I texted Tess. Up to about a month ago, I would have called her my best friend. Now I wasn’t so sure.

‘hey hang sat night?’

‘sorry busy’ Came the same reply I’d been getting for a while now. When I tried to press her before she’d made some excuse, parents calling or whatever, and cut me off.

‘can I come round?’ I sent. There was a pause that seemed longer than strictly necessary.

‘sure’

As usual, I went around the back and let myself in, said hi to her mom, and went up to her room.

I knocked and waited.

“Yo,” she called out, and I went in. Tess was looking at her phone.

“Hi, so what are you up to tonight then?” I asked.

“Party,” she said simply, without looking up.

“So, I like parties,” I pointed out. She put the phone down and looked at me.

“Patty, every time I’ve asked you if you want to go to a party you’ve said no, haven’t you?” That was true. As soon as she admitted that there would be booze and seniors there I knew my folks would have a fit.

“Well, yes--” I admitted.

“Because your parents wouldn’t let you,” she butted in.

“Yes.”

“And you always do what they say because you’re a good girl.”

“You say that like it’s a terrible thing.” She gave me a look that I thought might be exasperation, then picked up a pad and a pen and gave them to me.

“Let’s play a little game, like we had to do when we were kids at school: ‘What I did last weekend’. She got her own paper and started writing. “Not an essay, just bullet points, Saturday and Sunday.”

I looked at the paper and thought back. Skipping over the obvious I wrote:

Helped Mom with her baking.
Tidied my room (and then crossed it out)
Went shopping with M+D
Looked at socials
Looked at shit on TikTok
Helped Dad in the garden

“That’s enough, Tess said. “Let’s swap.”

I looked at what she’d written:

Went to Justin’s party
Snogged Michelle - who knew she was bi?
Let Ant feel me up, v. nice so gave him BJ
Hung out with Paul

“Is this all true?” I asked her in disbelief.

“Yeah. It was quite a quiet party really.”

She began writing on the back of her paper and then handed it to me.

Patty, aged 35

Got up, fed cats
Got showered and dressed
Went to mall to buy new cardigan and toys for cats
Cup of tea and cake in coffee shop
Home and frozen dinner 4 one
Rang Mom and Dad
Watched shit soaps
Fed cats again
Early night

“This will not be me!” I told her firmly. “I don’t even like cats all that much.”

“Really? That’s your objection?” she said, looking amazed. “It could be small dogs or-- Anyway, it doesn’t matter. The point is, when exactly are you going to start living your life, Patty? You’re sixteen and you haven’t even kissed a boy, let alone had sex with one, have you?”

“Well, no. And you have, have you?”

“Patty, I lost my virginity when I was fourteen and a half.”

“What! You never told me?!”

“I never told you because I didn’t want to see that look on your face,” she told me, pointing at me. I realized I was actually horrified.

I have to admit that I was truly shocked, both by her revelation and by her bleak view of my future. That was almost a year that Tess had been ... enjoying herself and I’d been being a good girl.

“I want to go to the party,” I declared, deciding that things had to change.

“No, you’ll just glom onto me all night, drinking nothing and throwing disapproving looks at everyone.”

Fuck, she was probably right. But we seemed to have skipped over some important things.

“When you lost your virginity...?” I began to ask.

“Yeees?”

“Who was it? Did you enjoy it?”

“Firstly, I loved it. I never regretted it for a second. He was gentle and wonderful and--” She trailed off and sighed with a faraway, wistful look, as if reliving a beautiful memory.

The expression on her face clutched at both my heart and my pussy. If that was how the memory felt then how good was the real thing? I wasn’t entirely a good girl but I was definitely the only person to have seen my pussy - since I was a baby anyway, or my doctor - let alone touched it.

“Who was it?” I asked softly. “Was it someone I know?” She looked at me and seemed to be trying to see into my soul. “You know I won’t tell,” I added, in case that was what she was trying to figure.

“It was Paul,” she confessed. I looked at her blankly as I tried to remember a Paul at school. “My brother, Paul,” she added finally.

“It was your brother?!!!” I shouted. She got up and looked up and down the street through the window.

“No, I don’t think the Archers at number 25 quite got that,” she said sarcastically.

I didn’t know what to say and I just stared at her.

“Look, he’s the nicest guy you’ll ever meet,” she told me earnestly. “I’d trust him with my life ... and did in a way, I suppose. It took me ages to persuade him, and he was so sweet and cool about it.” Again she had a far-away look of bliss on her face. “If you wanted to lose your cherry I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him. Honestly.”

“I-- I-- I need to think about that,” I stammered. I did know Paul a little bit and did seem very nice, and he was very cute. The idea that I could give my virginity to him definitely had attractions. Knowing he’d be gentle and, if he could give me memories like Tess had ... My pussy was certainly very keen on the idea.

“Do you think he would?” It came out as a whisper and I think it took her by surprise.

“I could ask him if you’d like? If you’re sure?”

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. She came over and sat next to me, putting her arm around me.

“You’re not committing to anything Patty,” she told me. “He made it clear to me that he’d stop at any time if I asked him to. Not that I even thought about it. Not for a second.”

“OK, That’s good,” I replied, relieved. “Erm ... I need to go and think about all this.”

“I understand,” she said fondly. “If you do decide to go ahead I’m sure it’ll be beautiful.” And she gave me a little peck on the lips, which only added to my confusion.

The next morning I got a text from her as I was sitting in bed:

‘Paul says yes 🤤🍆🍆 parents out for meal sat night’

I pushed the covers down, lifted my nighty, and looked at my pussy. It said yes. Actually, it said yes, please!

‘8?’

‘👍 bad girl 😊’

Saturday was an eternity coming, and when it did arrive I was a mass of indecision. I must have changed my mind about a thousand times. In the end, I gave myself a good talking to: ‘You can’t not go. Just go along and, if it doesn’t feel right, then bail.’ I had my second shower of the day and then thought about clothes. Finally, I just went with my normal jean shorts and a sweatshirt, partly because that was what Mom would expect me to wear to Tess’s, and partly because, if things went to plan, I wouldn’t be wearing them long anyway. I did put on my nicest underwear though!

I left way too early and had to walk around a few blocks to waste time. I didn’t even want to think about how much Tess would take the piss if I was half an hour early. When I arrived I was very nervous and actually trembling. I rang the bell and, much to my relief, Tess answered it.

“Hi, you look ... normal ... and terrified actually,” she said with a big grin. “Do you want a drink ... maybe a large brandy?”

“No,” I said way too quickly and way too squeakily.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t tease you,” she said, looking guilty, and then gave me a big hug. “Just try to relax and enjoy it. If you change your mind just tell him to stop. OK?”

I nodded and she led me by the hand upstairs and to a room with the door open. Paul was sitting on his bed, fully clothed, which was a huge relief: if he’d been naked I think I’d have just run away.

Tess sat me down next to him and gave my hand a squeeze.

“Take good care of her,” she whispered to her brother and gave him a big kiss. “I’ll be right next door with my head against the wall,” she joked with a big lecherous grin as she left, closing the door behind her.

Paul took both of my hands in his and looked into my eyes. God, he had beautiful eyes!

“Would it be OK if I kissed you?” he asked softly.

“Oh God, yes please,” I replied. How did he know exactly what I needed? It wasn’t a French kiss, but it was so, so lovely and it made all my fears just seem to melt away.

When his lips finally left mine I was momentarily at a loss, I’d been so utterly caught up in it.

“Patty, you’re a very beautiful girl and I really want to make love to you...” he said and then paused. “But I’m going to check with you at each step that you’re happy with what I’m doing. OK?”

I was very, very excited and didn’t trust myself to speak, so I just nodded.

“I think a little more kissing and then we’ll take some of these clothes off. Yes?”

I didn’t answer I just planted my lips on his. This time our lips did part, only a little at first and then I felt his tongue, gently touching mine. It was a little weird at first, having someone else’s tongue in my mouth, but astonishingly intimate and very, very thrilling. His hands were stroking my face and neck and my own started to roam over his back, loving the feel of the muscles under his shirt.