Loving Cousin

"Oh Steph," I rubbed her arm, "I'm so sorry, I didn't know."

There were tears in her eyes. "Normally I'd just laugh it off, but life isn't like high school anymore."

"Was Troy your first?"

"God no," she replied, wiping her eyes and chuckling. "I cashed in my V card on prom night, like most red-blooded American girls. Didn't you?"

I looked down at my hands. "No, I've still got mine. That's why BF calls me VV. I figured everyone knew."

"Wait." She gave me a penetrating look. "Are you telling me you've never been with anyone?"

"Is that really so weird? I just haven't found the right person." The mental image of John carrying me to my bed blew through my thoughts and left me twisted around inside. "Oh God," I whispered and shut my eyes.

"Are you okay?"

The pain cleared my mind as I wrung the skin of my arm under the table. "I just remembered something, never mind. So why did Troy say those horrible things about you?"

Steph sat back and took a big sip of her coffee. "He couldn't finish the