When we first met (A Zatima Story)

Exposed

Zac sat in the passenger seat of the car, staring at the building ahead of them. His hands were clenched, and his leg bounced nervously. "Ti, I really don't wanna go in there," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Fatima, seated behind the wheel, reached over and gently placed her hand on his knee. "Zac, you have to," she said softly but firmly. "If you want to know whether the baby is yours or not, you need to do this. I'll be right there with you. We'll get through it together."

Zac sighed, his fingers running through his short-cropped hair. "If I didn't love you so much, I wouldn't even be considering this."

"I know," Fatima said with a small smile. "But you do love me. So let's go."

Reluctantly, Zac pushed the door open and stepped out of the car, Fatima following closely behind. Together, they walked toward the clinic, tension building with every step.

As they stepped inside, Zac immediately spotted Maya sitting in the waiting room, her arms crossed and an annoyed expression plastered across her face. Her eyes flicked up as they approached, narrowing when they landed on Fatima.

"Hey, Zac," Maya said, her tone cold.

"Maya," Zac replied, equally flat.

Maya's gaze shifted to Fatima, and she scoffed. "Why is she here? It's supposed to be just us."

Zac bristled at her attitude but kept his cool. "She's my girl, Maya. She's here to support me, no matter what the outcome is. You're just going to have to deal with it."

Maya rolled her eyes, standing up from the chair with a dramatic sigh. "You know what? Fuck it. Let's just get this over with."

Without another word, Maya led the way toward the back, where they were greeted by Dr. Smith, a middle-aged man with kind eyes and a professional demeanor. He smiled as he entered the room.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Brown. How are you feeling today?" Dr. Smith asked, his voice calm and pleasant.

Maya, still clearly irritated, crossed her arms tighter over her chest. "I'm fine, just trying to get this over with," she snapped.

Dr. Smith didn't let her tone affect him. He nodded understandingly. "Alright, I get that. So, this must be the father?" he asked, glancing toward Zac.

Maya cut in before Zac could respond. "It might be. And this," she gestured vaguely toward Fatima, "is his... um, what are you even supposed to be?"

Zac's jaw tightened as he glared at Maya. "She's my girlfriend, Maya. Don't do that," he warned. "We're here to figure things out, not to start drama. Let's just focus on what we came here for."

Dr. Smith nodded and quickly moved the conversation along, sensing the tension. "Alright then, let's get started. We'll perform an ultrasound and see how things are progressing."

Maya climbed onto the examination table, and Dr. Smith prepared the ultrasound machine. The room was thick with unease as he began the procedure, moving the probe over Maya's abdomen, eyes fixed on the screen.

A few moments passed, and Dr. Smith's brow furrowed. He moved the probe again, then once more, but his expression remained perplexed.

"Ms. Brown," he said cautiously, "are you sure you're pregnant?"

Maya's eyes widened in confusion and irritation. "Yes! I haven't had my period in months. I took a pregnancy test, and it said I was pregnant."

Dr. Smith raised an eyebrow. "How many tests did you take?"

Maya paused, her confidence faltering slightly. "Just one."

Zac's eyes flicked to her, his voice suddenly tense. "Wait a minute... so you mean to tell me you're not even sure?"

Maya looked taken aback, her face flushing with embarrassment. "Zac, I thought I was," she stammered.

Fatima, who had been standing quietly in the corner, took a step forward, her voice calm and steady. "Can we all just calm down? Now is not the time to argue. Let's figure this out."

Maya whipped her head around, her eyes blazing. "Bitch, shut the fuck up! Nobody was talking to you, hoe."

Fatima's lips curled into a dark, almost amused smile. "Okay."

Zac immediately placed a hand on Fatima's arm. "Ti, calm down."

Fatima's voice remained cool. "I'm calm, Zac. I'm going to the car. I'll let y'all finish this."

Zac gave her a nod, his voice softening. "Don't do anything to her car."

"I'm not," Fatima assured him with a small smile. "Just need to cool off. I'll be outside."

As Fatima left, Zac turned back to Maya, his frustration boiling over. "Maya, what the fuck is wrong with you?"

Maya crossed her arms again, clearly on the defensive. "She was butting into something that has nothing to do with her."

"She was just trying to diffuse the situation!" Zac shot back. "You didn't have to disrespect her like that."

"It's not her business, Zac! This is between us."

Zac shook his head, his voice lowering with finality. "You know what? It doesn't even matter anymore. We're done, Maya. Now that I know you're not pregnant, I don't want anything to do with you."

Maya's face fell, panic setting in. "Zac, wait—"

"What, Maya?"

Maya hesitated before speaking, her voice softer now. "I... I had an abortion."

Zac froze, the words sinking in. "What do you mean?"

Maya took a deep breath. "It wasn't your baby, Zac. It was Chris's. I didn't want it to be his, so I... I got rid of it. I did it two months before we broke up."

Zac stood in stunned silence for a moment, trying to process the information. "Two months, Maya? You kept this from me for two fucking months?"

"I didn't know how to tell you, Zac. I'm sorry."

Zac shook his head, his voice flat. "It doesn't even matter now. We're not together, and we're never getting back together. Have a good life."

Maya reached out, desperate. "Zac, don't do this. We're meant to be together. Forget about her."

"Don't disrespect Fatima like that," Zac snapped. "We were never meant to be together. I'm done."

"Zac, please," Maya whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "I love you."

Zac's gaze softened, but only for a moment. "So does my girlfriend, Maya. Goodbye."

And with that, Zac walked out, leaving Maya behind.

ok so i wasn't gonna update but it's friday and i had a good day sooo yea.

Fun Fact: I have like 6 other zatima books in my draft hehehehehehehe🤭

i'm done i'm done byeeeeee