding it-everyone knew about Laura, about what happened, but I

eyes on me, pity creeping into the edges of the moment. But I wasn't about to

said suddenly, slamming my hand

me, surprised, but it

is!" Mateo shouted, standing up and heading to the

tension eased as quickly as it had come, and soon, the table was filled with little glasses of amber

Saunders," Jackson said, lifting his shot glass. "For finally getting out with

the win," Mateo

it coming,"

10.52

LET'S FORGET

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