One Way Ticket | a love story

Chapter Seven

- Noah, it's positive, I'm pregnant. - I heard while standing against the bathroom sink. - We're gonna be parents! - her voice echoed in the bathroom.

I couldn't move, my body was frozen and my knuckles started turning white from my grip on the sink edge. - You will have to pay for it since I'm keeping it. - The words echoed my mind.

Pay for it? Pay for a child that isn't even mine? A child whose father is some other guy from or outside of our school. There was absolutely no way it was going to happen. She won't watch that movie.

My blood ran cold and I turned around to her, our eyes locking. - You really thought you could lie like that and assume that I would believe you. Please, stop wasting my time Layla. - And with that, I exit the bathroom.

I sat up in my bed, panting slightly upon realizing it was all a dream. So she is going to terrorize me in my dreams too, just wonderful. Today is Tuesday and I have class in the morning and late afternoon, along with work in the evening. I was looking forward to not having time to think about Layla, about my mysterious girl and everything that could have happened and what I could've done but didn't. And so I started my day by completing my routine in the bathroom, getting dressed in a lazy baggy outfit, a hoodie, sweatpants, and a jacket, then left the apartment. The college building wasn't far away and the weather made my trip to class much less exhausting. Clouds were covering the sky partially, but the sun still had space to shine onto the ground.

Class started at 11 am and I was seated in the back with my laptop on the table, writing down some notes on my laptop and trying to concentrate. A pair of eyes were burning holes in my neck but neither part of me wanted to find out who it was. My attention was on the teacher and getting through this class, studying in the library until 5 pm, attending the second class, going to work and relaxing in my bed. After the class ended, I grabbed some snacks from the vending machine, then settled down at the library in a dark corner. Then began the struggle called studying. I went over the lecture we had today, the notes and proceeded to correct them.

I couldn't forget about yesterday's English lesson. God that was so annoying, the tasks just weren't good and I struggled with it. Just in the middle of the struggle, my nerves were at the end and I didn't have much patience for anything at the moment. Exactly then a female voice filled my ears.

- Hey Noah. - Layla sat down on the chair across from mine. - I'm sorry for yesterday, I didn't mean to slap you. I went ahead of myself. You didn't deserve that. I was just scared because I don't want to be pregnant at 22... I brought you this to hopefully get your forgiveness and to ask you to be friends again... I really mean it. - She was choosing her words carefully and constantly stared at me.

- Mhm... - I replied with a hum while still staring at the laptop screen and typing. Then I looked up at her for reassurance and to hopefully make her leave. But as I saw that her eyes were full of tears, it saddened me. - I forgive you.

She sighed out loud and put a bottle of juice with a croissant in front of me. My eyes focused on the laptop screen again and she sat there for a little longer before leaving me in silence with myself and my notes. The library was mostly empty since everyone was attending their classes and the silence was broken with the door opening and closing. Footsteps were heard throughout the library going past my desk and stopping once the person reached the table on the other end of the room. I looked up, hoping it was my mysterious girl but it was a girl with black hair who seemed confused and disoriented. She sat on the chair, dumped her bag on the table and started rummaging through it, filling the air with noise and negative energy. But I was the only one who felt it.

As she was turning around, I lowered my gaze onto my laptop, acting as if I wasn't staring at her just now. Once her back was turned to me I looked up again. She had put her hair up with a hair clip and had taken some sort of pills. It was looking very weird. All of it. Her shaking hands, head hanging so low it was touching the table, her body was starting to curl up on the chair. I felt really bad for her and I wish I could help her, but I didn't know how. 

Soon, she started sobbing out loud and was hugging her knees on the chair. My heart was telling me to go to her and try and comfort her. So I did, grabbing the bottle Layla gave to me and going over to her. I noticed her trembling muscles, quiet noises coming from her mouth and her hand across it to keep it in. Since it was pretty cold in the library I still had my jacket on, but it seemed like she needed it more. Less than a moment later my jacket touched her shoulders and her head jolted up. Our eyes locked and I saw so many emotions in her eyes.

'Help me.' It was the only clear message in her shiny orbs. So many more words that I couldn't understand without her saying them were hidden in her eyes. - Do you need a hug? - The words slipped out of my mouth without me realizing it. She had melted my heart with her blue sparkling eyes and I couldn't control what I was saying anymore.

As she nodded her head as a 'yes' I hugged her around her shoulders, rubbing her arm gently and closed my eyes as she wrapped her arms around my waist. I could feel that she needed that more than any 'are you okay?' 'do you need help?'. My hand held her head on my chest in case she needed to cry more than she already did. - It's going to be okay... I promise. - Yes, I was hugging a girl I've never seen or heard of before, but being kind to everyone also refers to being kind to strangers and helping them when they needed it. Since that was what this girl needed, my heart and soul were ready to give it to her without a second thought.

Even though I didn't know her, I felt that I could simply be there for her and she'd feel a bit better when she knew she wasn't alone and that someone cared for her.

-What's your name? - She asked me as I pulled away from the hug, making me look down at her.

-My name is Noah. Nice to meet you. - I smiled at her and she smiled back.

-I'm Mona. - Her tone was semi-quiet but the smile stood still on her face. - Sit with me if you'd like. I can be good company sometimes.

-I'm sure it's not just sometimes. - I went to my table and grabbed my things.

Yes, I was ditching my studying because of her, but it won't hurt. She seems friendly and I want to give her a chance. Maybe she found some sort of comfort in me and wants to talk to me. I should find more people to hang out with, especially girls. I've been under my little introversion cover for so long and I think that it's time to make changes, get up and leave my comfort zone. 

As I was seated down next to her with my things on the table, she stared at me, examined my face closely, my arms and my hands as I opened the bottle for her and handed it to her. A few gulps later, she looks at me again. Now her eyes seemed darker since the mascara was smudged under her eyes and on her cheeks.

-Why did you come to me? - Mona spoke after a short silence and tilted her head.

-You seemed like you needed help and I wanted to make you feel a bit better if I could. Even if I didn't know you. - I said honestly while looking at her.

-Oh well, thank you. I panicked a little bit and had a small breakdown. Nothing to worry about. But thank you so much, you helped even with the hug. - A smile crept up on her face.

I was more than happy to hear that and couldn't hold myself back from smiling at her widely. Her cheeks went red and she looked away, breaking the eye contact we'd been holding for a while. - You're very welcome, Mona.

Now the color on her face went completely red, and she couldn't calm down for a while. Her very pale face displayed the blushing quite perfectly. I looked behind her and noticed her sitting a few tables away. She was staring directly as us, to be exact at Mona, her hands had formed fists. I could see the jealousy in her face. A lump formed in my throat and I glanced at Mona.

- I'm... I'm going to go eat something! - I quickly muttered out and left the library.

Instead of going down to the cafeteria, I ran to the auditorium and sat down on one of the chairs, opening my laptop to get my mind off of everything and just write.