Twist (Off Balance 4)

I considered her question. "I mean, I've never really given it much thought, but now that I'm paying attention, I think?"

"What else?" she asked, sounding like she was awake.

"I keep vomiting, but I think that's because of traveling and shitty food I'm not used to eating. I fucked up all my medicine, got my period in the middle of the meet, which didn't help my nerves. Well, not in the middle of it, but right before I left the hotel. I told you, I'm dying. This is it."

"Shut the fuck up, you are not dying. You haven't even gotten my kidney yet. You are literally not allowed to die."

I chuckled. "I hate throwing up."

"I hate throwing up too. I'd much rather have a tooth filled than vomit." She paused. "Wait. Do you still have your period?"

"It's at the end of the cycle."

"So you had it for, like, three days?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"And that's normal?"

"Well, normal for me, I'd say."

"And your boobs hurt."

I was silent for a moment. All I could hear was the beating of my heart in my ears.

"What are you getting at?"

"Have you taken a pregnancy test?" she blurted it out.

Avery was crazy. "I'm not pregnant. Any time I've been with Kova I've used Plan B.”

“I would take a test to be sure. Plan B isn't one hundred percent."

"I know that, but I'm not pregnant. What makes you think I am?" Just saying the word was making me tremble.

"Because your boobs hurt, dumbass. You're tired, and hello, you're vomiting." She basically spelled the words out for me and paused between them. "If that isn't a sign, then I don't know what is."

I rubbed my eyes with the heel of my hand. "So? All signs of a flare up and the effects. It's a lot shit it could and could not be, but not pregnant is one of them."

"All it takes is one resilient little fuck to slide on through. Ah, I take that back. An aggressive little Russian fuck to swim on by to the egg."

I couldn't stop the laugh from rolling out of me. "I hate you."

"Aid." I heard the plea in my name. "All jokes aside, humor me."

"I shouldn't have called."

"Don't be stupid. You're getting nervous because now you're actually thinking about it and it scares the shit out of you. I get it, trust me, I get it more than anyone. But the difference is, you have me with you. Get dressed and go to the pharmacy. If it's negative, then you go back to sleep and you don't have to worry."

She was right, and I didn't like it. My stomach was in knots. I threw the blanket off and kicked it away, feeling warmer than usual. Swallowing back the lump in my throat, I glanced down at my flat stomach. Pregnant? No, there wasn’t a chance in hell.

"I think I'm having a panic attack," I said, panting into the phone. "I can't have a baby."

Avery sighed like she was annoyed. "Stop being dramatic. Get up and get dressed."

I was struggling to breathe. "I can't, Avery. I just can't." The back of my neck was damp and I felt sticky everywhere. I needed to shower.

"No one is saying you're having a baby, you lunatic. Just go get the test."