"James," she sighed his name, wiping her face when he pulled her back to get a better look. She took a shaky breath in and out, trying to calm herself. "He broke up with me." This wasn't the end of the world. This wasn't the end of the world. A sob caught in her throat. She turned away from him, pressing a hand to her mouth and biting her knuckle. This felt like the end of<span style="font-style: italic">her</span>world.<br/><br/>"God, I'm so stupid. I love him, I gave him my virginity," she blurted out. Heat filled her face, both embarrassed and relieved that her dirty secret wasn't a secret anymore. She had been holding it in all week, afraid to tell Tiffany,  afraid to tell any of her friends; she loved spending time with them but she wasn't stupid. She knew how shitty and fickle girls her age could be, and this precious moment to her was juicy gossip to someone else.  At 17, her sexuality was tender and unexplored. She feared public prosecution as much as any other young girl out there, no one wanted to be called a slut, especially when they weren't. But she could trust Ian with the truth, even if he was her<span style="font-style: italic">brother</span>.<br/><br/>She wrapped her arms around her stomach, squeezing the rolling emotions from her stomach. She had dated James for six long months. She had tried to be practical about them. She knew the odds of teenage infatuations going anywhere long term were so slim, they weren't done growing. Still, five months in and she couldn't help the fluttering joy she felt whenever he looked at her. When he had pushed for the next step last week, it felt right to finally let him have her. Now what did it mean?<br/><br/>She took a few deep breaths, then sat down on the couch, leaving Ian space to sit with her. She shoved her hands between her legs, looking at her knees. "I slept with him and then he left me. ...Am I cheap, Ian?" she asked, her voice small and seeking some sort of approval from him. His opinion meant everything to her, and it would become apparent to him that whatever he said to her next would seriously impact her.