Nica groaned, pressing her fingers to her temples. She felt as if her bones were made of water. After weeks of this job, fatigue had finally caught up with her.
“Feeling sick?” Old Evan asked as he stepped out.
“A little,” she mumbled. She couldn’t afford to fall ill-this job was her only distraction from thinking about him, from crying over his harsh words that night.
“You should get a check-up,” Old Evan suggested.
“I’m fine. I think it’s just that time of the month. It happens sometimes,” Nica replied.
“Get a check-up. You mustn’t come back here in two days without a report. I mean it.”
Nica opened her mouth to argue, but he was already gone. “God, is he serious?”
The next day, she decided to heed Old Evan’s advice. As she waited in the small room, the nurse stepped in and called her name for the results.
“You’re pregnant.”
Nica’s blood ran cold. Her face paled as the doctor’s words sank in slowly. What in the world had he just said?
She chuckled nervously, and the doctor, mistaking her reaction for joy, congratulated her. “Congratulations! I wish you-”
“No… I think there’s been a mistake. Please check again,” Nica urged, her heart racing.
“Nica Hanson, right? This is your medical result,” the doctor confirmed.
Nica snatched the file from his hand, scanning the contents with a pounding heart.
Three weeks pregnant. Three weeks?!!!
No… no… no… no…
Her eyes widened. That was the night she had with Vincent.
“Oh, fuck me,” Nica mumbled.
The doctor’s words echoed in her mind: *The pills aren’t 100% effective. Maybe they weren’t effective for you, or you took the wrong dose.*
Panic surged as she tore through her room, scattering everything in her path. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she felt herself spiraling.
Finally, her gaze landed on it: the morning-after pills she had taken the day after that night.
Her eyes widened. They were expired.
“What!!!”
Storming out of her apartment, she headed straight for the pharmacy where she had bought the pills.
“An expired drug?!” She slammed the box on the front desk, glaring at the young attendant. The girl hadn’t even been the one to serve her, but Nica didn’t care.
“Ma’am, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the girl stammered, clearly intimidated by Nica’s fury.
“This godforsaken pharmacy just ruined my life!” Nica roared. “How could you sell me expired pills? I’m pregnant… do you know what that means?!” she yelled again, drawing the attention of other customers. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
“Ma’am, you need to calm-”
“Don’t tell me that!” Nica’s voice broke as she sank to the floor, tears streaming down her face. Her chest heaved as she sobbed, overwhelmed.
Pregnant?
Oh, she was so screwed.
__
With the exam looming, the lecturers were frantically trying to cover the syllabus, leaving the students-especially those in their final year, like Klaus-overwhelmed with work.
“Hey, Bunnie!” Rhea chimed from behind Morticia.
“Don’t call me that,” Morticia replied, rolling her eyes.
“What? Is only one person allowed to call you that?” Rhea teased as they walked down the hall.
“You never call me that. Don’t start now; it’s weird,” Morticia chuckled.
“Right. Have you seen Val? She’s like a ghost these days. I thought she’d be with you,” Rhea said, glancing around nervously.
“She was absent from class today. I think she’s just been sleeping at the dorm. Maybe she’s busy with her jazz stuff since the semester is ending,” Morticia explained.
“Oh, I’ve gotta go. I have a meeting with Thane,” Rhea said, stopping in her tracks.
“Your boyfriend?” Morticia raised an eyebrow.
“He is not my boyfriend.”
“He likes you.”
“No, he doesn’t,” Rhea retorted.
“Why do you think he’s miles away from home?”
“He’s here for business. He’ll be leaving after the end-of-year party. Are you coming?” Rhea grinned excitedly. “It’s been a while since I had some fun. These books are wearing me out.”
“I… I don’t know if I’ll be there,” Morticia mumbled, completely unaware of the party plans.
“Don’t tell me you had no idea about it,” Rhea said, raising an eyebrow. Morticia chuckled awkwardly in response.
Just then, Rhea’s phone buzzed with a message from Thane. “Gotta run. You better be at the party, or I’ll drag you there myself,” she called over her shoulder as she walked away.
Morticia’s smile faded. A party? Parties never went well for her. She had attended a few, and they were all terrible experiences.
As she turned the next corner, she spotted a girl talking to Klaus, keeping her distance. Klaus’s expression was blank, while the girl was smiling ear to ear, clearly trying to impress him.
Morticia instinctively hid behind the wall, peeking at them. The girl handed him a card, which he accepted without saying a word.
What was that? A love letter?
Why was he accepting it?
She bit her lip in frustration.
Klaus gave the girl a small smile, which made her blush and giggle. Morticia’s heart sank, her face contorting with anger. Before she knew it, she was marching toward them.
Klaus’s smile widened when he saw her, but it quickly faded at the sight of her furious expression.
“Hey…”
“Who is she? Why were you smiling at her?” Morticia demanded, her voice sharp.
“It was…” Klaus started to explain, but the girl interrupted.
“Chill, babe. I’m just inviting him to my table at the yearly party,” she said, snapping her words back at Morticia.
Zara who was passing by saw the scene and waited to watch.
“Well, he’s not available,” Morticia shot back, wondering if she had lost her mind.
“Bunnie…” Klaus tried to intervene, but the girl chimed in again.
“I get it. You’re the new girl, but guess what? He’s not just for you, Miss Prissy…”
“Shut the fuck up!” Klaus snapped, stepping forward with a glare.
Morticia tried-she really tried-not to let the girl’s words get to her, but the girl crossed the line again.
“He’s Sin. Sin for not just for a bitch like-”
With a swift motion, Morticia spun around and swung her arm bag.
BANG!
The girl’s head snapped back, blood spilling from her nose as she staggered. The impact from Morticia’s non empty bag to her face was strong.
The girl’s eyes widened in shock as she reached for her nose, feeling the warm blood trickling down. She looked up at Morticia, who responded with a mocking smile.
“You bitch!” The girl stepped forward, but a strong, muscular arm shot out, grabbing her and squeezing her face tightly.
Klaus’s fingers pressed into her skin as he glared at her, his eyes cold and dangerous.. send a chill down her spine as she saw his devil.
“Don’t fucking mess with her… or I’ll smash your head against the wall.”