Nova
____________

"We have had no time for ourselves in the last few days" my wife whispered as she came from behind me, wrapping her arms around me. I had been standing idly in the kitchen, thinking. I still struggled with getting myself to eat. I know I'm skinny and I don't know why I'm even acting like this, but I couldn't help it. I starve when I'm stressed, when my friends are stressed, when things could be better. Why do people even need to eat to survive anyways?

"Earth to Nova" Aubrey insisted, "hello?"

"Sorry, sorry" I tuned to face my wife. "Good morning sexy. What's the plan for today?"

"Well you seem to have forgotten, but tomorrow we're supposed to try to get pregnant. Remember?" I went wide-eyed at Aubrey's words. "Oh shit."

"Calm down" Aubrey said with a small chuckle, "I know, it's scary, but you're not gonna be alone."

"And I talked to Nick this morning" my wife continued, "you know, he made the promise weeks ago, but might've forgotten. He's getting surgery on his shoulder a week from now so it's a lot for him."

"He still didn't get the surgery?" I asked, "wow."

"Sarah's death played a huge part, and Nick kept trying to post-pone it" Aubrey confirmed, "or at least that's what he told me on the phone an hour ago. But thanks to Naya, his new girlfriend, he has the newfound confidence to go through with the procedure. She talked him down from his worry."

"She's good for him" I said in genuineness, smiling. "I'm glad Jason isn't like, mad about them."

"Well, Jason is dating his cousin" Aubrey replied, "so it's only fair. Plus, Jason has other things to worry about." I tilted my head and made a "puppy look" type of face. Aubrey seemed to pick up on my thoughts instantly. 

"Was, dating his cousin" Aubrey corrected herself.

"I hope they make amends, for the sake of our group" I admitted. "Jason hasn't been very open about the break up, but I hope all that I've heard from Maddie's side isn't true."

"Yeah" Aubrey said, as she played with a strand of my hair. "When are your parents planning this wedding shit again? They called that one time and then never really tended to the matter again."

"They wanna wait for the holidays to be over and done with" I confirmed. "This weekend is thanksgiving, and then next month is Christmas. Once that's through, the process will be faster."

"Okay" Aubrey was satisfied, "enough questions."

She began kissing my neck, holding my torso with a very light grip. Slowly, as she began to use tongue on my neck and guided it along a vein, she subtly brought her hand up my shirt, seeming to have known that I wasn't wearing a bra.

She brought her head up to kiss me, squeezing my boobs with a very tolerable force. "I've missed this" she whispered in between kisses, "it's been so long."

Leigh
__________

"Okay there are a lot of things I would do for you Brynn," I told my former best friend, "but cut somebody's breaks? Don't you think that's a little crazy?" I held Brynn's daughter, whom I had no idea existed before today, in my arms.

"Oh come on!" Brynn groaned, "your brother is a car person. You inadvertently became a car person! There's no better person to do this than you!"

"It's not that I am not capable of doing it" I told Brynn, "it's that I don't wanna go to jail. We're not seventeen year old seniors anymore you know."

"And why should I even do this for you?" I went on. "I mean, after we got kicked out of Norwood you basically just used me for your obsessive Nova and Aubrey plan. Then you stopped speaking to me like it was nothing. I didn't even know that you had gotten pregnant with Jason's baby, or even had a baby. I didn't even know that your step-sister died. Now I should cut some breaks for you? Are you fucking serious Brynn?"

"If it's any consolation, I cut off contact with everybody Leigh" Brynn said. I scoffed.

"I'm not everybody" I retorted. "I was your best friend since preschool. Four years old. We had a thirteen year friendship, the entirety of somebody's education. And you just, you just dumped me like that."

"Leigh, I'm sorry" Brynn apologized, "I really am. You were the first person I called the other day. You're always on my mind. I swear."

"How am I supposed to know that you're genuine?" I asked my former friend. "What if I do you this solid, and then you just dump me?" Brynn huffed.

"Because you can literally rat me out" Brynn replied. "If I 'dump' you, you can tell Nova that I cut her breaks." I shrugged, "and what'll that do for me?"

"And why does it have to be Nova's breaks, Brynn?" I further pressed. "That's another problem, there's too many holes in your little plot. I barely know what the hell is going on. Could you like, fill me in?"

"I can't" Brynn insisted, "because it's bad."

"Bad?" I asked. "You switched names at prom, effectively ruining a relationship and somebody's long-term dream of being prom king. I don't think there's anything shittier that you could do."

"I killed somebody" Brynn said, making me go wide eyed. I slowly put Bryson down as I tried to catch my breath. I could feel my heart beating fast.

"In fact" Brynn continued, "I killed two people. And one of them is my sister." I backed towards the door.

"Leigh, please!" Brynn said, as she watched my reaction. "This is why I was scared to tell you. I'm not just blankly killing people, it was self defense on both occasions." I shook my head in fear.

"I don't know you" I whispered as I shook my head. Brynn looked at me with what looked like genuine sympathy. She licked her lips and folded her arms.

"It's all Jason's fault" Brynn whispered, as I squinted at her in pure disbelief.

"Jason didn't make you kill anybody, Brynn" I told my friend. "Especially not your sister."

"He abandoned me. Got with Maddie. My plan was originally harmless. I was getting back at him through Nick" Brynn started, "but then things went left and I had to put up a fight in order to save myself. If it were up to me, nobody would've died."

I loved Brynn, still, even though I wasn't willing to admit that to her, especially at a time like this. I couldn't ever imagine going through this alone.

"Leigh, I promise I'll explain everything. I'll answer every question. I'll do whatever to earn your trust, I just need time" Brynn told me. "Please. I've seen life without a best friend, and I swear I never wanna see it again. It's been so rough and so lonely."

"Fine" I sighed. "But just tell me, honestly, why Nova's car? I don't get it. You told me Nick dipped on your agreement. Why not his car?"

"If Nick is dead then this whole thing goes to waste" Brynn replied, "plus, he's probably not even using his car right now, given somebody busted all of his windows." I folded my arms at Brynn's words.

"So you want Nova to die?" I asked, "I can't do that Brynn. I'll help if it means scaring somebody. Death? Absolutely not. Especially not somebody like Nova, don't you think she's already fell victim to us enough?" Brynn had her thinking face on.

"Ok, then we'll loosen her brakes instead of completely dismantling them" she replied. "I'm sorry Leigh, but I have to do her. She's the only girl in that group that I can say Nick loves for certain. Plus, you and I would be the last people their group suspects."

The next morning

Aubrey
_________

Nick showed up at our house incredibly early, seeming to be just as excited as Nova and I.

"Can't believe we're doing this" he said, in regards to having his sperm collected and then artificially inserted into Nova. "It feels so, grown up."

"Yeah" I said as I grabbed my car keys, with Nova dragging behind, showing evident signs of fear. She'd been wearing a black "baby phat" two piece, and ugg boots. Florida isn't really cold, but today was forty-five degrees. Probably the closest thing to cold weather that we'd ever get.

We chose to make way to the center early, that way we'd be in and out due to lack of customers.

"It's barely five in the morning" Nova moaned, holding her stomach. I handed her a chocolate bar.

"Would you rather we go there at five in the evening? And deal with traffic, other clients, and a line?" I asked my wife, who was reading the nutrient facts on the bar that I gave her as we entered my car. We originally were going to take Nick's car, but somebody had busted all his windows.

"No" she said, not looking up at me or adding a "but" to her little argument. I nodded, "okay then."

***

I stared at my wife, who laid down with no pants on. The room was quiet, with just me, her, and a nurse. Nick had been in a neighboring room, and through this metal window thing that had been in the wall, we'd be receiving his sperm, to which they were gonna first test for safety, before inseminating Nova.

"Ah" the nurse said, opening the metal window. "One second Mrs Nova, the testing will take literally five minutes. You and your wife just sit tight."

"Is this gonna hurt?" Nova asked as soon as the nurse left the room. I shook my head, "it shouldn't."

I kissed my wife on the forehead, trying to ease her worry. "You're not alone" I assured my wife. "And don't worry, next time, it'll be me."

The nurse knocked before walking in. She didn't look too ecstatic, causing me to worry.

"Oh no" I said, as I read the nurse's face, "something's wrong?" The nurse nodded slowly.

"Nick's sperm count is little to nothing" the nurse informed Nova and I, prompting confusion.

"What?" I asked, "like, he didn't produce enough semen?" The nurse shook her head.

"He did" she said, "that's not the issue. The issue is that the semen he produced, is basically just aimless fluid. The actual sperm within it is very little."

"Is that a medical problem or something?" Nova asked, to which the nurse made a tilting "so and so" motion with her hand.

"It could be. However Nick's medical record, in terms of this at least, is fine" the nurse insisted.

"So, what is then?" I questioned. The nurse took a folded piece of paper out of her scrub pocket.

"Well, he refused a drug test, so I can't confirm whether or not it's that" the nurse began, "but drugs, especially illicit ones, play a huge part in infertility."

Nova shook her head, "wait" she began, "so what are you saying? Inseminating me won't work?"

"It may" the nurse began, "but the chances are low. I don't want you to be discouraged if in two or three weeks when you check, the test is negative." I sighed.

"So those are the only two probabilities in which one might be infertile?" I asked the nurse, "from a male's perspective, of course." The nurse shook her head.

"It's possible Nick was born infertile, but given the fact that he didn't have any symptoms of chronic infertility, and the fact that he refused a drug test, it seems that he might be consuming some type of drug." Nova and I, whom have already heard worry about Nick and drugs from Lewis back in October, looked at one another with concern.

"So," the nurse continued, "do you still two still want to go through with this procedure? You could always come back with another individual if you'd like."

"It doesn't hurt to try" Nova spoke, "if it doesn't work, we can try again with somebody else." I nodded, "yeah, what she said."

***

"Hi?" I greeted Jason and Hailey as they sat around in Nova and I's living room. Giving your friends keys to your home was literally like having ants in your home. They came at random and uninvited.

"I'm here to congratulate my besties on becoming parents" Hailey chirped, with a bag of gummy bears sitting in front of her. "Zach couldn't come, he had some court order shit with his mom. And I don't know why Jason's here, to be honest."

"I needed advice" Jason said, "but now that I'm hearing about this baby thing, I'm interested. Who's pregnant? And with who's baby?"

"It's not official yet" I informed my friends. "In fact, we might have to get a different sperm donor." Both Hailey and Jason showed looks of confusion.

"Why?" Hayley asked, "what's wrong with Nick?"

"He might be temporarily infertile, and the nurse that worked with us suspected that it may be from drug use" Nova informed Hailey and Jason. "On top of that, Nick refused to do a drug test."

"Yeah" Jason said, "that's kind of in the same boat as what I came here to talk about. Nick caused Maddie and I to break up. He also is the reason that Makaveli threatened Lewis' life."

"What?" Hailey, Nova, and I asked in unison. Jason nodded and continued.

"We had a guys night some time back, and most of us got drunk. Nick didn't, using his medication as an excuse not to. Lewis admitted something that he probably shouldn't have. Next thing we know, Makaveli was after Lewis."

"I'm confused" I said, "because if you forgot, we never really knew what is was that Makaveli was upset with Lewis about." Jason nodded, "right."

"Cassidy died because May put a hit on her. She requested her cousin, who was Makaveli's boyfriend, instruct Makaveli to kill Cassidy" my mouth dropped while Nova and Hailey shared a gasp.

"The only people that knew that were May and Lewis. It was supposed to be a secret that was taken to the grave, but Lewis accidentally disclosed that information when he got black out drunk" Jason stated. "Nick capitalized on it, which he definitely wouldn't have done if he was sober."

"Wow" Hailey said, "so what about Maddie?"

"Madison was an unfortunate situation" Jason replied. "May caught Brynn touching me, took a picture, and the bruise on my neck that resulted from Brynn shooting me with a nerf gun didn't help." I thought for a moment.

"Well, if there's any consolation, I can confirm to Maddie that we do in fact have nerf guns" I told Jason, who shook his head.

"It's all good" he said, "that's not even the part that she was focused on. Nick randomly told her that I was actively cheating on her, and because he's her cousin, she believed him over me."

"What the fuck" I said, "please tell me you confronted Nick, Jason. Seriously, that's fucked."

"Nah" Jason replied, "I didn't. Lewis and I talked about it and you know, we're trying to figure out what's going on. Nick will obviously be dishonest about it so there's no point in that."

"Patience is virtue, Jason" Nova said in hopes of inspiring her friend. "Time might help you and Lewis figure out what's going on with Nick."

"Yeah" Jason sighed, "but that's not all. Later that night, I tried to visit Brynn. I figured that if I can't rekindle with Maddie, I might as well get my family back together." I smiled at Jason's words.

"Well," Hailey interrupted, "did you?"

"No" Jason continued, "I saw Brynn and Nick making out through Brynn's window."

"Aw hell!" I exclaimed, "this story just gets worse and worse." Jason chuckled.

"I did something after. Something in anger. Two...things in anger actually" Jason stated. "I couldn't tell you which one was worst." We all looked at our friend in silence, waiting for him to speak.

"I don't know if Nick told you guys, because he and I haven't spoken much in the last few days, but I busted all of the windows on his car. Other than the windshield and back window." Just when I thought I couldn't be surprised even more, I was hit with another shocking revelation.

"Oh wow" I let out, "that's, something."

"Then, as I was still angry, I pulled up to Naya's place. In curiosity, I asked how she and Nick were, because you know, I got them to go on a date." Everybody nodded at Jason's words. He spoke in small segments at a time which I appreciated. It gave me time to take in what was being said.

"She said they were dating. I don't know what happened after, but I just, convinced her to cheat on him. We made a sex tape that night" Jason finished. The girls and I looked at one another.

"Should I just, should I tell him?" Jason asked, which prompted all three of us to shake our heads profusely. "Absolutely not" Nova said.

"Look Jason" I spoke, "with Nick being a potential crack head, you don't wanna set him off. We don't know what he's currently capable of, or what's going on in his head. I don't want him to hurt either you, Naya, or even himself. I think it's best you keep it to yourself, and hope Naya does the same."

"That's the problem!" Jason retorted, "Naya's a very morally intact person. She hates feeling guilty. All it takes is Nick pulling some elaborate, beautiful date night and she's squealing."

"Okay" Hailey said, "but what about him? He cheated on her with Brynn. So even if he finds out, can he be mad?" Jason didn't look content.

"You have a point" Jason answered, "but hooking up is one thing. Making a sex tape? Holy shit."

"Yeah" Nova sighed as she folded her arms, "I'm not trying to being a Debby downer, but that is bad."

Jason shook his head, "whatever" he said, "it's all good. No need to stress about something that hasn't happened yet. Anyways, if this pregnancy thing doesn't go through, I'll offer my sperm Nova."

"We should go shopping!" Hailey suggested, "to get our minds off of all this stuff. Black Friday? Just us four? Y'all down?"

"Uh yes" I said, "so down."