“Thing is, I've been watching all of you for years now. I've seen you get crushes on boys and listened to you complain about what they do or don't do, and the fact is you all say stuff doesn't bother you when it actually does.

Notarized affidavits or not, my sleeping with Holly would have bothered a lot of you."

“It wouldn't have bothered me," Zofi stated matter-of-factly. "You're our friend, not our boyfriend. Although I do admit the idea of you being my boyfriend would be nice. It would certainly get my Mom off my back about my lack of dating life."

"I don't mind if you tell your Mom I'm your boyfriend." I shrugged and looked at the others. "But before the rest of you start trying to reaffirm me sleeping with Holly wouldn't have bothered you, don't... uh... well, don't bother. I know you better." I gave Alice and Mari in particular serious looks

It was Looking at those two that actually put the next realization into my head, and I explained, "Right now, all the teasing is fun and games because most of us are virgins. It's a level playing field. We're all messing around and feel safe doing what we're doing because we haven't crossed that line yet, or at the very least, -I- haven't crossed that line. But if I had nailed Holly, you'd wonder just a little if I was going to start losing control and want to nail you too."

"You already want to nail us," Naimh commented.

"True," I admitted. "And the feeling's mutual. But I'm not going to lose my virginity in some rushed encounter taking advantage of one of my friends and ruin the whole BTC."

Sam chimed in, “You're disproving your own statement that you'd lose control and want to nail us just because you weren't a virgin anymore."

“It's not about him losing control," Alice put in.

“It's about us losing control, or me, at least. Matty is my safe guy friend. I know we're both virgins, and I know I can mess around with him without worrying whether or not we'll stop ourselves from doing anything serious. On the other hand, if he'd fucked Holly, I would have felt pressure to... well... Let him do stuff to me too... just to keep his attention. I mean, why would he waste time Letting me rub his package on the couch when he could find some other girl willing to let him pork her?"

“Me, too," said Mari.

“That sort of thing has already been happening for years. It's peer pressure, not from him but from the rest of you.

You guys started making out with him with plenty of tongue, so I figured I'd have to just to keep up. You all started talking about what his boner felt like through his shorts, so of course I had to try it for myself. Sam and Neevie started flashing him their tits over the summer, and set up that whole six-girl titty Lineup that one time, so I felt like I had to go along.”

Sam made a face.

“Okay, I get where you guys are going with this. I know I said I personally wouldn't be bothered if he'd slept with Holly, but I can understand feeling pressure to put out for him to ensure he liked me as much as her. I'm not a virgin and it feels Like it wouldn't be such a big stretch for me to bang him just to feel like I'm his favorite."

Zofi elbowed her best-friend. "You're such an attention-whore."

I looked across everyone. "So there you have it. I can't lose my virginity yet."

Belle stamped her foot.

“But it's not FAIR. Not to Matty. All six of us are allowed to have sex but he's not? If you ask me, maybe it's finally time we let one of US fuck him."

"I call dibs!" Naimh squealed immediately, thrusting her hand up into the air.

"NO," Sam stated emphatically.

“The Rule is The Rule.”

“Then you're asking him to remain a virgin just because we say so,”

Mari spoke up quietly.

“Belle's right: that's not fair to Matty. He's not our boyfriend and we have no right to demand his chastity for the sake of the club."