Page 81 of My Ex's Best Friend

I take a step back, almost instinctively.

"I'm sorry," she says.

I open my mouth, but no words come out. I think of all the times we have been together—and there were countless times—and I never bothered with a condom because Kiera assured me that she was protected.

My head spins, and I slowly lower myself onto the bed.

“Say something,” Kiera says, her voice pleading.

When I look at her, she has this anguished look on her face.

I shake myself out of it. She needs me, and I can’t withdraw into myself.

"H-how, how did this happen?" I say. "I thought you had an IUD and that's why we could..."

I know that’s the wrong thing to say as soon as I say it and catch the expression on her face.

"My doctor said that it would always work," Kiera says, sounding miserable.

Suddenly, I'm in eighth grade PE where the teacher is droning on about how no contraceptive is one hundred percent effective. But I always wagered that was something that happened to other people, not me.

"Are you sure? I mean, it can just be a fluke."

"I got four tests," Kiera says, still looking the other way as if she can't bear to look at me. I know I'm handling it quite poorly, but I haven't got the faintest of how exactly I'm supposed to be behaving right now. This is nothing short of absolute insanity.

"And all of them are positive?"

"I wouldn't be telling you this if I wasn't sure myself," she says.

"I'm sorry, I just don't know how to react."

"Me either," she says softly.

I'm being an ass to her right now. If I'm taking this hard, this must be apocalyptically bad for her.

I walk up to her, and this time, pull her in for a hug.

She doesn't shy away and melts into my arms.

"I'm sorry. How are you feeling?"

"Not great," she says, through sniffs. "I just can't wrap my head around it yet. How could this happen?"

I peel back to look at her. "I mean, these things just kind of happen, right?"

"Right," she says. "And I definitely need to find a gyne now."

"Kiera," I say, taking her hand in mine. "You don't have to be scared. I know that's easier said than done, but you have me. I'll always be here for you."

She shakes her head. "I can't put that kind of burden on you."

"Burden?" My brows crease together. "What are you talking about?"

She tries to get out of my grip, twisting this way and that. I give her some space, but only because of the naked panic on her face. She's still freaking out.

"We've only been going out for two months," she says. "This is not what you signed up for."

"Are you kidding me?" I say it too loudly, and she almost jumps. "Kiera, we've known each other since we were twelve. We were best friends. You saw me have questionable taste in facial hair, and you talked me out of anything disastrous, which I'm very thankful for."

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