Clara sat with her friends at their usual spot at school. They were chatting animatedly about makeup, shoes, and some boys, but Clara seemed distant and withdrawn. Jessica noticed first, her brow furrowing in concern.
"Is everything okay, Clara?" she asked.
Sophie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you’ve seemed different lately. What is going on?"
Clara felt conflicted about telling her friends what was going on. She feared their judgment—how to tell your closest friends that your uncle took your virginity? But she also couldn't keep everything to herself any longer. Taking a deep breath, she looked around at their expectant faces and decided to reveal only part of the truth.
“There’s something I need to tell you,” she began, her voice barely above a whisper. “My father… he’s planning to marry me off.”
Her friends leaned in, eyes wide with curiosity. “Marry you off?” Jessica repeated, disbelief in her voice.
Clara nodded, her heart pounding. “To no one but Henry Caldwell Jr.”
A stunned silence fell over the group. Sophie finally broke it, her voice shaking. “You’re serious? An arranged marriage?”
Clara nodded again, the weight of her revelation sinking in. "Yeah, it’s real. I met him and his family a couple of days ago."
Emma commented, "Henry Caldwell is actually really cute. I met him at a charity event once."
Jessica scolded Emma, "That's not the point," and then turned to Clara. "Why would your father make such a decision?"
Clara sighed, feeling the weight of the situation. "My father is closing a business deal with the Caldwells, and a marriage would secure it further."
Jessica’s eyes widened in shock. "That’s so cruel and outdated!"
Sophie chimed in thoughtfully, "It wouldn’t be much different for us anyway. The only difference is that our parents expect us to find someone on our own and marry them willingly."
Concerned, Jessica asked, "What was your first impression of Henry?"
Clara hesitated before answering. "It wasn’t good. He is very cute, like Emma said, but he doesn’t like what his parents are trying to do. He told me he already has a girlfriend."
Jessica frowned. "Do you think your families will still go on with the marriage even if you two don’t get along?"
Clara shrugged, a look of uncertainty on her face. "I have no idea."
Despite Clara's explanation, Jessica couldn't shake the feeling that something else was bothering her friend. During the class break, Jessica found Clara in the bustling hallways and gently pulled her aside.
"Hey, can we talk?" Jessica asked, her brow furrowed with concern.
Clara nodded silently, and they made their way to the bathroom for privacy amidst the echoing chatter of passing students. Once inside, Jessica turned to Clara, her expression soft but probing.
"Is there something else going on with you besides the whole arranged marriage situation?" she inquired, her voice filled with empathy.
Clara shook her head. "No, nothing else is going on," she replied quietly, avoiding Jessica's gaze.
Jessica gently pressed on, her voice soft yet insistent. "I know you, Clara. You've been acting different lately, and I can't quite put my finger on why."
Clara sighed, feeling the weight of Jessica's concern. She realized she couldn't keep it from her any longer. Taking a deep breath, she knew she had to tell Jessica the truth.
Clara looked at Jessica seriously. "I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. Not even Sophie and Emma," she insisted.
Jessica nodded eagerly. "Of course, I promise."
Clara took a moment, gathering her thoughts, then continued. "I lost my virginity," she admitted quietly.
Jessica's eyes widened with a mixture of shock and curiosity as she leaned closer to Clara in the bathroom stall. The ambient noise of the school echoed softly around them.
"Oh my god, I knew it! How? When did this happen? And most importantly… With who?" Jessica whispered urgently, her voice filled with a blend of concern and intrigue.
Clara hesitated for a moment, glancing around to ensure they were still alone. "It was a few days ago," she began quietly. "I was upset with my dad because of the whole arranged marriage thing… I went to Adrian’s house to… I don’t know, I just went there. He and I were alone for a moment. We talked, and one thing led to another... and we had sex."
Jessica's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Adrian? You mean… Adrian Belfort?" she echoed in disbelief, trying to process the revelation.
Jessica's eyes widened in realization, her voice barely a whisper in the quiet bathroom stall. "Wait, are you talking about Adrian… Belfort?" she asked incredulously, trying to piece together the unexpected connection.
Clara nodded reluctantly, her expression filled with a mixture of guilt and anxiety. "Yes, him," she confirmed quietly, glancing around nervously to ensure their conversation remained private.
Jessica leaned back slightly, her eyes widening even further in disbelief. "Wait, you mean your father’s stepbrother, your uncle Adrian Belfort?" she whispered incredulously.
Clara sighed softly, her cheeks flushing in burning red, and nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, Jess, that Adrian."
Jessica's face lit up with excitement. "Oh my gosh, I knew it!" she exclaimed in a hushed tone. "I knew something was going on between you two since that day he dropped you off! I wasn’t crazy!"
Clara looked at Jessica seriously, her eyes conveying the urgency of the situation. "Don’t be so loud," she whispered urgently. "No one can know anything about this."
Jessica nodded emphatically, understanding the gravity of Clara's request. "I won’t tell a soul," she assured her friend in a hushed tone.
Clara hesitated for a moment before asking Jessica, her voice tinged with anxiety, "So… You don’t judge me for this, right?"
Jessica shook her head reassuringly, her eyes soft with empathy. "No way, Clara. You know I’m here for you. Always. Besides… I understand you. I also have a thing for older men."
Feeling a wave of gratitude, Clara sighed with relief. "Thank you," she whispered, pulling Jessica into a heartfelt hug.
As they parted, Jessica's curiosity got the better of her. "So, what’s Adrian going to do about your father’s plans? Is he okay with him marrying you off to some other guy? How does he feel about this?" she asked, her voice gentle yet probing.
Clara chewed on her lower lip thoughtfully. "Honestly, I have no idea."