It’d been over a week and Nessa had just finished the class she shared with Josh for a second time this week. Both times he hadn’t even really acknowledged her. That’s what she asked for, and she thought she’d feel relieved. Instead he made her feel like she didn’t even exist and that hurt more than she’d expected it to.
She received notice that her afternoon class was cancelled so she turned towards the parking lot. She saw Josh playing frisbee with a few guys in the field across from her and turned back so quickly she lost her balance. She caught herself before landing on her stomach but scraped her knees and the palms of her hands on the concrete of the sidewalk bad enough she sat on the ground in pain.
She looked around hoping, no praying that no one had seen her fall. Her eyes immediately darted towards where she’d last seen Josh and to her horror he was jogging in her direction. All the boys he’d been playing with were laughing, but the look on his face was more like terror. She heard him yell behind him: “She’s pregnant, you idiots.”
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They all shut up immediately as Josh finally reached where she sat covered in bl00d, dirt, and tears.
Josh: “Nessa! Are you okay? Is the bab-”
She felt so dumb but she was afraid to show any ounce of weakness towards him. It always ended in her regretting a single moment of vulnerability with him: “I just tripped, but I caught myself- Um- More accurately my knee caught me.”
He smiled down at her and she immediately recoiled expecting the jokes to follow: “Don’t you dare joke about me being on my knees.”
He surprised her by shaking his head and reaching his hand out to help her up. She brushed her hands off as he offered: “I wasn’t going to, by the way.”
Shockingly, he picked up her bag off the ground and walked her to her car. She dug through her pockets and then grabbed her bag. She threw it on the trunk of her car and dug through every pocket before sighing in defeat the moment she saw them through the locked door… on the seat.
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Josh: “Where’s your spare?”
Nessa: “It’s at home.”
Josh: “C’mon, I’m parked down this aisle. I’ll drive you home.”
Nessa rode in silence until he turned towards her street and she had to correct him: “I don’t actually live there anymore. My parents kicked me out so I’m staying with Mads.”
Josh: “You’re living with my ex? I’m sure that’s not weird.”
Nessa: “She was my best friend first,, but nope, she moved in with Chase and they’re going to the art institute downtown.”
Josh: “Good for her, I guess.”
Nessa: “Why are you being so nice?”
Josh: “Screw you, I am nice…”
He laughed and added: “Ok, no. I’m not but are you sure the baby is ok?”
Nessa: “Luckily I’m not that big so my belly is easy to shield.”
Josh: “Yeah, you still don’t look more than a few months pregnant.”
Nessa: “I’m actually almost 8 months.”
She lifted her hoodie to show how big her belly actually was when she wasn’t hiding it. He looked at her in absolute shock as she took his hand and put it on her stomach. The baby kicked and then moved almost immediately and Josh jerked his hand back: “Woah, little Emmitt Smith in there.”
Nessa: *letting go and laughing for the first time in a long time* “Who the hell is Emmit Smith?”
Josh: *looking playfully offended* “Are you joking? Tell me you’re joking. Only my favorite football player, ever.”
Nessa’s laughter had become hysterical and she could barely contain herself. He continued on his spiel: “You definitely gotta name my- I mean the kid after one of the greats.”
The slip of tongue didn’t go over Nessa’s head and she was caught completely off guard. She’d never had a pleasant conversation with him where he wasn’t laughing AT her but as she listened to him babble on about the most rushing yards in history she remembered something.
Nessa: “It’s actually a girl, so that’d sound a little silly.”
Josh: *continuing his rant* “Okay little Emma can be the best first girl linebacker ever.”
Nessa: “Josh, you’re tall and skinny and I’m like 4’ 11”... this little girl isn’t going to be a linebacker. I hate to break it to you.”
