LITTLE SECRET

I never knew I could be this nervous. I sat down, back stiff as I stared at my luxurious surroundings. 

Today was the day of my interview and the confidence booster I took before I left my house faded off as soon as I stepped down from the bus. This company was screaming luxury and even the janitors' outfits were screaming luxury. 

I turned my face to see some of the people who were also waiting for their interview and I regretted declining Mira’s offer to make me up and dress me up in her Zimmermann black dress. I stared down at my basic t-shirt and corporate jeans paired in a baby shoe and I shook my head. 

‘Oh, who would choose me over these luxuriously dressed people?’ I pondered to myself as I tried to calm myself down. My hands were sweaty and were shaking a little bit. 

“Chloe Bradford, you’re next” Those four words were enough to shake my world and emotions. 

I nodded my head, stood up quietly, and walked towards where the interview was going on. 

Just as I stepped inside, I did a brief scan of the faces that would be interviewing me and I gasped as my eyes clashed with a pair of familiar cold blooded red eyes. I felt my knees weaken and I quickly held on to the door knob to steady myself. 

‘He works here?’ I said to myself as I looked back at him once more just to confirm that I was not dreaming. 

“Are you alright, Ms Bradford?” One of the women seated asked with raised brows and I quickly looked away from the man, bringing my gaze to hers as I smiled and tried to compose myself. 

“Yes, sure, I am ready” I said and luckily, my voice came out smooth and was not shaking unlike my heart and body. 

“Great, you may have a seat” The lady replied and I took my seat. 

After thirty long minutes, I was finally done with my interview and I stepped out quietly. All through the interview, I could feel that pair of cold blooded eyes on me and it made me wonder if he remembered me. It was dark but I could see him clearly and I’m sure it was the same thing. 

But one thing I find funny is the fact that all through the interview, he did not ask me a single question and only kept his gaze on me, observing me quietly. 

‘Aww, I’m so drained. I need my life booster smoothie’ I said to myself and I made a reminder in my mind to stop and get one as soon as I get down from the bus. 

I sighed as I turned back to stare at the building. In a couple of days, I would figure out if this place will be my new workplace or not. 

——————————————————— 

I stared at my door, too weak to get up and open it. 

“Come in,” I said weakly as I quickly ran to the bathroom to puke as my head turned and my eyes grew weak. 

“Chloe, are you really ok? I’d have to take you to the hospital at this point” Mira said with concern evident in her voice. She walked towards me and held my hair up for me just so my puke would not touch it. 

“I’m fin-eee,” I said as my words were stressed out from another set of puke coming up my throat. 

“No you are not, in fact, we are going to the hospital this instant,” Mira said defiantly as she patted my back gently and when I was done, she held me and led me to have a seat. 

“Wait, Chloe, when last did you see your period? Because I read it somewhere that pregnant people always have morning sickness during their first trimester” Mira said, looking at me and I laughed at what she said. 

“I can’t remember when it last happened but trust me, I’m not pregnant. I stopped having sex with John as soon as I suspected he was cheating on me. This might just be a coincidence” I said, more to myself, trying to convince myself that the little fun I had with that red-blooded eyed man did not lead to another thing. 

“Yeah, that’s true but I insist, let us go to the hospital to at least find out what is wrong with you” Mira said and I finally nodded my head, just to avoid her getting overly worried for me. 

“When last did you see your period Miss Bradford?” The doctor asked me as he gazed at me deeply. 

Just that question was enough to give me answers. 

“Uh, I don’t keep track of it. But I guess over a month and half now” I replied, looking down at my fingers and the next words from the doctor made my body go stiff. 

“Well, Miss Bradford, congratulations, you are pregnant,” The doctor said and my eyes grew wide. 

‘No. Why now? Why me?’ I said to myself as I felt tears pool in my eyes. 

Mira who was standing behind me gasped as she heard the doctor’s words. She quickly looked down at me in shock. 

“Chloe you’re pregnant?” She asked me but I did not respond to her as I gazed down at my belly as I stroked it a little bit. 

“Thank you doctor” I said after a while. I stood up, smiled at Mira and nodded my head. 

“Let’s go home, Mira. I would explain it all when we get home” I said and Mira nodded her head and then, we thanked the doctor, leaving the hospital. 

While we were in the car, I just looked out quietly and Mira was disturbed by my silence. I was never this quiet with her. Even when we first met, when I transferred to her high school on scholarship, when I asked her if I could sit beside her, I was never this quiet. 

It’s hard to believe but I am the loud one amongst both of us, but I just needed time to process things at the moment so I stayed quiet. 

Mira changed her mind and took me to the park instead. 

“I would wait for you in the car. I know you want to process things so I would stay here. When you are ready, you can meet me here” Mira said gently and I smiled and nodded at her. 

I stepped out of the car quietly as a lot of thoughts ran through my head. 

‘Was I really ready for this? Should I abort it? No. It is my responsibility, so I would keep it no matter what. But should I tell him? He deserves to know’. 

After a while, I went back to the car and Mira drove me home. 

As soon as I stepped into my house, I turned towards Mira. 

“It happened a month ago. Remember I told you that I ran into a room to save myself from that pervert? Well, a man was there and we did it. I recognized him from the bar as we held gazes a couple of times. But, I was drugged by that pervert so I can not blame the man, he did it to save me” 

“Wow. Why did you not tell me? Scrap that, do you plan on keeping it?” Mira asked and I could see that she was more agitated about it than me. 

I simply nodded my head in response 

“Well then, I guess we’d be a single mom cause where are we going to find such a man in this big city?” Mira laughed as she said that but I kept my mouth shut when I clearly knew where he worked. 

He probably was not ready for anything as serious as having a baby with the lady he had a one night stand with so she would keep this to herself, this would be her little secret. 

“Oh, my poor baby is now having a baby” Mira fake cried as she hugged me tightly. 

“Just so you know, we are raising this baby together” Mira added and that was enough to make me burst into tears as I hugged her even tighter. 

‘No matter what, he can never know that I am carrying his child. I would keep it as a secret, hide it from him if need be until I can finally gather enough money to start another life in another city with my baby’ I said to myself as I looked on with tears still pooling from my eyes.