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

NEW LIFE

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NEW LIFE

JOSH PRESENT DAY

The beer was hitting harder than expected, but I didn't mind. For once, I felt... something. The edges of guilt and grief dulled, like the alcohol was lubricating the parts of me that had been stuck for so long.

I found myself outside the bar, phone in hand, staring at Luke's name on the screen. My thumb hovered over the call button. I wasn't sure what I wanted to say or if he'd even answer, but before I could overthink it, I hit call. It rang twice before he picked up.

"Josh?" His voice was cautious, like he wasn't sure why I'd be calling after all this time.

"Yeah, it's me," I said, leaning against the side of the building. The cool night air helped clear my head, but my heart was pounding. "I, uh... I needed to talk."

There was a pause on the other end. I could hear faint sounds of his house-dishes clinking, the muffled sound of Jess talking in the background.

"Alright," Luke said finally. "Talk."

I let out a shaky breath, staring up at the Texas sky. It was filled with stars, the kind you only saw when you were far from the

city.

10:53

NEW LIFE

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tumbling out before I could stop them. "For wanting to move on. For not being stuck like I probably should be. For not staying there with her." My voice broke, but I pushed through. "But if I stayed, Luke, I never would've surfaced. I would've drowned in it, and Asha... she would've been dragged down with me. I fucking ran away, okay? I know that. I know I ran, but I did it for her-for Asha. To give her a chance at something better than a dad who's a wreck because his wife... because Laura isn't really there anymore, but sort of still

hung heavy in the air, and I braced myself for Luke's

surprise, he said, "I

the phone pressed against my ear.

you. You had to do what was best for Asha and for yourself. And when you're ready to

beer to my lips, taking a long sip to avoid saying anything stupid. The tears were there, welling up in my eyes, but I blinked them away. "Thanks, man," I said finally, my voice

"You know where

10:53

NEW LIFE

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and stared up at the

trying to remind

want me to be happy,

"And maybe... maybe this is the first day of working toward

drained the rest of my beer, holding up the empty bottle as if to

Mateo's voice called from the bar, snapping me out

tightness in my chest easing just a little. "Coming!" I shouted

I stepped inside, I collided with someone-a small figure barreling out as I was walking in. She yelped, stumbling back, but I caught her easily, my hands wrapping around her arms before she could

that," I said, steadying