Chapter Three

Back on campus, Felicity sprawled across her bed, staring at the ceiling while love songs hummed softly from her phone speaker. She thought the music would help her figure it out—help her heart choose. Was it Leon, her unexpected new love, or Imran, her high school sweet-heart? She was torn in two, and she knew she couldn’t keep stalling forever. Sooner or later, she would have to choose before she lost both of them.

The door creaked open, and Victoria stepped in with a grin stretched across her face.

“Why are you so happy?” Felicity asked, managing a faint smile of her own.

“Can I just be happy to see my best friend?” Victoria teased. She lifted up a plastic bag in triumph. “Also I brought snacks.” With a flourish, she tossed her chips and chin-chin onto the bed.

Felicity let out a tired laugh. “You always try to bribe me with food.”

“And it always works, doesn’t it?” Victoria responded.

They both laughed, the heaviness in Felicity’s chest easing just a little.

Kicking off her shoes, Victoria crawled onto the bed beside her. “So”, she said, her voice dropping with curiosity, “Have you decided what you’re going to do?”

Felicity sighed, her smile fading. “Not yet. It’s all just…so complicated. I don’t want to lose either of them.”

“Well I hope you can fight”, Victoria quipped, her tone playful. “Because you know Leon’s ex, Charity, is crazy about him. Literally crazy.”

Felicity’s smile faltered at that. Victoria noticed and quickly backtracked. “But hey, forget about that. I didn’t come here to stress you out. I came to distract you. Let’s watch a movie. There’s one trending right now. I’ve been dying to see it.”

She grabbed the remote and started scrolling. Just then, Felicity’s phone buzzed on the night stand. She quickly reached and grabbed it. A text from Imran.

Meet me this evening? I think it’s better if we see to talk about everything.

Felicity’s eyes opened. Relief washed over her. At last—he hadn’t been picking her calls or answering her texts since the incident, and she’d feared he might never come around. But now, at least, there was hope. Maybe she could make things right.

“Finally.”, she whispered, clutching her phone. She immediately started typing out plans to meet him that night.

Victoria glanced over. “So…what exactly happened between you and Leon?”

Felicity inhaled deeply, setting her phone aside. “You know we’ve been hanging out all summer—cinemas, restaurants, museums, everywhere. I guess something was bound to happen. Maybe I set myself up by visiting his apartment so often. Even watching N*****x alone in his room.”

Victoria raised a brow, smirking. “You mean N*****x and chill? I told you it was more than what you were making it out to be.” Victoria said, winking at her. “No. Nothing like that” Felicity laughed softly. “No. No. It wasn’t or maybe it was? Was I just pretending not to know?”

Her smile faded as her mind drifted back. “Anyways…that day we were watching a movie in his room, the lights turned off and the curtains closed to give a cinematic vibe. Then suddenly, he paused the screen and just…stared at me.” I was like, ‘Why are you looking at me? Don’t you think that’s weird?’ –trying to laugh it off. But before I knew it, he leaned in and kissed me. I panicked. Literally froze. I just grabbed my bag and said, “It’s getting late, I should get a ride.”

“And what did he say?” Victoria asked, eyes shining with curiosity.

He was like “Why? You usually leave later. Was it wrong that I kissed you?” And I just stammered, ‘No. No. It’s nothing.’ He looked hurt, asked me, ‘Nothing.’ And I was just babbling nonsense because my head was spinning. He even held my hand, said, “Felicity, wait, let’s talk about this.” But all I could think about was Imran. Was I cheating? I mean technically we broke up, but…we were working things out.”

She shook her head, voice softening. “I told him I needed time to figure it out, whatever this was. Then my ride pulled up, and I left”

“Oh wow!” Victoria said, wide-eyed.

“Trust me, you can’t even imagine what that felt like,” Felicity murmured.

Victoria leaned in eagerly. “But did you like it though?”

“Like what?” Felicity asked, feigning ignorance.

“The kiss, silly.” Victoria pressed, grinning like it was juicy gossip.

Felicity flushed, hugging a pillow to her chest. “I guess….It wasn’t bad. It was nothing.”

“Come on, Fel. Did you feel anything? A spark?”

“I don’t know.” Felicity whispered. “I was just confused. But…maybe it did matter.”

She sighed. “Do you know I haven’t spoken to him since that day?”

Victoria tilted her head. “Do you like him?”

Felicity paused. “I think I do. But I’m stuck between my past…and what could be my future.”

“You can’t avoid him forever, Fel.”

“I know.” She said, muffled, burying her face into the pillow. “I just need a little more time.”

“Well, don’t take too much time. Or you’ll push him away.”

“Ughhhhh!” Felicity groaned, squeezing the pillow tighter.

Meanwhile, across town at Leon’s apartment, Charity arrived.

Mark opened the door, stepping aside without a word.

Inside, Leon was sprawled on the couch, Football flickering on the TV screen, though his eyes looked unfocused.

“Hi babe1” Charity chimed, bouncing on the couch beside him. “Did you miss me?”

“Hi Charity” Leon replied, his tone flat, almost gloomy.

Her smile dimmed. “Why that tone? Are you tired, Or not just happy to see me?”

“It’s not that.” Leon said quietly.

“Then what is it” she pressed, her voice tightening.

“It’s nothing babe. Did you bring the strips?”

“Yes but can we take those later, I just got in.” she said, brushing it off.

Leon sat up straighter, frustration sounding in his tone. “You’re too relaxed. Aren’t you worried? I’ve been thinking about it every minute since you told me.”

“Why are you raising your voice” she snapped. “Fine. I’ll take it now.”

She grabbed her bag and headed to the restroom.

“Thank you.” Leon muttered, leaning back into the couch.

Charity locked the door behind her. From her bag she pulled out the pregnancy test strips—not new ones from a pharmacy, but old, used ones she had stolen from the hospital where she interned. They were all positive

Staring down at them, her lips curled.

“This would make him sit up. This will make sure he doesn’t let me go” she whispered to herself. “I’m tired of this so-called break. We have to be together. I’m not going to let some girl take my place.”