Second Chances (GEMINIFOURTH)

Chapter 4: A Life-Changing Discovery

The tension within Fourth builds to an unbearable level over the next few days. Every morning, he wakes up hoping the nausea will be gone, that the fatigue will fade, that he can convince himself it's all been a mistake. But the symptoms persist, becoming more insistent with each passing day.

Finally, he can't avoid it any longer. One evening, after a particularly difficult day where the nausea and exhaustion hit him harder than ever, Fourth gathers the courage to confront his deepest fear. He walks into a pharmacy on his way home from campus, his heart pounding in his chest as he picks up a pregnancy test. The cashier doesn't say a word as they ring him up, but Fourth can feel his cheeks burning with embarrassment and shame, even though no one else knows what he's thinking.

Back in the safety of his apartment, Fourth stares at the test in his hands, paralyzed by the enormity of what this moment could mean. For several minutes, he can't bring himself to open the box, sitting on the edge of his bed as his mind races with thoughts of what might happen next.

Finally, he takes a deep breath and forces himself to move. He goes into the bathroom, his hands trembling as he follows the instructions. The seconds stretch into what feels like hours as he waits for the result, each tick of the clock echoing in the small room. He tries to prepare himself for what he might see, but when the two lines appear on the test, confirming his worst fear, nothing could have prepared him for the wave of emotions that crashes over him.

Fourth collapses onto the bathroom floor, the test still clutched in his hand, tears streaming down his face. The confirmation is both a relief and a nightmare—a relief that he finally knows the truth, but a nightmare because of what that truth means. He's pregnant, and nothing in his life will ever be the same.

As Fourth sits on the cold tile floor, the reality of his situation begins to sink in. A thousand questions flood his mind—how will he manage this on his own? What will his future look like now? And most terrifying of all, how will Gemini react?

The fear of Gemini's reaction gnaws at Fourth, twisting his stomach into knots. He imagines all the possible scenarios, each one worse than the last. Will Gemini laugh at him, dismissing his concerns as irrational? Will he accuse Fourth of lying, of trying to trap him in a situation he never wanted? Or will he simply walk away, leaving Fourth to deal with this on his own?

The thought of losing Gemini is almost too much to bear, but the idea of telling him the truth and facing his rejection is even worse. Fourth knows that he should tell Gemini, that he deserves to know the truth. But every time he thinks about having that conversation, the fear grips him tighter, making it impossible to move forward.

Fourth's mind races with what-ifs, each scenario more painful than the last. He imagines Gemini walking away, never looking back. He pictures himself raising a child alone, struggling to make ends meet while trying to finish his degree. The thought of facing this future without Gemini by his side terrifies him, and yet he can't see a way to avoid it.

In the end, Fourth makes a decision—one that feels both cowardly and necessary. He decides to keep the pregnancy a secret, at least for now. He tells himself that he needs more time to figure things out, that maybe he'll find the right words to explain everything to Gemini. But deep down, he knows that the real reason he's staying silent is because he's scared—scared of losing the one person he loves most in the world.

Fourth knows that his decision will only make things more complicated in the long run, but for now, it feels like the only option. He can't bring himself to face Gemini, not yet. Maybe, he thinks, if he waits a little longer, things will somehow work themselves out. Maybe the right moment will present itself, and he'll be able to tell Gemini without losing him.

But even as he tries to convince himself of this, a part of him knows that time is running out. The longer he waits, the harder it will be to hide the truth, and the more devastating the fallout will be when everything finally comes to light.

For now, though, Fourth chooses to live in the silence of his secret, hoping that somehow, some way, he'll find the strength to face what's coming. But deep down, he knows that the longer he waits, the more fragile everything becomes—his relationship with Gemini, his future, and the life growing inside him.

As the days pass, the weight of the secret begins to take its toll on Fourth. He finds himself withdrawing even more from Gemini, avoiding his touch, his questions, his attempts to connect. It's as if there's a wall between them, a wall built from fear and uncertainty that grows taller with each passing day.

Gemini notices the change, of course. He asks Fourth if everything is okay, if there's something bothering him, but Fourth always brushes it off, insisting that he's just tired or stressed from school. Gemini seems to accept these explanations, but the concern in his eyes lingers, and Fourth can feel the distance between them growing wider.

At night, Fourth lies awake, staring at the ceiling as the thoughts swirl in his mind. He knows that he can't keep this up forever, that eventually, the truth will come out whether he's ready for it or not. But for now, he clings to the fragile hope that he can somehow find a way to protect both himself and Gemini from the devastating reality that's about to unfold.

And so, Fourth carries on, each day a delicate balancing act between the life he's trying to hold together and the secret that threatens to tear it all apart.