aint whisper in t

, the endless arguments playing on repeat in my head-it all had to be taking

stomach churned at the smell of coffee-a smell I used to love. Every time I

she leaned against my kitchen counter. She had her arms crossed, her eyebrows raised lik

nds. The tea had gone cold. "I'm sure it's no

re, pressure from work and social p

ime you smell food, either." She grabbed her bag from the ch

. "Is that... a

did you think it was, a lottery ticket?"

eeling heavier than it should.

ative, great. We'll go out for drinks, and I'll never bring it

egnant. I mean my period shou

before giving in. "Fine," I mutt

-

tiny bathroom. I had followed the instructions to t

had never

ed pale, my eyes slightly hollowed from too many s

ring myself to look. I wanted to pretend everything was fine, that my

breath, I glan

gna

ff the tiny screen, punch

test clutched in my trembling hands. My heart raced, my mi

t Eth

anie

cause I barely knew him. One night, that's all it had been. A night I c

who had betrayed me, torn my heart

than, trying to build a life, only for it to end in shambles. And now, af

-

rought me bac

the bathroom. Her eyes darted to the test in

owly, unabl

Okay, okay. We'll figure this out

but they didn't make the we

do," I whispered, my

"First, you need to see a doctor. We need to

r her decisiveness when I f

-

I sat in the waiting room, my hands clasped tig

hall, my heart pounding in my chest. The examination room fel

eyes, smiled gently as she entered.

ard. "Nervous

. "That's completely normal. Let's take

the cool gel shocking against my skin

soft hum of the machine. Then, a fa

artb

catching in my throat. There it wa

Congratulations, Ele

someone else. I couldn't take my eyes off the

al. This wa

o idea what