Page 76 of Symphony for Lies

I grabbed her arms, staring her dead in the eye. “No, it’s real. It fucking happened.”

Her mouth dropped open, and out of nowhere, she squealed.

I watched in stunned horror as she spun in a circle, her hands flying to her head like she was about to have a meltdown. But the moment she realized I wasn’t celebrating, her excitement evaporated.

Her brows knitted together, and she pulled me into her arms.“Okay, okay, come here.” She rubbed my back soothingly before leaning back and deadpanning, “Do I need to kill him?”

A small laugh slipped past my lips, but I shook my head, melting into her embrace.

“Good,” she sighed, tugging me toward the bathroom. “First, get out of these clothes. And take a hot shower before you catch a cold.”

I didn’t argue.

The hot water did little to clear my head, but it washed away the tension in my muscles.

When I stepped out, Stacy was already waiting with a hairbrush and an oversized sleep shirt.

Without a word, she sat me down and brushed through my damp strands.

A little while later, we curled up on the couch, my fingers wrapped around a steaming bowl of instant ramen, which I ate like I hadn’t eaten in days.

My friend watched me silently, but I could feel the curiosity practically vibrating off of her.

When I finally set the bowl down and leaned back, I told her about the situation.

“So… Is this a bad thing?”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

She hugged a pillow to her chest. “I mean, Zane obviously likes you. And I have never seen you lose your composure over anyone like you do with him.”

I exhaled sharply, reaching for my phone. Unlocking it, I pulled Mrs. Cole’s message and handed it to Stacy.

Her face darkened instantly. “What the fuck is wrong with this woman? Does Zane know?”

I shook my head.

“Honestly, I wanted as little to do with him as possible.”

She huffed, tossing my phone aside and grabbing my hand instead.“Listen to me, Amelia. You don’t have to be with him if you don’t want to. Stop beating yourself up. You’re an adult. It happened. That alone doesn’t mean you are obligated to anything.” She gave me a small smile.“And honestly? Who wouldn’t sleep with Zane if he actually set his mind to it?”

Blushing, I cleared my throat. “Yeah, he’s… very persuasive.”

Stacy smirked. “Figured.” Her expression quickly shifted, eyes narrowing.“Okay. Now, the important part. Did he use protection?”

I hesitated before slowly shaking my head.

My friend’s lips pressed into a thin line as she stood up. She walked over to a drawer, rummaged through it, and then held out a small box to me.

“Here. Morning-after pill. Take it. And tomorrow, we’re going to the doctor.”

I took it without hesitation, swallowing it with the last bit of water in my cup.

Stacy pulled me into her arms again. “Everything is going to be okay, Amelia.” Her voice was steady, unwavering.

And for the first time… I actually believed it.

Sunlight spilled through the blinds, and the soft hum of the city waking up filtered through the window.

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