Scarlet Letter Anthology

One Night, Hopefully More - @JoeLechene

I never did stand a chance, did I? I sat on the couch and watched him make out with some random chick through the open patio doors. Every time his hand groped her side, it made me regret coming to this party more than I already did. This entire thing was his idea and I only came to it because he was my best friend. If only he knew that I wanted to take our friendship to an entirely different level. Of course, I would never do such a thing for the fear of losing him. I would forever be his wingman, destined to be stuck watching him. Wishing that it was me that he was making out with instead of some random chick. I knew that I could never be with him that way and it tore me apart every time that I looked at him.

...

Cooper and I had been best friends for as long as I could remember. Our fathers both practiced together at the same law firm, which meant we spent a lot of time together while they frequently worked late. We practically did everything together growing up. We watched cartoons, ate meals, and eventually played sports together. Fuck, we even lost our virginities on the same night. Unfortunately, it was to two different girls and not the way that I really wanted to lose it. Cooper always had my back growing up and I had his. Regardless of whatever stupid thing he talked me into doing.

...

I watched as he left her to refill his red plastic cup with more booze. Cooper had become quite the drinker during our high school years. I guess that being the Captain of a state championship winning basketball team can have that effect on a man. Lots of winning game parties meant lots of drinking. Tonight though, he seemed to be guzzling way more beer than usual. Normally I wouldn't worry about the amount that he drank. Tonight though, he was starting to worry me.

Cooper had five more drinks to my two before he started to sway while talking to the same chick. I could tell just by looking at her that she was getting annoyed. As the party was quickly dying down, she left him on the patio. Without even giving him a kiss goodnight, she walked away from him. Leaving him behind in a drunken stupor.

Not wanting to leave my best friend hanging any longer than I should have, I got up from my seat on the couch and walked out onto the patio. Cooper drank what remained in his red cup as I wrapped my arm around his waist and guided him back into the house. Getting him up the stairs to the second floor was no easy feat since he was beyond wasted. He stumbled every other step on the way up the stairs.

I held onto him by the back of the belt while I fumbled with the keys, trying to unlock his room. He always kept it locked on party nights, so he didn't walk into some random couple fucking on his bed. After unlocking his door, I led Cooper inside still holding him up by the back of his belt. As soon as the door was shut and locked behind us, I laid Cooper down on the bed. My oldest friend laid incoherent as I pulled his shoes and socks off his size thirteen feet. I was able to pull his t-shirt off over his head, but that was as far as I was willing to go. I managed to lift his still jean clad legs onto the king-sized mattress and pulled the covers up over his naked mocha torso. After changing into my pajama pants, I joined him on the opposite side of the bed. This wasn't the first time that we had shared the same bed and I doubted that it would be the last.

...

It was still dark when I woke back up. The moonlight was shining through the windows and I felt a pressure on my body that wasn't there before I went to bed. At some point during the past few hours, Cooper had moved over right against my side. This kind of contact wasn't something that happened before, despite the number of times that we've slept in the same bed. I remained completely still beside him for fear that I would wake him up. After what seemed like an eternity, I felt a hand brush over my thigh. I had to hold my breath when it stopped directly on top of my junk. At this point, I was trying to just pan it off to him being in a drunken unconscious state. That all ended when his hand started groping me.