Chapter 4

On her way back to class, Kelly encountered Jude and several of his friends. Jude's height and good looks set him apart. They hadn't noticed her walking a short distance behind.

“Jude,” one friend began, “I heard your little shadow hasn’t spoken to you since before the semester started.”

“She probably heard you got a girlfriend and had her heart broken,” another chimed in.

“She even spaced out during Professor Butler’s class today,” a third added, laughing. “I bet it’s because you and Celeste were sitting right in front of her. She must’ve been so upset.”

That's when Kelly realized they were talking about her. She and Jude had always been among the top ten students in their grade. She genuinely enjoyed studying with him and often sought him out because she liked him. She had no idea that, in his friends' eyes, she was merely a clingy follower.

A sharp sense of irony stung her. If they perceived her that way, chances were Jude did too. But then, why hadn't he ever rejected her? He’d always agreed to study with her; they worked well together. This led her to believe she had a chance.

Just then, Jude said, “Don’t mention her around Celeste again. You know she doesn’t like Kelly.”

“Yeah, yeah,” one friend replied. “Celeste’s your girlfriend now.”

Another friend added, “You’re a lucky guy. You have a gorgeous girlfriend like Celeste and a smart woman like Kelly crushing on you. Why don’t you just date both of them?”

“Shut up,” Jude chuckled. “Kelly’s just a friend.”

“You see her as a friend, but she wants to be your girlfriend,” his friend countered.

The banter continued: “Do you think she still likes Jude? Maybe she’s just keeping it quiet, waiting for him to break up with Celeste.”

“What if he never does?”

“Then she’ll just wait for him forever!” His friend laughed.

“What is this, a soap opera?” another asked.

“How about we make a bet? How many years do you think Kelly will stay single for Jude?”

“A year? Two years? Five years?”

“Alright, alright, knock it off,” Jude interrupted, though he didn't sound particularly annoyed. A smirk played on his lips; the attention seemed to feed his ego, as if a girl remaining single for him was a badge of honor.

Their figures receded, and Kelly stood frozen, unconsciously clenching her fist. The revelation, while painful, wasn't entirely unwelcome.

The day had been brutal. First, she discovered the man she'd slept with was her professor. Now, she'd overheard her crush mocking her—confirmation that the one-sided love she'd harbored for two years meant nothing.

After class, she asked Melissa to return her books to the dorm while she went to work at The Sippery.

“You’ve been working part-time every day since freshman year, skipping evening classes… and you’re still in the top ten? Seriously, I admire you,” Melissa said, watching Kelly pack.

“I don’t have a choice. I need to earn my own living.”

Melissa, a longtime friend, knew something of her family situation. “Your parents are unbelievable. They completely overlook their incredible daughter but keep trying to help their son, who’s hopeless.” She quickly added, “I’m sorry, Kelly. I didn’t mean it like that.”

Kelly smiled. “It’s fine. I know you meant well. I’m running late, so I have to go!” She slung her backpack over her shoulder and left.

The walk to The Sippery was familiar; she'd made it countless times over the past year. Every evening, while her classmates attended classes, she was behind the counter taking orders. Her dorm light often burned until midnight, long after others were asleep. Everyone assumed her scholarship came easily, but only she knew the sacrifices she'd made.

At The Sippery, she changed into her uniform and covered for a coworker. Though part-time, she was essentially treated as a full-time employee after a year.

It wasn’t a busy night. After chatting with her coworker, she went to the restroom. As she stood, dizziness hit her. The world spun; she had to brace herself against the wall. Her heart raced. Then it hit her: she hadn’t had her period that month.

No way. That was impossible. Kelly was certain Leon had used a condom. If he hadn’t, she wouldn't have gone through with it. Unless… the condom broke? Her heart lurched.

The moment her shift ended, she rushed to a distant drugstore, taking a ride to avoid being seen. She held the pregnancy test, her nerves frayed. Waiting for the result, she crouched in the restroom, hands clasped, silently praying, “Please, don’t let this be true. I promise I won’t do this again. Please, don’t let this happen to me. Dear gods, goddesses, deities, anyone, please help me…”

She called upon every higher power she could think of before opening her eyes. Two red lines. The walls seemed to close in. This was really happening. She was pregnant. She was absolutely screwed.