"Is this good enough?" David asked for the eightieth time, turning the phone to face me once again. I frowned, shook my head, and swiped until his phone was back to the camera.
"This is going on your account with like two bajillion followers, and you want just an okay picture? I have to look pretty or I'm going to get bullied," I snapped and David nodded understandingly. He allowed me another second to pose, then snapped about three more pictures. I scrolled through them and finally nodded on the last one, watching him sigh in relief. "Send it to me and I'll Facetune it."
"You don't need to facetune it; you look beautiful," he smiled and my heart kind of melted for a second, until I realized Corinna and Todd were sitting right next to us in the restaurant. He didn't mean it; he was saying it so they'd think we were relationship goals.
"I'm still going to facetune it," I laughed, giving him a small thank you smile when I received the picture. "Thanks, babe."
I edited the photo to my liking, and he posted it a few minutes later with the caption Ariana was right (as always)!!! God really is a woman.
We had actually asked Todd and Corinna to lunch for an important reason. Jason, who knew the true story of why David and I were together, had informed us that Todd was asking around about us, and his questions were hitting a little too close to home. Todd was home during my desperate knocking on the vlog squad's door, yelling about the USC party from three weeks ago. He had put together that we had only just met, and he was asking Scott and Corinna and Jason questions that they couldn't answer (Scott and Corinna, because they didn't know and Jason, because have you ever seen a non-disclosure agreement?).
After a discussion with Jack and David, we came to the conclusion that it'd be best just to tell Todd and Corinna what was happening instead of letting him wonder out loud until he found out.
"So, we actually asked you guys to hang out for a reason," David said once we got our food and everything settled down. Todd and Corinna seemed thoroughly confused, which was a good sign. Maybe they didn't know as much as David and I assumed they did. "Sloane and I met a month ago, not six."
"Wait," Corinna furrowed her brows, covering her mouth that was still filled with food. "Why are you telling us this?"
"Todd knows too much," David answered, eyes flickering from me to the couple. "He heard her say we hadn't known each other for long, and he kept asking people questions as to why we were lying."
"Yeah, I knew there was something up," Todd nodded in agreement, oddly smug. He must've been proud of himself for his detective work, which found literally nothing except the fact that something was up. "You're pregnant, right?"
Okay, maybe not absolutely nothing.
Corinna's jaw dropped, and she almost laughed, like she didn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. Our solemn nods shut her up.
"You're kidding."
We were, most definitely, not kidding.
"Shut the fuck up!" she whisper yelled, her eyes solely focused on David. "Wow, the amount of times you have called me a slut and now you knock up some random stranger? What was it, a one night stand?"
Our silence answered her question, and a giggle bubbled out of her throat.
"I knew I saw a pregnancy test in the bag you brought it, but I thought I must've been seeing things. Jesus Christ, dude," Todd slapped a hand on David's back. "Congratulations, I guess."
"Thanks, man," David's hand found mine. "We're excited."
"So, the whole story is just made up?" Corinna clarified.
"Yeah," I answered for David, who seemed like he had clammed up after the "congratulations". "Uh, I had to sign this big contract. I guess so David doesn't look like a person who has one night stands? We're keeping his reputation in check. Anyways, you guys and Jason and one of my friends are the only ones who know the truth."
"Wow, now we really are special," Corinna poked Todd who jerked away with a laugh. "Well, I'm happy for you both, as long as you're happy. I can't believe I'm going to be an aunt."
She wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me in for a side hug. Todd joked, "Damn, for a guy who brags about his pullout game, you're pretty fucking weak, dude."
"I was drunk!" David defensively snapped. "And I'm pretty sure she told me she was on birth control."
"No, I didn't," I dramatically snatched my hand away from his. "I told you I wished I was on birth control. You still put your dick in me, so I think this one's on you."
"It's on both of us," David told the two, and I nodded in agreement. That would do.
"My mom always taught me that the universe is never wrong," I told the three, who stared back at me like I was insane. "I mean, this isn't ideal, but everything happens for a reason. It was supposed to happen. It wasn't coincidence that I grabbed David's elbow first when I was looking for someone at the party."
"Maybe it was the universe trying to give your baby a rich dad," Todd laughed at his own joke, which would have been funnier if it wasn't what I had been thinking for the past two weeks. Racking my brain over and over again, I came to the conclusion that David's money had to have something to do with it. Why else would the universe ruin my entire life plan if not to find me financial stability?"
"Anyways," David glared in Todd's direction. "Congratulations, guys. Don't tell anyone."
"I am... shocked," Corinna said and we all laughed. She was a sweet girl, and I felt like we could really be friends, especially now that she was one of the only people I could turn to. "Have you told Liza yet?"
If David had clammed up at the "congratulations", it was like he completely shut down whenever Liza was mentioned.
"No," was his simple answer. Corinna obviously wanted some elaboration, and her raised eyebrows elicited a groan from my boyfriend. Wait, fake boyfriend.
"I mean, are you going to avoid the subject forever?"
"No, Corinna," his annoyance was obvious. "I don't know. I don't know if I'm going to tell her the truth or not, and I don't know when the fuck I'm going to tell her."
"She's obviously already seen your Instagram post," Todd gestured to me when he said your. "And if she hasn't, if David's about to post that picture of you, it's over. You need to figure it out fast."
"I know," he snapped, rolling his eyes. "It's just, three months is a pretty quick move on time, especially into a long term relationship. Do I want her to think I moved on by March and impregnated my girlfriend?"
"What other options do you have?" Corinna asked.
"Exactly!" I nodded vehemently in agreement. "I got threatened not to tell anyone and was forced to sign a contract, but David can tell whoever the fuck he wants as long as it makes his life easier."
"I thought we agreed to tell Todd and Corinna together," David looked up, confused at my outburst. At least I had taken his mind off of Liza for a second. Not for long.
"We did. We didn't talk about telling Liza."
"Are you... are you jealous?" his eyebrows furrowed, his head cocked to the side, and a small smirk graced his face. That cocky little bitch.
"No, I'm not jealous!" I scoffed, tossing my black hair over my shoulder. "I'm just saying, if you can tell your ex-girlfriend, why can't I tell my ex-boyfriend?"
"You cried in my car for thirty fucking minutes about how shitty your ex-boyfriend was. What exactly will telling him do?"
"I don't know!" I whined. "I don't know. Maybe I just want to, David. Is that okay?"
"Sure, that's fine. Tell whoever the fuck you want. I don't fucking care."
"Okay, I will."
"Fine, do it."
Cue the staredown. The tension was thick, and Corinna couldn't take it.
"Alright guys," she awkwardly chuckled. "Maybe we should talk about something else. Like baby names! Do you have any in mind?"
"Oooh! Okay, so—"
tension??? jealousy????? but i thought they were just friends hmmmm wonder whats gonna happen in this story
also if u read my last authors note where i was deadass crying, i just want to say thank u for all ur sweet comments and stories about the shit u guys have been thru!!! everyone whos ever been thru heartbreak knows the feeling of feeling like ur the only one who has ever felt that pain, but thats never true. im glad so many strong, courageous people read my books!!! go you guys!!!! xoxo abby