12. Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Mila
My entire world has been in limbo as I’ve kept my appearances to a minimum for over a week. Studying is an easy, but lonely excuse, and leaves me far too much time to explore my possible multiverse futures.
Sliding into the locker room as my teammates are already heading onto the practice rink, my heart isn’t in it. I’ve lost interest in everything lately. Life simply isn’t as vibrant as it was when I let myself wander down the fantasy rabbit hole of hooking up with my professors.
The big question is if I wandered too far? My fingers tighten on the paper sack I’m carrying. In a few minutes, I’ll know if I can let Sterling and Rutherford fade into my past, or if they’re tied to me forever.
Belova, Avery, and Nikki stop in their tracks when they see me.
“Whoa, Mila. What’s wrong?” Nikki says, eyeing me up and down.
I muster a smile. “Sorry I’m late.”
Belova tilts her head, concern etching her features. “You’ve been off for weeks now.”
“Does this have anything to do with your breakup?” Avery takes my free hand.
I wince. “It’s not that.” I fumble with the paper bag.
Avery’s eyes zero in on it. “What’s that?”
Before I can stop her, she plucks it from my grip and peeks inside. Her eyes widen, and she looks up at me, understanding dawning on her face.
“Oh, no,” she says softly, pulling out the pregnancy test.
My stomach churns as my friends try to console me. I feel exposed, vulnerable, but also relieved to not be alone.
“Shit,” Nikki breathes.
Belova puts a hand on my shoulder. “Have you taken one yet?”
I shake my head, tears pricking at my eyes. “I’ve been too scared.”
Avery, who’s been through this, squeezes my hand. “It’s better to know, trust me.”
“We’ll wait with you,” Nikki says. She shouts to our teammates, “We’ll be out in a few! Mila needs us!”
Avery walks me toward the bathroom stall. Once I’ve peed on the stick and started the timer, I join them on the wooden locker-room benches. “How will I tell Sterling and Rutherford? How long before I can figure out which one is the father? What about school? My scholarship?”
“Slow down.” Belova’s voice cuts through my spiraling thoughts. “One step at a time, okay?”
I nod. They try to distract me with derby gossip and jokes about everyone on the team ending up pregnant. Nikki’s the odd one out here, but she has enough on her mind with her brother being killed in combat recently.
I can barely focus, other than avoiding looking at the pregnancy test. My gut tells me what the result will be, but I’m terrified to see it confirmed.
My timer goes off. The bathroom falls silent.
I look down at the stick in my hand, and my world shifts. Two pink lines are waiting for me.
“It’s positive,” I whisper, my voice cracking.
Avery’s hand rubs up and down my back. “We’ll help you through this.”
“At least you’ll have plenty of babysitting options,” Nikki chimes in. “Half the team’s either knocked up or already chasing toddlers.”
Avery gives my shoulder a squeeze. “I can loan you some of my baby stuff.”
“I’ll help out too,” Nikki adds. “I’ve got plenty of free time.”
Their words of support wash over me, but I can barely process them. My head’s too full of worries about all of the other consequences.
My phone dings. A message from the student portal sends a jolt of panic through me.
“Oh god,” I mutter, fumbling to unlock my phone. “What if it’s my expulsion?”
“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Belova says.
“If Josh told anyone about what he saw, at a minimum, they’ll revoke my scholarship.”
The thought makes me feel sick. Or maybe that’s just the pregnancy. Either way, I’m not in a good place.
Belova cups her hands around mine. “Look at the message while we’re here with you.”
I tentatively tap the message open. It’s not the relief it should be. “It’s the official announcement that I got the scholarship.”
Avery rubs my back. “Let’s hope for the best.”
“Money’s going to be so tight if I lose it,” I whisper, more to myself than to my friends. “How am I supposed to afford school and a baby, especially if the baby’s daddy, whichever of them it is, loses his teaching position over this?”