Chapter 23

WILLOW

“So you have a crazy ex…”

“I don’t know about that,” Knox says.

“Oh, I do. She was following you.”

“We were still together.”

“Doesn’t matter, Knox. She kept following you. She knows I’m pregnant. She told everyone.”

“I doubt she told everyone…”

“You know what I mean,” I say.

We’re back in my dorm, just us.

I told everyone I had to throw up to chase them away.

It worked for everyone except Mila who wanted to give me some ideas to help with the morning sickness.

Believe me, I feel sick right now. Sick to my stomach for sure.

Every little moment so far in this pregnancy has been hijacked by someone or something else.

“I didn’t know she was crazy,” Knox says.

“She was with you… she’s crazy.”

“What does that imply about you then, Willow?”

“Oh, Knox…” I walk up to him and touch his face. “I’m a psycho too. Be ready. And the pregnancy is only going to make things worse.”

I gently slap his face and smile.

He touches his cheek and looks scared to death of me.

Good.

“Listen, Willow, I’m really sorry about this,” he says. “It’s not fair to you. It’s not right.”

“Can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube, can I?”

“No. What’s done is done.”

I walk away from Knox. He wisely does not follow me.

I need a second to myself.

I choose the bathroom, standing at the sink, looking at myself in the mirror.

A smile creeps across my face.

I feel like I’m summoning the hellish hormones that reside so comfortably in my body.

When I emerge from the bathroom, I look right at Knox.

“Whoa,” he says. “What’s that look for?”

“You can either follow me or stay here,” I say. “Choice is yours.”

“Choice is mine? What the hell…”

I leave my dorm without shutting the door behind me.

Knox comes right after me.

He shuts the door.

“Willow, what are we doing right now?”

I smile.

“Willow, seriously…”

“Knox, relax. I think I’m in the mood to party a little. That’s all.”

“Party? What do you…”

I look up at him and his jaw is locked tight.

He knows exactly what’s about to happen.

He’s smart enough to not attempt to stop it.

I respect him for that.

I also respect him for staying with me.

As we walk across campus, I feel eyes burning at me.

I stare straight ahead. But I know everyone who recognizes me is whispering in their heads. Judging with their eyes. It’s a weird feeling.

“I want to scream right now, baby,” Knox says to me. “I want to fucking go off on all these assholes.”

“I know you do, Knox. I do too. But whatever, right? What can we do about it?”

“I guess there’s nothing,” he says. He moves in front of me. “So if there’s nothing then let’s go back. Just you and me. Anything you want… order some food. Watch movies or TV shows. Whatever you want.”

“That’s sweet. We can do that later. I have business first.”

I walk around him.

I mean, I’ve come this far already. I might as well just take care of this problem…

The problem being that bitch named Adele.

Now, who is Adele to me?

Up until earlier she was nobody to me.

Just some girl Knox has been messing around with.

Even that didn’t bother me. Why would it? Knox and I weren’t together.

Now when things got a little touchy-feely between Knox and I, he took it upon himself to end things with Adele.

That I completely respect.

And, hey, a part of me feels for her.

She got dumped. That sucks.

But to follow Knox around? To include me in things…

To find out I’m pregnant and then start telling everyone…

Yeah, that’s where I draw the line. A firm line.

There’s a study group at the park.

Actually, there are a bunch of groups.

Business students. Pre-law students. Art majors.

Everyone knows about the study groups.

Oh. Look. There’s Adele.

Sitting on top of a picnic table.

She looks at Knox and me.

The glare she gives me makes my blood boil.

“Willow, please remember you’re pregnant,” Knox whispers to me. “I do not support this decision.”

“I know,” I say.

I put my right arm out and stop Knox.

There I am, all five-foot-one of me stopping a six-six hockey goalie from following me.

Small but mighty… and raging with pregnancy hormones…

I walk closer to Adele, not looking away from her.

She won’t look at me now.

“So I guess I’m invisible now?” I call out to her.

“Hardly,” she says. “Can’t miss you with that pregnant belly of yours.”

Those who hear the comment gasp and oohhh.

Yeah, the comment stings. I’m not going to avoid having a belly at some point.

Also - fuck society for making that such an easy and mean joke to make to someone.

“You followed me,” I say to Adele.

“Not you, honey.”

“You followed Knox. Fine. But you told people…”

“Did I? Oops.”

“You don’t get it, do you? That was for me to decide. It’s my body. My life.”

“He was my guy,” Adele says.

“This happened before you,” I say to her. “Do you understand that?”

“I’m sorry, what are you doing here? Want me to tell everyone I was just kidding? Then you can jump up and make the announcement? Believe me, Willow, you’re not that special to anyone.”

Adele looks at her friends.

She rolls her eyes.

That’s when I nod and exhale a deep breath.

I jump toward her and throw my right fist.

I hit her in the face, just once.

Adele falls from the picnic table, yelping in pain.

Her friends jump to her aid.

I feels hands against my hips and know it’s Knox making sure I don’t go in for more.

Which I’m not going to do.

I can’t risk getting hurt or hurting the baby.

“Oops,” I call out to Adele.

The right side of her mouth is bloody.

Maybe I should feel bad… but I don’t.

I turn around and look up at Knox.

“How was that for a hockey punch?” I ask him.

“If you weren’t knocked up I’d get you a spot on the team.”

“Don’t ever say knocked up again,” I warn. “Or else I’ll punch you.”

“I think I’d like to see you try that.”

Knox smirks at me.

My heart suddenly races.

Behind me, Adele is half crying and half calling me a bitch.

And me? I’m still pregnant.

My life is totally and completely spiraling out of control.