Page 21 of A Bossy Surprise

I look at Kayla and it is clear that just like me, she doesn’t know what to do.

I walk up to Lucas and put my hand on his shoulder. “Dude, I’m so sorry. I swear I didn’t mean for it to happen. It just did.”

He turns and looks me in the face.

What happens next happens so fast that I feel the force of his fist slamming into my nose before my brain has time to register that my best friend has just punched me in the face.

My head reels back as pain radiates through my head.

My hand instinctively goes to my nose. When I pull it back it’s covered in blood.

“Lucas!” Kayla screams. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

She rushes to my side and inspect my face.

“I need to get out of here before I kill him,” Lucas says.

“Yes. Go!” Kayla yells.

Lucas leaves the office, slamming the door in the process.

Even with the pounding in my head, I want to be angry at Lucas for socking me in the face, but I understand why he did it.

I totally deserved it.

I just hope he won’t hold this against me forever.

7

KAYLA

Seven Years Earlier…

I had thoughtI knew what terror felt like.

I was wrong.

Ever since I started my period at 12, I’ve gotten it every month like clockwork. It took me a moment to realize that it had almost been two months since my last period. I blame the stresses of being a college freshman.

When I peed on that stick and the test came back positive, I can honestly say I felt like the world was falling down around me. So many questions ran through my mind.

What am I going to do?

Will I be a good mother?

Will I have to drop out of NYU and move back home to Vermont?

My whole life is in front of me. I’ve worked so hard to get to this point, and I still have a lot more to do. A baby is the last thing I need right now.

That night with Adam was stupid for so many reasons, even when you don’t consider this. Now I’m going to be having his baby.

I’ve oscillated between telling him and keeping it from him ever since I found out, and I have finally landed on not telling him.

He has been avoiding me ever since that night, and now he’s off at Yale. Based on the stories I’ve heard about his dad, I’ll probably be accused of getting pregnant to trap him. That’s the last thing I need to deal with right now.

I know I’m keeping this baby, but Adam isn’t going to be involved.

I’m smart enough to know that I won’t be able to do this on my own. That’s why, I’m in a cab in Montpelier on my way home to tell my family.