I hummed to myself and sat in the passenger seat of her car, scrolling through social media before school.Calix had messaged me about a billion times since last night, wondering why I wasn’t responding to him, if it was something that he had done …
While I’d tried to reassure him that it was nothing, I had racked my brain for so many reasons why I could be acting this way.But the truth was that my best friend and his sister was pregnant by his stepdaddy, and he wasn’t going to like that.
Diya froze beside me.“Astrid, you’re not going to believe this.”
“What happened?”I asked, ready to believe almost anything that happened in this town now.
This past year had been nothing but drama, drama, drama, drama, and now with my best friend pregnant … it was only going to get crazier.
A direct message popped up on the app.
Calix: Where are you??
After blowing out a sigh, soft enough so Diya didn’t question it, I ignored the message on my screen and exited all of my social media.God, it has been so hard, ignoring him.I need to come up with a good excuse soon.
Calix wasn’t going to wait much longer, not after adding two question marks.
The phone buzzed again, and I clutched my hand around it.He isn’t going to let this go?—
Arch: It’d better be mine.
My brow furrowed, and I clicked on his message to see nothing more.No texting bubbles.No other messages.Just one text that didn’t make any fucking sense.But, hey, itwasArch.
When my phone buzzed for a third time, I immediately tapped open the message.
Cairo: I’ll make sure you can make up your Physics exam.Stay home.I’ll see you soon.
Then another.
Frasier: Tell me what you need, and I’ll pick it up after school for you, baby.
I scrunched my nose.What’s with the emoji?And why are they all acting weird?
“I’m so sorry, Astrid,” Diya said, eyes filling with tears.
Oh gosh, the hormones are already kicking in.I don’t think I’m ready for it.
Once I set my phone on the dashboard, I pulled Diya into a hug.“Shh, shh, shh.It’s okay, Diya.You don’t have anything to apologize for.I know that this week has been especially hard for you.Don’t worry.I will?—”
“All of Redwood thinks you’re pregnant,” she said.
I stiffened.“What?”
“All of Redwood thinks you’re pregnant.”
“What do you mean, they think I’m pregnant?”
She pulled back slightly and showed me her phone, where Calix had texted Diya less than two minutes ago, asking where I was and if she had known that I was pregnant.I snatched the phone from her hand and immediately messaged him back.
Diya: What?Where did you hear that???
Texting bubbles appeared almost instantly, followed by another message.
Calix: Some girls were talking about it in the hall.
Calix: Where is she?
My heart dropped, and I slowly handed Diya’s phone back and stared out the windshield.How had they found out about it so quickly?We had only told Sakura last night, and I hadn’t thought she’d tell anyone.
