There's a loud knock at the front door. The sound makes me jump and fall off the couch in a tangled heap. I push myself up and straighten out my clothes before walking towards the door. The first person that comes to mind is Kyle. Perhaps he's decided to visit me for the day... that would be a nice change.
It feels like forever since I've last seen him. I was so excited to leave school and become this independent person who has their life figured out. Not only do I not have my life figured out, I don't get to see my best friend at all.
I've completely cleaned the house, finished my coursework for the moment, so now I have free time to do whatever I like. With London leaving today... the possibilities are completely endless.
My mind wanders to Tori. Of course, it would be her! She's supposed to be picking up London after her nap. I'm thrilled for the two-week block trial, but I wasn't excited that it had come this fast. What would I do with my earned freedom?
Catch up on TV I suppose, go for a walk, sleep in, swim in the pool, or see Kyle without having to find time in-between sleeping, feeding or changing.
I open the front door and find a smiling Tori waving at me.
"You're here early," I note suspiciously.
"Blake told me you were still sick, so I wanted to check on you," she explains.
"Hardly." I snort. "He's just overreacting," I dismiss.
"Is he?"
Since Blake had struck up the agreement, Blake and Tori have started talking more on the phone to ensure things are ready and set to go. I don't mind that they talk, it just worries me that they've been talking about me. Tori makes me nervous, especially now. She makes me want to nervous vomit and hides under my blanket like a small child.
I was doing fine without her reality check...
Tori raises a slender eyebrow, doubt consuming her eyes. I can't deal with this... not on the day I'm supposed to be collecting my freedom. With her presence, it feels like I've just cashed my freedom in for a jail ticket.
Goodbye freedom, again.
"You know, Blake." I laugh. "He's always worried about something..." I shake it off.
"How is London?" she changes the conversation, which brings some sense of relief to me.
"Sleeping." I lazily nod my head. "I've packed her belongings, and everything else you might need. She'll be up from her nap soon, and then she'll need changing and a feed. But after that, she'll be all yours for the next two weeks." I smile politely.
"Great." She beams. "So we have some time to talk."
"Ugh, sure." I quickly smile.
Talking with Tori never leads to good things! I think she has the best intentions, whatever they are. But with my overactive imagination and my ability to stress thinking over just about everything, Tori brings a whole new load of toxic thoughts to my mind.
"I could also do with a coffee." She smiles.
"Yeah, sure." I walk towards the fridge and grab out the milk to prepare her a drink.
While Tori settles herself at the kitchen bench, I put together the drink and slide it in front of her. Tori gratefully accepts the hot drink and takes a sip.
"What do you want to talk about?" I ask.
"This." Tori opens her bag and grabs out a long blue box and places it on the counter. She slides the box in front of me and weakly smiles. "It's time."
"Time, time for what?" I nervously ask.
"Get some peace of mind, Ava," she insists.
"I can't be." I shake my head. "I must have passed my sickness onto London because she had a fever."
"You can do it," she encourages once more.
"Tori, no, I can't." I shake my head.
My body starts to tremor uncontrollably, as tears leak down the side of my cheek. Blake is going to be so angry with me if it turns out I'm... I can't even think of it. No, I can't be, this is ridiculous.
"I'm sorry you wasted your money." I push the box back to her and frown.
Tori gets off the chair and walks around the bench to stand in front of me. She places her hands on my shoulder and looks me in the eye – the kind of stare you can't help but look back. Here is Tori getting her way because those kinds of stares convince you to commit murder if need be.
"I'm right with you, Ava, everything is going to be okay."
Slowly, I nod my head. Things wouldn't be okay, not in the slightest, but they felt slightly better with her by my side. At least Tori has experience in this department. It is insanely weird that my boyfriend's ex-girlfriend is helping me take a pregnancy test.
I couldn't imagine Kyle doing this with me. No, he'd be freaking out with me, probably threatening to murder poor, innocent, and unknowing Blake. At some point, I think Kyle stresses more than me. I can't decide if he'd be in the bathroom or outside talking about how queasy he's feeling. Looking at the bright side, Kyle would bring a sense of comic relief to the after the conversation.
However, I really don't have any intention of talking about this experience afterward. I'm going to prove Tori wrong and put this whole mess behind me. I'm not pregnant, I just can't be, not when everything is beginning to look up.
I know Blake has said that London has made his life feel like it's just begun, and that's adorable. But I doubt a second child this early would bring the same feeling. I don't want him to think I'm trying to trap him with another child.
Jeez, just shut up and take the test, then I'll know.
Tori and I walk upstairs and into the bathroom. I step into the room and turn to find Tori standing on the other side of the door.
"Why aren't you coming in?" I ask.
"I'll be right outside the door, don't worry." She smiles.
"Right, sure." I half nod.
Closing the door, I look down at the box and frown. They definitely don't teach you this in school. I quickly glance through the instructions, seems easy enough, right? Pee on a stick and wait for the results.
Now that I need to pee, I can't pee. Guess I can't do the test.
"I don't need to pee, Tori," I announce.
"Just try," is her responses.
"Oh gosh, this is so weird." I frown with displeasure. What if I pee on my hand and completely miss the stick instead? I'm sure there must be an easier way than this...
Taking a deep breath, I suck in the courage and take the test. I can't put it off forever, even if I could.
I don't feel like opening the door... I can't open the door, not yet. I press my back against the door and slide down. I cuddle my legs to my chest and bury my face in-between. I feel the weight on the other side of the door, so I know that Tori is with me still. Oddly, that fact is still comforting.
"Can you time it, please?" I sniffle.
"Yes," she immediately responds.
We sit in utter silence, the kind that consumes your soul. My heart races within my chest at every second might be the moment Tori calls out. I don't know if I can get off the ground and I don't know if I can look at the test. I pray that it's negative.
"It's time."
"Are you sure?" I ask.
"Yes."
My knees are stiff and my body hurts from being pressed against the cold ground. I slowly stand up and inch closer to the bathroom bench. My eyes look at everything else until there's nowhere else to look but at the bench.
I see the stick resting on the bench and my mind goes blank. What happens next?
What do you think about that cliffhanger? Preggers or not?