𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚 || 𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐫 ✓

Chapter Nine

A/N: hiii here's chapter nine! this chapter is sort of a filler but also gives the characters a little bit of a reality check. I hope you enjoy this chapter!! also thank you for 2k reads on here <3

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April 2020

"Are you doing anything for your birthday this year or just laying low?"

"Probably can't do anything for it. So I'll just stay in, most likely."

My phone is tucked between my shoulder and ear as I work on cleaning the kitchen. I'm talking to Luke about his birthday in a few weeks, but things are still pretty bleak in the world. It doesn't seem likely there will be an exciting party or anything of the sort.

"We could all stream a movie and get drunk together on Zoom," I suggest half-jokingly. But it seems like the only way the whole group can be together for now.

"Not that bad of an idea, Roman. We'll have to see," Luke says before pausing for a moment, "How are things with you and Austin?"

"Not too bad," I say, hesitant to open up too much about Austin and I's relationship for now, "We're both still alive, if that says anything."

Luke chuckles, "You two need to let out your frustration."

"And how would we do that, Lucas?" I ask in a warning tone, laughter at the edge of my voice.

"Oh, come on. You can't sit here and tell me you haven't thought of Austin that way."

I sigh, shaking my head as my eye catches the calendar by the refrigerator. I have today circled because I need to make an appointment for my birth control refill. Before I can respond to Luke, my whole body freezes. Wait. Birth control. When was I supposed to have my period? My eyes widen in horror as I scramble over to the calendar. I looked for the last day I drew an asterisk to mark when I started my last one. It's been 6 weeks. I'm two weeks late.

"Hey, can I call you back later? Something just came up that I need to check on," I bite my lip, trying not to panic.

"Yeah, but you aren't off the hook yet. I still want to know how you feel about the guy," Luke jokes and then hangs up.

Oh, if he only knew.

I can feel a cold sweat forming on my brow. As much as I hated to, I needed to go to the pharmacy down the block and buy some tests. Just in case. Austin is in his room studying Elvis as per usual. I hurriedly sneak into the guest room where my belongings are and search for my wallet. Once I find it, I turn around, and I'm met with Austin leaning against the doorframe. So much for my careful sneaking.

"Do you mind running to the store? We're out of toilet paper," Austin asks, cringing a little because he knows how much I despise going out.

"Way ahead of you," I say, waving my wallet with a nervous smile.

"Hey," Austin grabs me by the waist as I try to walk past him, pulling me to his body.

He pulls me into a casual kiss with his hand on the back of my head.

"Be careful, okay?" Austin pulls away from the kiss, pushing my hair back from my face with his fingers.

I nod, unable to look him in the eyes right now, afraid he'll see through me. I grab a disposable mask before heading out the door and into the warm Autumn air. Adjusting to the flipped seasons here has been weird, especially during a pandemic when you aren't even sure of what day it is. That's one reason I haven't been keeping track of my period like I'm supposed to. Especially after Austin and I's encounter, I really should have been paying more attention. Luckily, there's no one in the pharmacy, and I hurry in and out with three tests, toilet paper, and condoms for good measure. The streets are still empty as they were when I walked to the pharmacy. The weather is bleak, but the clouds will probably evaporate as quickly as they came up. It's almost apocalyptic outside, and if I'm honest, I don't know if I'd want to have a child right now if I could. The world is in shambles, and it's dangerous to leave your house to even get toilet paper. I sigh to myself, and a part of me hopes I'm just being overly cautious about missing my period.