TOXIC BLOODLINES 1/4

LIGHTBRINGER

KIMBERLY

Sitting uncomfortably in my seat, I felt the pain worsen with every bump in the road or sharp turn. Arik was talking to me but I wasn't paying attention to anything he was saying. His voice was muffled by my thoughts. All I could focus on was the pain. It had a rhythm. Three contractions in my abdomen, then it would subside for about a minute, then repeat. I knew it couldn't have been my period because it didn't feel like normal cramps. Plus, my period ended last week. So, this was something else. Something... new.

The sensation was strange. It terrified and excited me at the same time. I wanted to tell Arik, but after he laughed in my face last night, I didn't feel like opening that discussion again. How would I even bring it up?

From my silence, Arik could sense that something was wrong. He didn't know what it was or how to ask. But I noticed how he tensed up when he saw me placing my hands on my stomach as I rested my head on the dashboard and groaned. Arik lowered the volume on the radio. "We don't have to go to the diner if you're not feeling good."

"No, I'm fine," I sat up, masking my pain.

"Are you sure?" Arik worried.

"I'm okay."

~~~

Arriving at Luci's diner, Arik struggled to find good parking due to the lunch rush. The diner was fuller than usual but that was because everyone was at home. People used the lockdown as a free holiday. After driving around in circles in the hopes that someone would leave, Arik finally gave up and decided to park in an awkward space. My complaint was that we'd have to walk all the way to the entrance. I didn't want to do that.

Unbuckling my seatbelt, I felt another cramp and winced. The panicked expression on Arik's face gave me an idea of what he could've been thinking. I wanted to tell him it wasn't my period, but the words couldn't come out. I was in so much pain. He started to panic like most guys do regarding stuff like this. I started getting angry because he kept staring at me, trying to talk. "Just spit it out!" I snapped.

"Is-... is it shark week?" Arik asked.

I scowled at him. "What?"

Arik realized what he had done. "I-I-I—" he stuttered.

"—SHARK WEEK?REALLY!- Why would you even call it that!" I yelled through the pain.

"Sorry. I'm sorry- it was a bad joke. Y-y-you had your hand on your stomach, and you guys have stomach cramps, so I just thought- I'm sorry," he tried to explain himself but ended up rambling. If I wasn't in pain, I'd like to think I would've seen the humor in it.

Nope, not even then.

There was an awkward lull between us due to mutual embarrassment. Arik unlocked the doors and got out.

"Are you okay though? We can do this again tomorrow," he asked, watching me curl up into a ball from the pain.

"I'll meet you inside; just give me a sec," I mumbled, hiding my face from the guilt I felt from raising my voice at him. All he was doing was showing concern, but 'Shark week?' That was the kind of humor I think Sara would've enjoyed had she been the one to think of it herself. Arik saying it had a completely different undertone, locker room humor made it less endearing.

I waited for him to take a few steps away from the car then quickly got out and checked the seat to be sure. No blood. I took a deep breath and closed the door. "It's okay. It's fine. Everything is fine." I followed him to the diner.