Brandon

I am bewildered and shocked amongst a whole lot of other emotions. It's kinda difficult to wrap my head around what Lizzie has just told me. Holy Shit. She wants to give herself up, wtf? And to whom? Jeez. I rake my hands through my hair. I didn't go across the road to my house; space is what I need right now and to think about a whole lot of shit.

Like, first of all, who the fuck is she going to have sex with? And why am I so damn knotted up inside and feel like I've got an angry fire in hell raging inside my body? It actually feels like I can't breathe. Man, am I seriously choked up right now?

Sure, I knew this time would come – let's face it, she's eighteen already, and I've been putting it off for years, but Lizzie. I feel like punching something, anything. My fists are clenched by my side as I walk along the sidewalk in no particular direction. Is it too early for a beer? Hell, I shouldn't even really be drinking yet, but I do. My folks don't say anything unless I've got so wasted they have to deal with my drunken antics or, worse still, end up having to be brought home by the law. Since my daddy is so rich, I tend to get a slap on the wrist.

Walking along, my head bowed down, I can't look at anyone else passing me; I'm not even sure if anyone has. That's how lost I am in my anger and rage that Lizzie has told me she is literally going to have sex with someone. As in fuck someone. My Lizzie-Baby, my bestie, my innocent and pure as the driven snow, Lizzie. It's got me in such a Lizzie; my mouth is dry, my chest is banging like my heart wants to leap out of my own body and fall to the floor wailing and crying like a goddamn baby.

My mobile rings. I take it out of my pocket and see Denver's name flash up. "Hey man. What's up?" I ask him and continue to walk. A teenage boy and girl holding hands pass me; they're laughing, then stop to have a kiss. It pulls at me. Man, I am getting real sappy over my bestie; it's not on. This shit is really getting to me, and I know I shouldn't let it. I mean, who the fuck is she going to give her v-card to? I. Need. To. Know.

"You fancy catching some additional practice?" Denver asks. "I'm done at Lilly's; her folks have got more family round for roast, and I don't fancy hanging around. You know how dysfunctional the rest of her damn family is. I've got some spare time." I mull it over. Only, I do have an assignment to turn in, and fuck it – my stuff is still at Lizzie's. I forgot to take it with me when I left in such a hurry. I feel like one mean shit leaving her like that after she made her big announcement. And it's not like it's just some random newsflash; giving away your v-card is one helluva big deal. Well, to Lizzie it will be. Not to those football bunnies; they don't give a shit. They're only in it for the glory of having sex with a stud-jock and posting it all over social. Sometimes it makes me feel like an object.

"Coach said we can get a few of us together and go practice; he's not going to be around, but we can get in. Just need to let Lincoln on duty let know. What do you say?"

It's not like I've got anything better to do, except, of course, my assignment. Suppose I could catch up on that later; there's no way I can miss handing it in. The grades are everything this year. No grades, no college, no NFL.

"Yeah, why not. Give me twenty. I'm just out walking right now."

"You, walking?" I hear Denver scoff like it's the funniest thing I've said all year.

"Yeah, man. Walking. You know one foot in front of the other outside, fresh air that kinda shit." Now he's laughing harder. For real?

"It's just, you never walk. What happened? Did you and Lizzie have a bust-up over something?" You could say that. But in all honesty, we didn't. I was just a mean s.o.b and left her with her mouth gaping after she told me about wanting to lose her fucking virginity. It's still making me mad and jealous. Like, really jealous of who the guy is.

"Giving you the finger right now, Denver. Shut the fuck up. Not so much a fight. She just told me something that really got to me."

"You want to talk about it?" His voice has that caring sound to it. For a big man mountain, Denver is a softie.

"Nah, don't worry about it. She'll be fine. Something she needs to sort out for herself. No doubt Lizzie will speak to the girls about it in any case."

"Sure, cause I'm pretty good at listening." I know he is; we've shared so many guy things growing up, and Denver is my best mate. But this is way too big for him and me. It's something private to Lizzie, and if she wants to chat with Lilly and Tammy about it, then that's her decision. I just wished it wasn't now that she had decided. Maybe it would have been better not to have told me at all. What can I expect, though? I'm her bestie, and we've been best friends since the age of five. So, of course she's going to tell me. My advice: don't be best friends with a girl cause when you start to get older fuck can it go seriously wrong.

"Cool. I'll see you at the stadium in twenty. And be prepared to have your ass whipped."

"Dream on big guy. I'm way too quick for your ass." At least our joking brings a smile to my face. We hang up, and I stick the mobile back in my jeans pocket and turn in the direction to head back home to where my truck is.

It'll take my mind of this whole Lizzie business, but Denver is about to have his ass whipped.