Beloved Stranger

Chapter II: Sneaky Sep

"So, Sephora? That's a beautiful name. I don't hear it often," he complimented. I smiled while eating quietly on his bed. There was a table on his bed, so I was sitting and eating there. He sat beside me, watching me intently.

"Hmmm, is it because you're staring at me that I can't eat properly?" I asked. He smiled, clearly aware of his charm. Damn, I looked away and continued eating.

"I know, because you're distracted by my looks, right?" he said. I choked a bit, and he immediately handed me a bottle of water, which I drank right away. His confidence is off the charts, and I like it. I hope my child inherits that from him—unlike me, who has all the low self-esteem.

"By the way, don't get distracted by me. Just eat, and I'll take a shower," he said. This gave me a chance to escape. Finally, I could go home. I hadn't even changed my underwear yet and felt so uncomfortable. I quickly gathered my things, cleaned up the food, and left. I hurried out the front door and ran to the elevator. Once downstairs, I sprinted to the exit and managed to leave without being stopped by any guards. I took a deep breath of relief once I was outside and hailed a taxi to my apartment.

Suddenly, I felt sharp pain in my lower abdomen, likely because it was my first time doing that. My whole body ached as if it was heavy, and I was still dizzy and nauseous. When I reached my apartment building, I rushed inside, took off my shoes and socks, and put all my clothes in the laundry basket. I went straight to the bathroom and noticed blood on my leg. Panic set in.

"Shit! So I'm not pregnant? What the fuck!!!" I cried, not understanding what was happening. I wanted a child so badly but couldn't have one. Feeling despondent, I sat on the bathroom floor, telling myself it might be just a sensitivity issue and not an actual miscarriage. I quickly washed my body, shampooed my hair, rinsed off, and wrapped myself in a towel. I grabbed some napkins from the storage behind the mirror and placed them in a fresh pair of underwear. I changed into a large, comfortable shirt and pajamas and lay down on my bed. I hugged my pillow and lay on my left side.

When I opened my phone, I saw numerous messages from my coworkers and friends, asking what happened because I hadn't texted since that night I disappeared. I felt too overwhelmed to reply because I was overthinking the situation with the baby. I know it might be overreacting, but I really want to have a child. I already have a savings account for the baby's needs from birth through their upbringing, which I've been saving for since I started working. The apartment was a gift from my parents. It's not huge, but it's perfect for me and my future baby. I even bought a unisex crib in preparation.

I cried, feeling pain in my lower abdomen, as if my insides were being crushed.

"Kriiiinnngg"

I woke up to the loud sound of my phone under my pillow. It was already 3 PM, and I had slept since I got home. I felt a bit better, but my lower abdomen still hurt.

"Hello? Hmm?"
"Where are you? What happened, sis?"
"Hmm, nothing much. I got home early this morning."
"Oh my gosh! Tell us what happened with your handsome one-night stand!!!"
"Shit, tell us, Sep!!!" said one of my friends.
"OMG guys, calm down. I'm not pregnant!!! I just got my period, huhu!!" I said sadly.
"That's not it. Maybe it's just spotting. How many times did you do it?"
"Yeah, how many times did you do it, girl? OMG!!!"
"I said he did it five times," I awkwardly mentioned, and they screamed in excitement.
"Omg girl, you're definitely pregnant!!! He made sure of it!!! He must be really strong to do it five times? My husband can't even do it once!"
"Wow, that's impressive! I wish I had that. Sis, you're definitely pregnant, promise!!!"
"Guys, seriously, I'm not feeling well. Bye."
"Just rest, girl. Don't overthink it!!"
"Bye girl, we'll visit you soon."
"Bye, love you both!"
"Bye, love you Sep!"

I ended the call, feeling embarrassed but also grateful for my friends. They can be annoying, but they're real people. I got up to cook something to eat. I had found a recipe for pasta, so I decided to make something like Yellow Cab's Charlie Chan. I chopped the ingredients and boiled water in a pot. I waited a few minutes while sautéing garlic and onions, then added the other ingredients. Once the pasta was cooked, I mixed it with the sauce I was making, added peanuts and scallops, and plated it. I took a picture of the food and sent it to our group chat. They all sent heart emojis and commented on how delicious it looked because they knew I loved cooking. Whenever they're stressed, they often come here to relax.

While eating, I researched pregnancy and found an article that said it's possible to have spotting even if you're pregnant. It's called implantation bleeding. I felt relieved and finished my pasta with satisfaction. The article also mentioned not drinking soda during pregnancy, so I just had water after eating and sat on my couch to watch TV. I remembered Harlan. The hotel wasn't just a hotel; the club we went to that night was for wealthy people, and we were there because my friend knew someone. My friends said there were many attractive and rich people there, and I felt like I was set up. But I wanted this badly; I wanted to have a baby. I must have gone a bit crazy thinking about it. I continued watching a TV series, feeling exhausted and sore. I lay back on the couch while watching.

"Aaaarg!! Shit, it hurts!"

I endured the pain, not wanting to take medicine. I placed a hot compress on my abdomen and lay back down. I almost fainted from the pain, but thankfully the compress helped. At 10 PM, I was tired again, so I turned off the TV and went to my room to rest. I changed my napkins and went to bed, placing my phone on the small table next to my bed. I closed my eyes, sweating coldly from the pain. I forced myself to sleep with the hot compress on my abdomen to ease the discomfort.