Page 80 of My Ex's Best Friend

I need to buy some tests, take them, and know for a fact that I'm not pregnant.

I drop by the first store that I see and grab four tests, just to be on the safe side. I even grab a few mints.

When I return to the apartment, I find Jake in the kitchen. He's sitting in front of the laptop, and I'm assuming he’s speaking to one of his clients. It's a female voice, and it sounds familiar.

I realize it's Lisa.

Jake looks up when I come in. I gesture to him that I'm fine before I lock myself in the bathroom.

I take the tests one by one, wash my hands, and set the timer.

I place them flat on the counter, my heart beating a mile a minute.

There’s a knock at the door. "Are you okay? You've been in there for a while now."

"I'm fine," I say. "Just cleaning myself."

Yikes, why did I just say that?

"Okay, I'm waiting for you out here," Jake says.

"You don't have to do that," I say. "You can just go back to working."

"I delayed the meeting," Jake replies. "I'm here for you."

I rub my eyes with my palms. There's not much to do except to wait for the inevitable.

After what feels like an eternity, my alarm goes off.

I check the test sticks, and my stomach sinks even further. They're positive, all four of them. There's no doubt in my mind now.

I'm pregnant.

20

JAKE

I think there's something deeply wrong, at least my gut says so even though Kiera assured me otherwise.

I pace outside the bathroom, waiting for her to come out. She's been in there for a while, and she even locked it after her so I can't go in. I don't get why she's so embarrassed. What happened to her is quite natural.

As if my thoughts summon her, the door opens and Kiera steps out.

She's a mess, and she looks like she has just been in a shipwreck. She is pale as a ghost and her hair is messy. She doesn't even look up at me when she comes out, clutching something in her hand.

"Kiera?" I say.

She doesn't answer at first, and just keeps staring down at the ground.

"Kiera, you're really scaring me right now, honey" I say, taking a step toward her.

She visibly flinches, and when she finally looks up, she has tears in her eyes.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I ask, cradling her face in my palms. "You can tell me."

Instead of answering me, she holds up her palm to me and slowly unfurls it. There's a tiny stick in there.

It takes me a couple of seconds to register what it is.

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