Luke's POV

We somehow manage to make it to class only about half an hour late. It was a free double period since our replacement English teacher was kind of a slacker.

Tammy walks in first as I hold the door open for her as we exchange smiles.

The class is relatively empty but Tammy's friends are here though as I can see Peterson canoodling with Aurora while Cassie and Rebecca sit at the back, apparently they were on again.

As we approach Aurora's desk I can feel Peterson's intense stare.

"Hey guys!" Tammy exclaims as she waves to Cassie who is preoccupied in the back corner.

"Y'all are late," Peterson mumbles glaring at me.

I've never had beef with Trent Peterson but given that he was good friends with Tammy and best buds with James I understood the present awkwardness of our association.

Tammy blushed and ignored his comment as she proceeded to sit opposite them.

I dragged a chair over to join her as she reached out and touched my hand gently.

I caught Peterson's scowl and held Tammy's hand in mind. I wanted to lift her hand to my lips and kiss it as though claiming my territory but I didn't want to make her uncomfortable or seem juvenile.

I knew she was yet to divulge the extent of our relationship to her friends even though our dynamic was quite obvious.

"Cambridge, you coming to the game later?" Trent said looking directly at me.

"Oh, Tammy and I have plans," I rebut swifter than expected.

Tammy looks at me with furrowed brows seeing that we hadn't formally planned to do anything. But I just play it cool by winking at her and a huge smile covers her face.

Trent's startled look gave me a lot of satisfaction as he didn't reply and shifted his body away from us focusing all of his attention on Aurora.

                                                      ***********************************

"I have something to tell you," I told Tammy as we walked to her car at the end of the day.

She looked up at me with a puzzled look on her face.

"What is it?" she questions trying to hide her concern.

I climb into the passenger seat while she starts the car. She places one hand on the steering and turns to look at me, her eyes searching my face for answers.

I sigh and take a huge breath knowing how embarrassing this moment could be. But even though I had been contemplating how to tell her, I knew I needed to get it off my chest.

"I'm a virgin," I confess staring down at my hands.

Immediately my thoughts race as the panic deep inside forces its way out through my throat.

"Whatttt?" she giggles bending her head down to see the reaction on my face.

I can't come to repeat myself but I knew she must have heard. My heart is pounding deep within my chest as my palms become sweaty.

She pauses for a few seconds too long, as I silently wish that I could be swallowed instantaneously into a black hole.

"That's beautiful," is her response as my eyes dart to hers.

"I wouldn't have thought so given your actions earlier."

She grins sheepishly as she reflects on our full on grinding session this morning.

"But that's really sweet," she continues reaching her hand out to touch my thigh.

I can't help but blush at her mention of what we did this morning as she gives me a reassuring smile.

We leave the school parking lot and head onto the freeway, she proceeds to talk about how she lost her virginity to Murray in 9th grade and that she thought they would be together forever since their families bond so well.

She seems rather comfortable relaying the details during this cringe worthy dialogue. I can't stop the mental images reeling through my mind as she continues to explain, jealousy and envy taking over.

The fact that she gave Murray a chance with her heart when I needed her. I wanted to erase her memories of him but I had no fear of picking up her shattered pieces and carrying them for eternity. I wanted to know every single aspect of her life so that I can be consumed by her passion, her sorrow and her shame.

Just the thought of her sleeping with someone else made my blood boil.

In my eyes she was complete, I've dreamt of her being mines forever and now I finally had a chance. I would just have to find some way of coping with the information she was laying on me and suppress my jealousy, suppress my hate for James Murray who didn't deserve her in the first place.

I wish she had met me first, I think to myself and that we had fallen in love giving ourselves to each other.

I wish I had more self-confidence, especially when she first started school. Maybe she would have been mine rather than Murray's.

"You listening?" she questions as I recover my thoughts.

"Uhhh yeah," I mutter, mustering a fake smile despite my internal feelings of being a jealous loser.

                                                           ***********************************

Tammy's POV

Today was the finals of the football playoffs, James had been practicing for almost a year in order to impress the scouts.

I knew he probably thought that I would maybe still support him despite everything we've been through over the past couple months.

His grandfather had even flown in from Jamaica to see him play today. I still wished him luck mentally since I know he wages a lot on this evening's match.

I stared in the mirror adjusting my blouse, Luke and I had decided to spend the evening together.

Given that everyone else would be at the football match, even Aurora had agreed to let Trent drop her home after the match since I wouldn't be around.

I was still a bit shocked after Luke's revelation in the car earlier and tried to lighten the mood by telling him about my experience with James.

In hindsight, I realize that I probably made the situation a lot more awkward but I wasn't used to talking about that kinda stuff I guess especially with someone I cared for dearly.

I made a few tweaks to my jewelry settling on gold studs rather than hoops. They worked better with my casual look, a tight pair of skinny jeans and a black sheer blouse which buttoned to the front. I had freshly washed hair, which fell over my shoulders into a curly bob. I took a spritz of my favourite perfume and pushed my feet into my plain black ballet flats.

Luke was expecting me at 6 and as I looked at my clock I realized that I was already thirty minutes late.

His parents weren't expected till 10, he said as his mom had a conference outside the city and his dad usually accompanied her for moral support.

I pull up to his house probably at minutes to 7, parking close to the curb and not in the driveway.

Luke is already standing outside and I get out locking my car behind me.

"You're late," he announces smiling at me.

"Sorryyy" I state trying to sound sincere.

He leans in and gives me a nice big hug, pulling me in closer to him and burying his face into my neck.

"I missed you," he grumbled into my neck.

"You just saw me," I contended tugging at the back of his jersey.

He smells heavenly and whatever body wash he used really works well with his natural odor.

"You washed your hair," he mentions raising his head to look at me.

"Can I touch it now?" he motions to my hair mockingly, clearly taunting me from our first misunderstanding.

I swat away his hand as he laughs pulling me closer into his arms. I can feel that he's already excited as his pants brush over my navel.