Page 6 of The Golden Goalie

“Uh, yeah that’s not going to work. Unlock the door please. I just want to make sure you’re good, and then I’ll leave.” He’s quiet a moment. “I promise.”

Realizing he’s not going to go anywhere, I finally push myself to my feet. I rinse my mouth out and make my way over to the door. “Okay. Here I am. Is that good? You can leave now.”

I make the mistake of looking up at him. He narrows his eyes and sucks in a breath. “Your eye.”

“Hate to break it to you, Goalie. Your face isn’t much better.” I walk past him.

“Amber, wait.”

I whirl around. “I’m pregnant. Okay? So, this isn’t something that’s going to go away...well, at least for nine months. So please, just...go.” I don’t look at him. I don’t really know him all that well, but he seems nice. I realize he’s probably not going to leave unless I make him. So, I walk over to the front door and open it. “You can leave now.” I don’t meet his eyes because I feel like a jerk; but I’m pretty sure this is the only way he’s going to leave. I see the moment he decides to do what I’ve asked. His shoulders drop slightly, and he blows out a breath. I keep my eyes down as he walks past me out onto the front porch. A quick glance outside shows it’s just Rico’s car. Stephanie and Sebastian are long gone. He stands in front of me a moment, but I don’t look up at him. Then he jogs down the front steps.

“Thank you for picking me up and bringing me here.” I regret the words instantly because he stops and turns around. I quickly close the door and lock it. I just couldn’t let him leave without at least saying thank you. I rest my head against the door as a feeling of hopelessness I’ve never felt before rushes over me. I sink to the floor and let the tears come.Again. When I’ve cried all I can, I finally stand to my feet and make my way to the spare room. I crash on the bed without even changing my clothes, hoping and praying that somehow this all gets better in the morning. Within a few minutes, it’s obvious I’m not going to go to sleep. I pull out my phone and stare at. It’s cracked; it musthave happened during the fight. I close my eyes in frustration; it’s just one more thing to top off this horrible night.

The next morning, my alarm goes off, and I open blurry eyes and shut it off. For a few blissful seconds, I lay there peacefully. Then it all comes flooding back. I sit up slowly and hang my head for a few minutes. I finally drag myself out of bed and into the shower in the next room, where Brielle slept. Thankfully, all her shower supplies are still in there.

I have to admit, I do feel a little better after a shower. I put my hair up in a messy bun and throw on some of Brielle’s clothes. I’m a little taller, but I make it work. I don’t even bother with makeup before making my way to Aiden’s kitchen. I’m just about to make a cup of coffee when I stop. “Can I even have coffee?” I realize I’m going to have to figure this all out. I stayed up way too late last night googling on my broken phonepregnancyand what it all entails. I search Aiden’s stash and don’t find any decaf. With a sigh, I grab my wallet and head outside where I promptly stop. I squeeze my eyes shut. I don’t have my car because it’s at my mom’s house, where I left it before all this happened last night and I caught a ride to the party. I put in for an Uber and sit down to wait.

Twenty minutes later, I’m in the back of a car with a driver that’s way too chipper this early in the morning. I make it safely to campus and head towards my first class. I don’t have any of my things. I’m hoping I can fake my way through this morning, get through my shift at the library, and then get home tonight and try to regroup.

The day drags. Even my shift at the library isn’t enough to bring me out of my funk. I finally make it home in yet another Uber. I considered crashing at Aiden’s house again, but I need to go home and face reality...AKA my mom. She blew up my phone this morning when she realized I never came home last night. With a sigh, I close the car door. “Thanks for the ride,” I tell theUber driver and make my way inside. I hear voices and pause. Dread fills me. It’s Brielle and Aiden. I’d totally lost count of the days and forgot they were coming home today. I’m just about to turn around and sneak back outside when Brielle comes out from the kitchen and sees me.

“Amber.” And then I’m engulfed in a tight hug. I swallow hard, willing the emotion away.

“Amber?” my mom’s voice reaches my ears. “I’ve been so worried about you. Where were you last night? Why didn’t you come home?”

Brielle looks between the two of us. “You didn’t come home last night?” she asks.

Both of them stare at me, and I feel cornered. My breathing speeds up, and I feel like I’m going to be sick. Aiden comes around the corner, and I reach out for the lifeline. “Aiden, hey. Welcome back. How was the honeymoon?”

He looks at my sister, and his face softens. I nearly turn away; sometimes, I can’t handle the two of them. They're so in love.

“It was good,” he says.

“Amber, where were you last night?” My mom asks.

I realize there’s no getting out of this.

Chapter 4

Amber

I feel the weight of three pairs of eyes on me, and I take a step backwards. “I texted that I was safe,” I remind my mom.

She frowns. “Well, yes, but you didn’t come home last night. I was so worried about you.”

“She stayed at our house,” Aiden’s low voice sounds, startling me. I don’t know whether to be thankful to him or mad at him for interfering. When I look at him, he just shrugs.

Well, now everybody knows at least. “Yeah, what he said.” I walk past them and snag an apple out of the fruit basket and start towards my room.

“You’re just going to leave without explaining anything?” Brielle asks.

“Yep. That’s what I was planning on.” I keep walking.

“Amber Nicole.”

I grimace. My mom only uses my full name when she’s really not happy with me. I take a steadying breath and turn around. I see the anger in my mom’s eyes, and I get it. But the hurt in Bri’s eyes makes me flinch. I feel like the walls are closing in around me. “What is going on, Amber? You’ve been so distant, so...angry. I want to help, but I don’t know what to do. You won’t let anybody near you. Is it about the guy you’re dating. Adam, right?” Bri asks.

My stomach knots, and I feel like I’m going to be sick.Again. Apparently, that’s going to be my norm for a while. I looked up morning sickness last night on google too. I panic and try to keep this thing from unraveling. “All right. Fine. Things got a littlecrazy last night. There was a fight, and I...didn’t want to stress you out.” I direct my words at my mom.

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