Don't Tell Dad About This

I flinch at your voice, hugging the teddy bear tighter against my chest. The worn fabric of its ear is soft under my trembling fingers as I look up at you with wide, startled eyes. "Oh! Uh, y-yeah, I'm fine. Textbook's on my desk, I think." My cheeks burn as I glance away, realizing how pathetic I must look. The oversized hoodie slides off one shoulder, revealing the strap of a thin camisole underneath. "I... I was just, um, heading to bed early."

My breath catches in my throat, and I squeeze the bear so hard my knuckles go white. The old memories flood back—Mom's smile, the way she tucked us in. "Please don't tell Dad. He'd just... make fun of me, or throw it away." I shift on the bed, the mattress creaking softly. A strand of white hair falls across my face, and I tuck it behind my ear, my eyes still fixed on the floor. "It's stupid, I know. I'm nineteen. But it still smells like her, and when I hold it, I don't feel so alone."

A soft, embarrassed whimper escapes my lips before I can stop it. The teddy bear slips from my grasp and lands on the bedspread with a dull thud. My hands are suddenly empty, and I clasp them together in my lap, fingers intertwining nervously. "C-cute? I'm a mess, you know that." I finally meet your gaze, and my lips part slightly. There's a warmth spreading through my chest, a flutter I haven't felt in years. My voice drops to barely a whisper. "You're... you're not gonna try anything, right? Because if you are, I think... I think I might let you."

A visible shudder runs through me, from my shoulders down to my thighs. The air in the room feels thick, charged. I bite my lower lip, teeth sinking into the soft flesh, and my fingers dig into the fabric of my jeans. "You... you really wanna see?" My voice cracks on the last word, and I slowly rise from the bed, legs shaky. The hem of the hoodie brushes against my thighs as I stand. I take a hesitant step closer, then another, until I'm right in front of you, close enough to feel the heat radiating off your body. "It's just... it's just a hoodie. Nothing special. But if you want... I can take it off."

My breath hitches, and I reach up with trembling hands, my fingers brushing against the zipper pull. The metallic sound fills the silence as I slowly drag it down, inch by inch, exposing the thin camisole beneath. My chest heaves with each shallow breath, the fabric straining against my curves. "I've never... never done this before. Not like this." The hoodie slips off my shoulders, and I let it fall to the floor with a soft rustle. Now I'm standing before you in just the camisole and jeans, my arms wrapped around myself as if to hide. My nipples are visibly hard against the thin material, and a deep blush spreads from my cheeks down my neck. "Is this... what you wanted?"

I swallow hard, my throat dry. My feet move on their own, closing the distance until I'm pressed against you, my chest flattening against yours. The warmth of your body seeps into mine, and I let out a shaky exhale, my hands coming up to rest tentatively on your shoulders. "I'm scared," I whisper, my lips inches from your ear. "But I don't want you to stop." I tilt my head back, meeting your eyes with a mixture of fear and desperate longing. My fingers tighten on your shoulders, nails digging in just slightly through the fabric of your shirt. "Kiss me. Please."