the long game / gr63

bonus - the test

— TALIA —
food poisoning

Ibiza & Monaco, summer 2025

Summer break was meant to be relaxing, which it was for George, but not for me. I'd been so sick the last two days that it had become hard to keep down anything but liquids, so I'd stayed on the yacht with Cara and her baby, after much protest from George who didn't want to leave my side. They'd planned a trip already, though, and I didn't want to stop him from having fun.

I was pretty sure it was food poisoning, so I didn't bother thinking too much about it. I made sure to drink the liquids with extra vitamins and minerals that George had left for me. I felt better over the next few days, but we ended up leaving for Monaco early.

When George was gone to the gym, Arden called me. I'd just let myself sink to the cool bathroom tiles after another spell of nausea.

"Hey girl," she said through the phone. "How are you feeling?"

"Uh... not so good," I admitted as I rubbed my eyes. I'd barely gotten any sleep lately. It sucked. "I'm still feeling really sick, and I was meant to be due for my period two days ago but I think my body is too busy fixing itself..."

Arden cleared her throat, and then a rush of air sounded, and there was a beat of silence. Carefully, she began, "Tal... honey, have you done a pregnancy test?"

"Ay, who is pregnant?" A manly voice suddenly sounded from the other end of the phone. It was hushed, not meant for my ears, but I think Arden was wearing earphones or something that made it easier for me to hear. "I swear, Marta again and now... if another one of our friends is pregnant I'm gonna wonder if we should try it ourselves."

Arden hissed, "Charles! It's Talia."

"Talia?" There was more rustling and the phone was picked up. "Are you pregnant?"

I was overwhelmed, unsure what to say. Suddenly, it made sense—I'd had my IUD removed before the summer, because George and I had discussed not wanting to wait for another five years, and although we'd been very careful with only condoms... I gasped.

"Oh boy..."

"Oh no," Charles clicked his tongue. "I want to practice more with girls. I've had enough practice with Lorenzo's boys."

"Charles," Arden hissed again. "She doesn't know yet!"

There was a pause, in which I could imagine Charles' scrunched eyebrows and parted lips: the stupefied expression I'd seen too often on him. "Do you have any lying around, Tal?"

"No, I..." I spoke quietly. "I forgot to buy new ones after the last scare."

"We're on our way," Arden said decidedly, in a tone I recognised as one that you couldn't argue with. Another wave of nausea hit me, and I quickly ended the call before throwing myself over the toilet.

— —

"Tal?"

"In the bathroom!" I called out, leaning my head back against the cool bathroom wall. I was shivering, yet wearing the thickest hoodie of George's I could find and sweats. Was this normal if you're pregnant? I had no clue.

Arden walked in, dark hair pulled back into a messy bun and wearing a pair of leggings and an oversized Miracle Academy hoodie. In one hand, she held three pregnancy tests from different brands, and in the other she held a paper bag.

She crouched down next to me and gently brushed my hair away from my sweaty forehead. "Oh poor you. If you are pregnant, I think you've got a bit of a rebel on your hands."