Chapter 43
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
ASTRID
Sitting in the car, I gripped the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles whitened as I stared at Diya’s house. Usually, as soon as I pulled up to her place, I jumped out of the car and headed to the front door immediately. But tonight, oh boy, that was not happening.
Dim moonlight illuminated the brick exterior near the front door. My heart pounded.
I’d been sitting on the side of the road for at least ten minutes, hoping that Diya wouldn’t notice and run out to get me. I needed to build as much courage as I could in case this really was the end of our friendship. My fault, of course.
My gaze dropped to my phone sitting in my lap, Diya’s texts playing on replay.
Diya: We need to talk.
God, I wanted to die right now.
Knee bouncing, I grabbed my keys from the ignition and stuffed them into my purse. Fuck it. No more waiting. I had to rip this Band-Aid off and get this over with right now. If I waited any longer, I’d drive back home and—
Before I could finish my thought, the front door opened, and Calix walked out, his broad shoulders relaxed and his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jean jacket. Where was he going? He hadn’t told me that he had anywhere to go tonight.
Maybe he was going to see someone else … Mira perhaps?
The thought hit me hard, both sharp and unwelcome.
“No,” I murmured to myself. “You’re not following him.”
I was just looking for ways to get out of talking to Diya.
I stayed in my car as Calix slipped into his and drove off, his taillights disappearing down the street. After pushing my feelings away, I exited my car and headed up the driveway, then up the front walkway to the door.
My fingers hovered over the doorbell.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
When I finally muttered, “Fuck,” aloud, startling my-damn-self, I pressed the button and listened to the chime echo inside the house. One moment passed, then another. Then the door swung open, and I nearly melted into the concrete.
This was—
Diya’s stepdad stood at the door. My eyes widened slightly, and then I narrowed my eyes at his friendly smile.
I know he ain’t smiling at me like that if he told Diya all my secrets!
We were going to have some major problems …
“Astrid,” he said, “Calix just left.”
Oh, I know he didn’t just say that!
I narrowed my eyes even more, nearly squinting at him. “I’m here to see Diya.”
After raising his brows slightly, he moved aside. “Of course. Come in.”
Once I stepped into the house, he shut the door softly behind me. I peered up the stairs, my stomach in knots. If he was making jokes like that with Diya at home, knowing that I had wanted him to keep it a secret, I could only imagine what Diya knew.
I twirled around to face him and dropped my voice. “Does Diya know?”
“Know what?” he asked, a small smirk curling onto his lips.
Before I could ball his collar into my fists and shove him against the wall, I clasped my hands behind my back. I couldn’t forget that this man was my teacher too. If I hit him, he could utterly ruin my perfect grades.
“If she knows,” he started, “it’s not because of me.”
That didn’t answer my question! God, I’m so dead.
“Is she upstairs?” I asked, heart pounding so hard that I could feel it in my throat.
“Is that Astrid?!” Diya shouted from upstairs, her quick footsteps following. A moment later, she appeared at the top of the steps and ran down them. “It’s about damn time that you got here.”
Without giving me a chance to respond, she grabbed my wrist and pulled me up the stairs and down the hallway. When we finally reached her room, she pushed me inside and shut the door behind us.
“What took you so long?” she asked. “I needed you.”
“Are you mad?” I asked quietly.
“For you being late?! Yes!”
I stared at her for a couple of moments, slowly realizing that she didn’t know. Thank God that she didn’t know! Oh Lord, I was safe from our friendship exploding … at least for now. I placed a hand over my head and collapsed onto her bed.
“Astrid!” Diya said, jumping onto the bed with me. “This is no laughing matter!”
After suppressing my nervous giggles, I sat up. “What is it? Spill.”
Diya glanced at the door, then back at me. She pulled something from her back pocket and placed it in my hands. My eyes widened as I stared down at the pregnancy test with Positive written across the screen.