Unbroken August

Waiting

August's heart raced as she slipped out of the room, her mind still reeling from what she had done. As she made her way through the dimly lit hallway, she spotted Becky waiting for her outside the bar. Becky's eyes widened with anticipation as August approached. She ran up to her, her legs shaky with adrenaline.

"Did you do it?" Becky asked, anticipation evident in her voice.

"Yes, I did," August answered, her own voice trembling.

"He looked different. I think it was a side effect of the sleeping pill you gave me."

Becky's eyes lit up with triumph. "Perfect. Let's go."

"Legs, go," August said, trying to push past the shock of what she had done.

"Wait, August, I forgot something. Can you go ahead? I will go back inside to get it. Don't wait for me; I ordered an Uber already," Becky said as she turned and ran back inside.

Alone now, August stood there, the enormity of what she had done was beginning to sink in, and she felt a mix of relief and guilt wash over her. She took a deep breath, before heading towards the waiting cab.

As the car pulled away from the club, August's mind replayed the events of the night. She couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of her stomach. What had she done? Was it worth it?

The drive was a blur, the passing city lights painting streaks of color against the darkness outside. When the car finally stopped in front of her apartment building, August hesitated before stepping out. The night air was cool against her skin, a stark contrast to the turmoil within her.

"Thank you," she said to the driver, offering a faint smile as she exited the car. She watched the taillights fade into the distance before turning towards her building.

As she made her way to her apartment, August's mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. She knew that what she had done would change everything, but at that moment, she couldn't bring herself to regret it.

~

The sun shone bright through the window, casting a warm glow across August's face as she woke up. She blinked at the light.

With a heavy sigh, she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

Pushing herself up, she made her way to the bathroom. She retrieved the pregnancy test strip from the drawer where she had kept it and carefully followed the instructions. With trembling hands, she placed a few drops of her urine on the strip and set it aside, as she waited for the results.

Two weeks had passed since August's encounter with Mateo, a week filled with restless nights and anxious days.

Every morning, she would wake up and reach for the test strip, her heart pounding with a mixture of hope and fear. She knew it was too soon to tell, but she couldn't help but wonder if this time, just maybe, she would receive a different result.

August dreamed of having a child, of cradling a tiny life in her arms while Mateo showered them with love and kisses.

~

August pov

"Ugh," I sighed as I walked into my bedroom and slumped onto the bed. My phone felt heavy in my hand as I dialed Becky's number. "Nothing?" she asked.

"Yeah, nothing" I replied.

"Don't worry, there's still time. It's still too early," she reassured me.

"Yeah," I replied, trying to sound more hopeful than I felt.

"Where are you?" I asked.

"Home," she replied. "I'm going to the studio later, we have runway practice. You are coming, right?"

"No, Bec, Just go alone" I said, shaking my head even though she couldn't see me.

"Please, I just want you to get some fresh air. You've been at home for a full week," she pleaded.

"Okay," I relented. "I'm going to meet you there."

"Bye, see you later" she said.

I hung up, feeling a little relieved. Maybe some fresh air would do me good.

I rose from bed, the morning light filtering through the window. Walking to the bathroom, I turned on the faucet, letting the warm water fill the tub, its soothing sound calming my mind. Undressing slowly, I stepped into the bath, closing my eyes and letting the warm water envelop me.