Dangerous Curiosity

Lyra's POV

I forcefully closed my locker and looked around the hallway.

Students were exiting the school building at the same speed as they always did during dismissal. Groups laughing. Backpacks swinging. But my eyes locked on Aria.

She walked slow, head down, hugging her books tight against her chest. She wore the same baggy hoodie as yesterday. Her appearance showed she looked exhausted and appeared smaller than before.

I stood back to stay hidden within the throng. Today was the day I got proof. Real proof. No more whispers or guesses. The pregnancy folder. The timeline lies. Ronan's fake dad story. It all stank. And I was done watching from the sidelines.

I took out my phone to start the camera application. I was prepared.

Aria went to the parking lot. Selene wasn't with her. Good. My sister refused to recognize it. She constantly defended Aria. Always defending Aria. "She's family." Yeah, right. Exchange student trash who stole everything. My room. Selene's time. Now pregnant right when Dad was home alone with her. She faked an ankle injury which he used to avoid staying down for extended periods.

I walked behind her while maintaining a casual demeanor. I was simply making my way to my vehicle.

She entered her battered Honda while I positioned myself behind a truck to wait. The engine started and she drove out slowly. I rushed to get my bike which was the old one Dad gave me last year. I hopped on without wearing a helmet because I didn't care. I maintained visual contact with her from two cars back.

She turned left out of the lot. Toward downtown. Not home. Not the usual grocery run. Where was she going?

I navigated through the light traffic while my heart raced with excitement. This was the moment of truth.

She drove into a shopping center to visit two stores. The first stop was a thrift store. Baby & Beyond. Maternity section sign flashing in the window. My blood ran hot. Bingo.

I stopped my vehicle in a space which blocked my view from a van. I watched her exit the vehicle. She wore a hoodie with the zipper pulled up high and loose jeans. She scanned her surroundings with apprehension. She understood someone might see her. She quickly disappeared into the building.

I waited five minutes. Then crossed. I looked through the glass door. Racks of clothes. Big sweaters. Flowy dresses. Stretchy pants.

Aria was in the back aisle searching through large clothing items until she found a large black tunic. She held it up to her body. She turned sideways in the mirror. Hand on her stomach. Checking the fit. Covering the bump.

She took two additional items. One green. One gray. All baggy. She claimed she needed baggy clothes "For comfort." Bullshit. Everyone already knew she was pregnant, why was she still trying to hide it?

Is she ashamed of the pregnancy?

I captured the images. Clear shots. Her face. The maternity rack. The clothes in her arms. Timestamp on. Proof.

She made a quick payment at the counter using cash. No card trail. Smart. But not smart enough. Bag over her shoulder. Out the door. Back to the car.

I maintained a low position while my bicycle sat ready.

She drove next door. Coffee shop. She ordered decaf coffee. I knew it. Pregnant women did that. No caffeine. She spent ten minutes drinking outside. She rubbed her neck while slowly drinking. Phone out. She was messaging someone. Ronan probably. Lying more. I almost felt bad but my intuition was never wrong so if I feel she is hiding something, she is definitely hiding something.

I used my camera to zoom in. I captured an image of the decaf cup. Her face tired. Another photo.

Fantasies hit me hard while I waited. I pictured it. The big family dinner. Everyone there. Mom. Dad. Selene. Ronan. Vesper. Me at the head of the table for once.

Show the photos. Aria buying maternity clothes. Secretly. Hiding the bump. "Why hide if it's Ronan's? Unless it's not."

Gasps. Selene crying. Mom shocked. Dad... Dad turning red. Ronan walked out while Aria begged to stay. No one believed her lies anymore. Kicked out. Back to whatever hole she crawled from. Me the hero. Saving the pack from the snake.

I smiled to myself. The wedding would happen in two weeks. The perfect stage at the altar needed an expose. But needed more. Ironclad.

She finished her coffee. Tossed it. Back in the car. She drove one block to the pharmacy. CVS. She drove into the parking area. She parked her vehicle at a distance from the entrance. She scanned her surroundings for potential threats. She entered the building.

I quickly secured my bike before following her on foot. I remained outside the building. The large windows allowed me to see her inside. Aisle three. Vitamins. Pregnancy section. Ginger chews. Folic acid. And... a box. White box.

She took it quickly. She scanned her surroundings. She concealed it beneath the chews. She paid at the self-checkout. Bag clutched tight. Out the door.

I squinted. I could see her blurry image through the glass which showed her hand holding the box. Pregnancy test kit? Had to be. Why buy one now? Doctor already confirmed. Unless... unless she needed to check again. Or hide results. Paternity?

No. Tests didn't work that early. But maybe she was scared. Ronan questioning. Or worse. Someone else in the picture. The thought made me sick. But the timeline. Six weeks. That night. Alone. Her cooking. Caring. Too close.

I needed a paternity test which my mind raced about. The doctor orders required me to wait until the second trimester. I could wait for a few more weeks. The wedding needed to happen first. I could either wait or push. I could use drugs to force her to provide a sample. I could collect hair and mouth swab samples. The labs conducted testing in silence. The testing process for labs required high costs but my mother had a credit card we could use. Ronan had money we could use to pay.

Aria sped away while I let her go. I had gathered enough information for today. I uploaded my photos to my cloud storage. I returned home before anyone noticed my presence.

Selene texted. "Where are you?"

I replied. "Store run. Home soon."

The house stayed silent when I arrived. Mom was cooking. Dad was working. Selene completed her homework. Aria returned to the house. upstairs. She was probably trying on her new clothes. Hiding more.

I entered my room after I locked my door. I opened the maternity photos to examine them closely. The hidden grocery bag showed the test kit box. Perfect.

I fantasized about my wedding day when the entire pack would be present. Aria would wear a white dress while Ronan showed signs of nervousness. I would rise to declare "Stop the wedding. She's lying." The projector was ready to display the photos on the big screen. Aria would cry when she saw her father, who threw her out of the family, take her away.

I smirked at my phone. The pharmacy photo showed the test kit clearly. I felt my thoughts racing faster than before.

Could she be hiding the baby's paternity?