Chapter 15

WILLOW

I don’t wantto be the pain in the ass girl… but… this waiting game for Knox to get in touch with me again isn’t working for me. At the same time I am not going to be the kind of person that chases some guy around like I’m his babysitter.

This is our situation. These are our circumstances.

If anything, Knox should be chasing me around. The one with a life in my belly.

Holy hell… there’s a… a baby…

I touch my stomach and look down.

I picture myself with a large, round stomach.

I can’t picture it actually. I can’t imagine it.

But it’s going to happen… right?

I take a shuddering breath. Right now I feel really alone. I don’t have to be alone. I don’t have to feel alone. I just wanted Knox to be the first to know. That felt right. This is between us before we go telling anyone else.

My phone buzzes against my nightstand.

It’s a text from Jax.

Told you I’d do just fine with things. No more tutoring and no more admin up my ass. Doesn’t mean we can’t hang out though… right?

He adds a flirty wink emoji just to be cute.

I text back…

New number, who is this?

He then haha’s the text.

I bite my bottom lip.

See, a guy like Jax is someone I can turn to right now.

I can tell him what’s happening.

But then I would have to ask him not to tell Mila. That would only make Mila feel left out. And if Jax knows… and then Mila… then of course it’s Ruby and Violet. And if they know, then it’s Villi and Mac. And Villi means Vera… even though she’s not on campus anymore…

My heart starts to pound in my chest.

My phone vibrates with another text.

It’s Knox.

I’ll be there in a minute. Fair warning - you’re going to hate me.

“Great,” I say to my phone.

That’s just what I need right now.

Knox is going to hate me.

I walk to my door and open it.

Knox is just a few steps away, carrying a bag in each hand.

“Inside,” he says. “Hurry.”

I step back and Knox is right there, almost bumping into me.

He kicks the door shut and places the bags down.

He locks the door. “Are you alone?”

“Nope. I’ve got three guys in my bed.”

“Cut the funny stuff, I’m being serious.”

“Whoa. Okay, dickhead. What’s with the attitude?”

He flexes his steel-like jaw. “Nothing. Okay? I just… I brought something.”

I look down at the bags. “What’s inside each?”

He reaches down and takes out a six pack of fancy bottled water. The large bottles.

“Water,” I say. “Keeping me hydrated?”

“Exactly,” he says. “For this…”

He reaches for the other bag and pulls out a few pregnancy tests.

He reaches in again and takes out a few more.

My jaw slowly starts to drop.

“Hate me, I don’t care,” he says. “I need to know… I need to… see…”

“You are absolutely not watching me go pee,” I say. “Nope. Not a chance. I don’t care if that’s a fetish or something.”

“Willow, I do not want to watch you go pee,” he says. “I just want to see for myself. So take the tests, line them up, and I want to see…”

“Do you think I’m lying or something? Do you think I’m psycho?”

“No. I’m just asking for this. Okay?”

“It’s not really asking when you just show up and bark orders at me.”

“Willow…”

“Yeah, you’re right. I kind of hate you right now.”

“Women don’t just take one test,” he says. “In movies and shows and stuff…”

“Yeah, because this is a movie. Dickhead.”

I turn and walk toward the bathroom.

I won’t lie, I thought about getting another test or two myself. Just to know for sure. But I’m not going to tell Knox that.

I place everything on the counter.

I wiggle a bottle of water from the pack and start to drink.

I turn and look at Knox as I chug.

He reaches for the pregnancy tests and starts to open them.

I see the way his hands shake as he fumbles.

He tears the boxes open, ripping them to shreds.

After four tests, he stops. He runs his hand through his hair.

“This isn’t meant to disrespect you, Willow,” he says in a low voice. “I don’t want you to think that I’m… judging or accusing…”

“Believe it or not, I get it,” I say. “You’re still a dickhead for this though. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to pee on some plastic to make you happy.”

He hesitates.

I touch the door.

“Willow.”

“You’re not watching me go pee,” I say. “Move it.”

He steps back and I shut the door. I lock it just to be safe.

I look at the bathroom sink.

Four different tests waiting for me.

Plenty more in boxes too.

My stomach feels full and slightly bloated from the water.

I drink some more.

I get a second bottle ready.

Now I feel like a science experiment.

I drop my pants and panties down to my ankles and sit on the toilet.

I know Knox is right there outside the door.

Waiting.

Maybe even with his ear against the door.

I drink a little more water.

The feeling finally hits me and I reach for a pregnancy test.

I stare at the wall in front of me.

I reach down between my legs…

I swallow hard.

Both Knox and I know how this is going to turn out.

But in a way… it’s okay.

At least this time I’m not alone.