The next day was Saturday and I woke up to a man in my bed. I crept out of my room, knowing full well how much trouble I was going to be in when Amelia when she found out that I drunkenly had sex with her older brother. She was my only saving grace in this town and I couldn’t afford to lose her as a friend. I needed her, she was my best friend.

With a sigh I decided to make some pancakes, but instead pulled out my iPhone.

Hey, Amy. You home?

I waited for the familiar beep of my phone. Five minutes passed and I still didn’t get a reply. I sighed and threw on Friday night’s dress, hoping to catch her at her place.

I took a cab downtown to the high rise building that Amelia and Brad shared. It was a beautiful apartment inside, although a little run down on the outside. There was furniture on the lawn and garbage in the ditches out front. It was a dump, but Amelia called it her home.

Waiting outside in the chilly July air (why was it so cold for this time of year, anyway?), I kept checking my phone for Amy to reply.

I was talking to the mailman, wondering if he had run into Amy on her way out when I heard a deep, familiar voice say my name.

“Stella,” it was Brad.

“Brad,” I sighed. “We really need to talk.”

He let out a laugh, but I could tell it was a fake one. He seemed pissed off.

“Talk? What do we even have to talk about, Stella?”

I rolled my eyes at him, feeling a little annoyed and a lot hungover.

“Well, if you don’t want to talk why did you even acknowledge me, Brad?”

“What do you want to talk about? How you drunkenly seduced me? How you promised me a blowjob but I never got it? How about you sneaking out of your own house and leaving me in my bed?”

Another familiar voice came from behind me.

“You did what, Stella?”

I spun around and came face-to-face with Amelia. I felt my stomach clench.

“Amy…”

She glared at me, a look so cold it could freeze Hell.

“Amy I’m sorry. It was a drunken mistake. I didn’t mean to hurt you at all. It just happened. Really, it was a mistake.”

“A mistake?” It was Brad, looking at me with hurt in his big, blue eyes.

“Well… no. Brad don’t be upset. We were drunk, and you are my best friend’s brother. I can’t just … you know. We can’t just fuck and expect no repercussions of our actions.”

“You’d know all about consequences, wouldn’t you Stella?” Amy’s voice was cold. I turned to face her, expecting to see tears but only seeing loathing in her eyes.

“What does that mean?” I asked, crossing my arms across my chest.

“All I’m saying,” Amelia said, lifting an arm in a posh way to make fun of me, “is that perfect little Sex-tape Stella should be used to sex ruining everything. Go run away again, back to another town where you can start over, and then fuck your way back to isolation. You dirty, fucking slut.”

I felt tears sting my eyes and I turned on my heel and ran home.

The next week was spent cooped up in my bed, only leaving to go to work and then come home to sleep. I was determined to stay in Twinbrook but what was the point? I was a social piranha here and I would be anywhere I would end up.

I had received another promotion at work and I was starting to make a little bit of money. I was feeling better in that regard, but my heart was broken.

Leisure day had arrived and I decided to catch a cab to the park. Lucky for me, the cab I had chosen had Amelia in the back seat.

“If it weren’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have any, I guess.” Amelia quipped when I sat down, and moved as close to the window as she could get.

“I’m going to the park, driver,” I said in an attempt to ignore Amelia. This was so stupid. We were adults, why couldn’t we just talk?

“So you’re stalking me now, too?” Amelia glared at me in disgust.

I huffed and looked at her,

“Listen. I made a mistake but could you please grow the fuck up? Thank you.”

The cab stopped and I got out, slamming the door and walking toward the fountain.

“Wait!” Amelia shouted at me, chasing after me.

“What could you possibly have left to say to me, Amelia. What.”

She looked at me with a face that looked like she was sucking on a raw lemon, and then sighed.

“It wasn’t cool to get mad at just you, Stella. I mean, I am pretty pissed at the both of you. You were supposed to be my best friend, and you just betrayed me at the raising of my brother’s cock. Was it worth it? It better have been the best fucking sex of your life if it was worth throwing away our friendship for, Stella.”

I scratched the back of my head and looked at the ground.

“I promise you, Amy. It wasn’t worth it. But your brother is so sweet. He’s so upset that you’re so upset. He didn’t mean to hurt you, and I didn’t either. Amelia, I am so sorry for hurting you. It is over between the two of us. It just wouldn’t work because it isn’t worth the struggle of saying goodbye to my only friend. It isn’t worth hurting you for, Amy. I am so sorry. I want your forgiveness, and I was wondering if you could give that to me?”

Amy sighed and pulled me into a hug.

“You’re lucky you are so damn cute, Stella Elliott.”

I felt better after talking to Amelia. We spent the rest of the day talking and laughing. I knew it would never be the same, but our friendship would be better.

Sitting on my couch watching TV, I heard my doorbell ring. Opening the door, I was surprised to see Brad standing on my step.

“Hey.” Was all he said to greet me.

“Um, hello.” I waved, smiling slightly. He put his hand on my cheek and I reached up and touched his strong arm.

“Brad, you can’t.”

He pulled me in and kissed me but I pulled away.

“Whoa, doggy. What are you doing? Don’t you remember what happened the last time you did this? Um, I was called Sex-Tape Stella and I never want to hear that again.”

“Stella you are intoxicating. You looked damn good in that video, by the way. I mean, it got me off a few times.”

“Brad what are you doing here.”

“I can’t stop thinking of you, Stella. I need you.”

“Go find another girl to have sex with. I’m not just a walking fleshlight. I am not interested in having sex with you again.” It was a bad lie, but I couldn’t hurt Amelia like I did before.

“You’re an awful liar,” Brad chuckled at my defiance. His charm was melting my heart. I couldn’t fall for it. I didn’t want to.

He pulled me in close and kissed me so sweetly. I felt myself melt in his arms.

“Ohhhh, Brad,” I let out a little moan. “This is so wrong.”

“Mm,” he moaned against my lips. “But you are so right.”

He let out a husky growl and lead me into my bedroom. He pulled me on top of him and started kissing me deeply.

I was in so much trouble.