Pregnant
1215 Words
Two days later, Liv finally gathers the courage to call her parents.
Cass had helped her that morning by buying some vitamins. I was swamped with classes, and she understood medication far better than the two of us combined. Once again, our recent friendship with the clinic receptionist had saved us.
I haven’t seen Adam.
I’ve been avoiding him on purpose because, honestly, Liv not having told Leo yet is eating me alive.
I sit beside Liv as she picks up her trembling phone and completes the call.
Not through FaceTime this time, because I don’t think she’ll be able to handle seeing her parents’ faces. Although she doesn’t plan to drop the bomb over the phone, she needs to tell them she’ll be coming home this weekend, and since they’re completely oblivious to text messages, calling is the only option.
Beside her, she puts the call on speaker so I can help if she can’t get the words out.
A few seconds later, someone answers.
— Livia, sweetheart. — her father’s voice comes through, and she falls apart.
Her self-control disappears so quickly that I don’t even have a chance to stop it. Tears appear, so many that Livia drowns in them. Her whole body shakes, and I feel like crying just from seeing her like this.
— Sweetheart, what happened? — her mother asks hysterically.
— It’s nothing serious, but I’ll need to come home this weekend.
— That’s fine, come home. We’ll be waiting for you. Do you want me to pick you up? — her father asks.
Liv shakes her head.
— No need. Akê is going to lend me her car.
— Are you really okay?
— I am, Mom. It’s just that… I missed you when I heard your voices.
— We love you, sweetheart. — they say in unison.
I pull my best friend closer and hug her tightly.
I hold her as if I’m terrified she’ll dissolve into tears and disappear.
— I love you too.
The call ends, but we remain like that until the sound of someone knocking on the door pulls us from our trance.
I’m the one who answers.
And when I do, I come face-to-face with Leo and Adam standing on the other side.
I wish I had been quicker to stop them, but unfortunately, superhuman reflexes aren’t one of my talents.
Leo sees Livia sitting on the bed, her eyes swollen and her nose red.
He storms into the room while I try to stop him, but Adam catches my hands, anchoring me in place.
Everything feels slow.
Leo and Liv stare at each other in silence.
— It’s okay, Akê. I’ll handle him. — she says quietly, making me relax and allowing Adam to pull me closer to him.
— Handle me? — Leo asks. — You’ve been missing classes. I barely see you anymore. What happened?
— And does that even matter to you? — she asks firmly.
— Of course it does, Liv. Just because we’re not together doesn’t mean I want to see you like this…
Leo moves closer and kneels at the foot of the bed, taking her hands in his.
No matter how clear he’s always been about not liking commitment, it’s equally obvious that he’s a gentleman.
At the very least, Coleman would be patient enough to handle this.
— We’ll leave you two alone. If you need anything, just call me, okay? — My voice comes out low, almost inaudible.
Liv nods before I leave the room with Adam wrapped around me.
We walk in silence for several minutes, wandering through random hallways and staircases.
I’m in a trance most of the time, but when I finally return to reality, I realize we’re outside on campus, walking hand in hand without saying a word to each other.
Adam Melchior and me.
Holding hands.
— I missed you. — he whispers after many minutes.
— I missed you too. — I admit because I’m far too exhausted to pretend otherwise.
Liv hasn’t been sleeping well these past few days, and neither have I.
I think the anxiety of telling Leo and her parents has been slowly killing her.
Adam tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear and looks at me softly.
— Don’t run away from me, Ísia. — he studies my face.
His eyes move over mine as if searching for something.
I don’t know what he’s looking for.
But if it’s something good, I find myself hoping he’ll find it.
I want it to be me.
I want it to be me that holds whatever he’s searching for.
Adam touches my face, running his thumb along the shape of my lips.
He’s so handsome.
The kind of man who makes women want to lose their minds at first glance.
And I hadn’t realized how much I missed his touch.
Not until that moment.
— I won’t run away. — I answer.
— Promise? — one of those dimpled smiles appears.
God.
Those smiles made me nervous.
— I promise.
And with that, Adam wraps his arms around my waist and kisses me.
I think Liv’s situation has made me rethink things with him.
Life is so short and so fast.
One day you’re in control, and the next everything changes.
I knew who Adam was, but he was trying to be something more for me.
And I wanted to give him that chance.
I wanted to because I was consumed by him and tired of denying it.
Adam occupied all my thoughts, slipping into my heart and claiming parts of me I didn’t even know existed, but which now belonged to him.
I’ve never felt anything so intense.
So powerful.
Maybe we’d burn.
But so what?
I wanted to walk into the fire with him.
His warm lips press against mine and make me feel as though heaven might actually be within reach.
My entire body seems to melt beneath his touch.
When our lips finally part, I’m still breathless and dazed.
— Want to have dinner with me? — I look at him, laughing.
— Are you asking me out to dinner?
— Exactly. — he says, still laughing.
— Oh no. I’m Adam Melchior. You’ll have to convince me it’s worth having dinner with you.
I roll my eyes at the sheer size of his ego.
Biting my lip, I turn away, but Adam doesn’t let me go.
He pulls me back against him, my back pressed against his chest.
I try not to smile at how effortlessly he moves me around as though I weigh nothing at all.
— No running away, Akermisia. Remember? — he murmurs near my ear from behind me.
I smile even more.
— Just because you’ve decided to be funny doesn’t mean dinner isn’t on your tab now.
— Fine. — he murmurs. — Deal.
I narrow my eyes.
— Don’t try to distract me, Adam.
— You used Livia as an excuse to avoid me all week, Ísia. Now I’m not letting you get away.
I smile, but I don’t stop him when he lifts me off the ground and carries me toward the car.
We’re going to dinner.
And although I’m hungry, I’m far more anxious about what comes after.
- Writer
