“She is not.”
“She is now.”
“She’ll still talk to you.”
“No, she won’t.”
After handing back her pee stick, I pulled out my phone and found Sakura’s contact.Last year, we’d had to do a project together for Civics, but I hadn’t talked to her since.She had always been quiet and kept to herself.
“What are you doing?!Don’t tell her!”
“I’m not going to tell her that you’re pregnant.I’ll say that I am.”
“Astrid, you don’t have to?—”
“Oh my God, girl.Shut it and let me work my magic.”
Me: Hey, Sakura!Sorry for messaging you so late.I kinda … ran into a predicament and was wondering if you could give me some advice.This teacher and I … well, I’m sure you could guess what happened.Do you have time to meet up tomorrow for coffee?
Diya and I stared at the phone for what seemed like forever until Sakura began to type.
Sakura: Hi!Yes.4 p.m.?
Me: Sounds great!See you then.:D
“See?Easy-peasy.Besides, I don’t think you have anything to worry about.You won’t even be showing by the end of the year,” I said, then scrunched my eyebrows together.“Wait, how far along are you?How long have you been sleeping with him?”
Diya raised her gaze to me and grimaced.
“Oh God,” I murmured.
“It started … a few months ago.”
“A few months?!And you didn’t tell me officially until—you know what?It doesn’t matter.We have a coffee date with Sakura tomorrow.”I jumped off her bed, pulled down the blankets, and pointed.“Until then, get some rest.”
CHAPTERFORTY-FIVE
ASTRID
“I’m so nervous,”Diya whispered to me, her arm locked around mine as we walked into the café ten minutes before four.She dropped her arm and grabbed my hand instead, her opposite hand on her belly, almost instinctively.“Do you think she’ll judge me?”
“No, you shouldn’t worry.”
“But … it’s just …”
I faced her and placed my hands on her shoulders.“Why don’t you grab us a table?I know that you’re nervous.It’s natural because this is all so new.I’ll get you some tea.Go sit and relax a bit, so Sakura won’t know that you’re the one pregnant.”
Diya grimaced, but nodded and found a table near the window.
Once she sat, I walked to the cashier and ordered two hot teas.My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I glimpsed quickly at it, my stomach in knots.Two missed texts from Calix and one missed call from an unknown number.
I had been avoiding Calix like the plague today because I didn’t know what to say to him.He had noticed that his sister was acting weird and even texted me about it, but I couldn’t tell him this.He would actually kill his stepfather.
“Two green teas!”the barista shouted.
After scooping them up, I headed to our table and sat next to Diya.
“What do you think she’ll say?”Diya asked.
