No, no, no! Fuck! I'm not just late - I'm several days late! I was due after the weekend. But nothing is making sense. We only had sex on Tuesday. My period should have started on Wednesday - tops. What happened then?

I hold my head in between my hands for a while, trying to calm down. When I reach for my phone, deciding that Aden should be involved in this conversation (or panic-session, depending on how you see it), I remember something. Scratch that; I remember everything!

"I'm begging you; let me come in you!"

I have no capacity to hesitate. I'm just as desperate as he is.

"I want you. Now!" I groan.

I bite down on my lip as he inches himself in, causing me to lose my mind when he pummels straight to the hilt.

He sounds choked behind me.

Warmth spreads in me...

He came in me days before my period was due. I did this. What was I thinking? I know I was tipsy and above all else, horny as hell, but I should have known better. I should have thought about it for a few seconds instead of mindlessly handing my entire being over to Aden.

I remember the desperation. I needed him; I know that much. But, what now? What am I going to do? What am I supposed to do if I'm pregnant? Shit, a baby? I can't be a mother! I can't be responsible for a whole entire baby!

But maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. Maybe there are other early signs that pregnancy is imminent besides an absent period. Yes, I should check before I psych myself out. I rush to open my laptop.

Just as I go to open the explorer after it turns on, a window pops up, showing OneDrive. I want to close it, but something catches my eye: [email protected]

That can only be Aden's account. When did he use my laptop? Am I having trouble remembering that too? But as the seconds pass, I don't remember anything.

I click on the account and am not remotely surprised to see the password there already. My laptop saves them automatically. Okay, I should sign out. This is his work email, so whatever is in there isn't any of my business.

But at the same time, this is the easiest way for me to get information about him without talking to him. In fact, I'm sure he wouldn't share any of it with me. But I need to know he's alright and that his management is gearing up to spin Jude's exit from the band.

I sign in and search the files, but soon they end, and images start appearing instead. I've seen some of them and others not. It's him and Brighid, him and Hanna. Worst of all, it's him and me.

All angles there indicate that these are clearly paparazzi pictures: on the crane, by the stadium speakers, at the Cosmo party, at Stature, at a bus stop and even right outside the Montecristo. What the fuck? We were being followed? Did Aden not notice? Why would he have these pictures here? I'm so confused.

I phone him, but it goes straight to voicemail. I prepare to dial again when I hear my door open.

"Hey, sorry to come by unannounced." says Danatha, entering the room cautiously.

"Don't worry about it. You know you can come anytime. You doing better?"

She shrugs.

"I'm actually glad you're here, I need your help. I think-"

"Please, I didn't come here to fight."

My stomach sinks. Fuck. This isn't Danatha forgiving me, is it? I've lost her. I had hoped that maybe not, but it's the truth: we're not best friends anymore, after years of being at each other's sides.

"I came to ask for a favour. It's about John."

"You want him back?"

"No, I don't. He hurt me too many times. Don't help him get to me, please."

I exhale, relieved. JD doesn't deserve to get her back. And I admit that a tiny part of me doesn't want to be alone in my heartbreak. Maybe we can bond by helping each other through it.

"Okay." I say. As she spins on her heel, I call after her. "Danatha, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too." She turns a bit. "For us, for Aden."

"I thought he was going to change. He seemed like he had."

"Maybe he was trying but failed anyway. That's more common than you would think."

I can't tell if she's talking about Aden or JD.

"I'm sorry about JD."

"He's the one who changed. And I took it because I'm...stupid?"

"No, come on. There's nothing wrong with loving someone, blinding as it may be."

"So, now you get it? That there's no right or wrong in love?"

"Just two people trying." I wring my hands.
"Just two people expecting. Whether the expectations are valid is yet to be seen."

"Did I expect too much?"

"Yes," she frowns. "But only from yourself, Kay. You shouldn't have assumed you would know what to do. Love is never that simple or clear cut. But I guess you know that now, don't you?"

She leaves, and I know she's not coming back - because unlike me, Danatha has long realised that we are not the same at all - she is a much better person than I could ever be.

Here I was, only wanting her to remain heartbroken for selfish reasons. I don't deserve her friendship - maybe I never did. Olive knocks softly, padding into my room.

"Hey Cakes?" she swings her arms around, making me roll my eyes.

"Need something?"

"Mom got a new job. I heard her saying that she can help pay for college. Just thought you should know."

"Uh, thanks." I dismiss, heading back to my chair, trying to decide what to do next.

"I thought you'd be happy."

"I have a lot going on - that's all."

"Your boyfriend?"

"Who told you about him?"

"Tonya."

Well, I should have seen that coming. She's always doing the exact opposite of what's expected of her. I turn back to the computer and open my browser. I don't even remember what I wanted to search anymore.

"Okay, out."

"I don't get it. Why aren't you happy? Didn't you get what you wanted? What every girl wants?"

What every girl wants? Huh. Shocking, but Olive is right. I did get what I wanted. I got Aden Arrington. I got the one thing I wished for the day I met him - what most girls would want. Isn't that something to celebrate? There's a lot of bad, but why not be happy about the few good things I got? Speaking of...

"Come on."

I get up, dragging Olive with me to the living room. I go straight to my mother and plop down on her lap, hugging her tight.

"What the...?"

"Congratulations mom! Olive told me the good news."

Nancy's face is priceless. I grin at her, with my spirits instantly lifted.

"Anybody up for some celebratory pizza?"

"Yes!" screeches Olive, climbing into my father's arms. "Please can we?"

"Phone's over there, dear."

He points to the coffee table in the corner. Olive jumps up and gets straight on it. I turn to find the most beautiful smile on Nancy's face.

"I know there's been a lot of bad going around lately, but this is good. We should celebrate it."

"Well, then." She smacks my thighs, so I'll get off. "Let's go buy some champagne!"

"And some soda!" yells Olive as we enter the hallway.

"And some soda." Nancy repeats, signalling me to go change out of my pyjamas as she ties her hair into something that can only be described as a bright red shrub.

As we head out, I hear my father call Olive to help him set the table and I couldn't be happier. I haven't seen this much joy in our house for a long time. Nancy climbs into the car.

"Hello? Get in. What are you doing?"

"Thanking my lucky..."

I trail off, looking up at the starlit sky above.

"Stars?"

Well, not really. I'm thanking my one lucky comet.

I can't help replaying the last words Aden ever said to me in my mind. Those words - he had no way of knowing they would stick with me for life, but they will. They are the end of a love - at least the end he expected.

But I still love him. I can't just let him go. I want him back. It's taken so much from me to come to this conclusion, but it's the most absolute truth of my being in this very moment.

I don't know what I'm going to do if I'm pregnant, neither do I know what to think about the pictures I found. All I know is that for tonight, I'm going to be thankful for him and his love, because maybe one day I'll love someone else - but never like this.

I search the sky as if Aden or whoever sent him to me might be there, and whisper.

"Never like-"

"Hurry up Cakes!"

I can't help smiling. Things always change, but never as much as they stay the same.

THE END