No Such Thing As A Hollywood Ending

chapter 28

Lucy sat at Sarah's party, feeling off. She had been sipping on the punch, but something about it just wasn't sitting right. Her stomach churned, and a wave of nausea swept over her. She glanced around the room, hoping no one could see the discomfort on her face. Music blared in the background, and people were laughing, but Lucy couldn't focus on anything except the gnawing feeling in her gut.

Something's not right.

She stood up quickly, trying not to draw attention to herself as she made her way down the hallway and into the bathroom. As soon as she closed the door, her stomach gave one final lurch, and she dropped to her knees in front of the toilet, throwing up violently. The sound of retching filled the small room, her body convulsing with each wave of nausea. It felt like it went on forever, her muscles aching by the time she finally stopped.

Lucy slumped against the cold tiles, gasping for breath. She was afraid to move, afraid that the second she stood up, she'd be right back in front of the toilet. She wiped her mouth with trembling hands, her body weak and exhausted.

A knock on the door startled her, and she heard Sarah's voice on the other side. "Lucy? You okay in there?"

Lucy groaned, her voice hoarse. "No, not really. I've been puking my guts out."

There was a pause, then Sarah's voice again, this time with a hint of concern. "How long have you been sick?"

"Like... 15 minutes," Lucy muttered, leaning her head back against the wall. "I don't know what's wrong with me. Maybe the punch had alcohol in it or something."

Another pause, and then, unexpectedly, Sarah asked, "Have you taken a pregnancy test?"

Lucy's eyes shot open, her heart skipping a beat. "What? Why would I need to do that? Henry and I... we used condoms every time."

Sarah's voice was soft but serious. "Yeah, but condoms aren't always 100%, you know? You've been with Henry, and you're throwing up... it wouldn't hurt to just check, right?"

Lucy felt a wave of disbelief wash over her. There was no way. It wasn't possible. They had been careful. They had used protection. But still, the idea planted itself in her mind, nagging at her. What if...?

She sighed, the weight of Sarah's suggestion pressing down on her. "Fine, I'll do it. But I'm telling you, this is ridiculous."

Sarah passed a pregnancy test under the door, and Lucy stared at it for a moment, her heart pounding. She couldn't believe she was actually doing this. With shaky hands, she followed the instructions and took the test. Then, she sat back down on the floor, waiting for the result.

The minutes felt like hours, and with each passing second, Lucy's anxiety grew. She kept telling herself it was impossible, that there was no way she could be pregnant. But when she finally looked at the test, her breath caught in her throat.

Two lines.

Positive.

Lucy stared at it, her mind blank. She couldn't believe it. How could this have happened? They had been so careful... hadn't they? She felt her chest tighten, panic rising as she realized the gravity of the situation.

"Sarah..." Lucy's voice was barely a whisper. "It's positive."

Sarah gasped on the other side of the door. "Oh my God... are you serious?"

Lucy nodded, even though Sarah couldn't see her. "Yeah... I don't understand. We used condoms every time."

A long silence followed, and Lucy's heart raced as she thought about Henry. How was she going to tell him? How was she going to explain this? Would he freak out? Would he even believe her? She felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, the overwhelming fear and uncertainty crashing down on her all at once.

"What am I going to do?" Lucy whispered, clutching the test in her hands. "How am I supposed to tell Henry?"

Sarah's voice was gentle but firm. "First, you need to calm down. It's a lot to take in, I know. But you're not alone in this. I'm here for you, and Henry—well, you know him. He'll probably be as shocked as you are, but I'm sure he'll stand by you. He cares about you, Lucy."

Lucy nodded, trying to take deep breaths, but the fear was still there, gnawing at her. She had no idea how Henry would react, or how they were going to handle this. All she knew was that everything had just changed in the blink of an eye, and there was no turning back.