The Junior (College Years 3)

Gracie’s gaze locks with mine. “You promise?”

I nod, not knowing if I can keep my promise, but I’m going to do my damnedest to stand by it. “Promise.”

Sixteen

Gracie

I thought I was going to die.

Not from the pain—though it’s intense, but it comes in waves.

No, I thought I was going to die thanks to the way Caleb drove.

He was scared. I could see it in his eyes, on his face. He looked petrified. And he drove like a maniac, taking corners way too fast, driving down the mountain like a man possessed. He passed every slow car he came up behind and it didn’t matter if he crossed a double yellow line to do it. After a while, it became easier to just close my eyes and pretend it wasn’t happening. That way I wouldn’t see my impending death upon impact.

Somehow, we made it to the hospital in one piece. And now I’m in a hospital gown laid up on a hospital bed somewhere in the depths of the emergency room, unable to sleep while Caleb dozes in the chair next to the bed, his big body slumped over in the most uncomfortable position I think I’ve ever seen.

He’s still cute though. And sweet. Look at him running to my rescue when I needed him. Hayden and I accused Jackson Rivers of having a major hero complex when it came to his now girlfriend, Ellie. He was always trying to save her, and after a while, she hated it.

But no one has really ever tried to save me before. This is a first. And despite my need to be a strong, independent woman, I have to admit it was really nice to have him swoop in and completely take over.

When you’re in pain, you don’t want to deal. If I’d been at home, I’d have popped a couple of Ibuprofen and gone to bed early. By morning, I would’ve felt better. How do I know this?

Because I’ve been in this exact scenario before. A couple of times, in fact, over the last oh, six months or so. I just never bothered to tell anyone because the pain always stopped by the next day and I sort of forgot about it.

It wasn’t letting me forget last night though. Nope, the pain was shouting at me, making me miserable. Reminding me that I was in a mega bad way and I needed to do something about it, stat. It was like the most excruciating cramps I’ve ever dealt with.

The emergency room nurse told me it could be a number of things, but she wasn’t very specific. Caleb tried his best to drill her with questions, but she would just smile and nod politely, never giving him much information. I’m sure they’re not allowed to speculate, which I totally get, but it was still super fr

ustrating.

“Hello.” A sing-song voice sounds from behind the curtain, just before a woman in scrubs pulls it back, a pleasant smile on her face. “I hear you’re having some pain?” she asks me.

I nod, trying to smile. “Feels like cramps.”

“But you’re not on your period?” She has a clipboard in her hand and she’s scanning my information. “You don’t think you’re pregnant, do you?”

“Ha!” I bark out, rousing Caleb from his slumber. “No.”

“Hmm.” She flips a page up, reading it before she glances over at me. “I’d like to perform an ultrasound on you.”

“What for?” I ask warily. “I don’t think I’m pregnant.”

“We do ultrasounds for all sorts of things.” She smiles reassuringly. “Let me check and make sure the room is open, and then I’ll wheel you on over there.”

She disappears before I can say anything else, and I glance over at Caleb to find he’s already watching me.

“Why do they think you’re pregnant?”

“Probably because they think I’m having a miscarriage. But I’m not.” I can’t remember the last time I had sex with someone.

“I’m glad you’re not,” he says before he yawns, stretching his arms above his head. “I fell asleep.”

“Yeah, you did. You even snored.”

He whips his head in my direction. “I did?”

“No. I’m teasing.” I smile, feeling sleepy. I give in and close my eyes.