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Chapter 8 - The Paternity Test

The day I finally made the decision, it felt like a giant weight was sitting on my chest. I couldn't keep pretending like the question wasn't there, hovering over everything. Every time I thought about the future, the same haunting doubt crept in, gnawing at me: Who's the father?

I tried to push it aside, to focus on getting through school, dealing with the whispers and stares, but deep down I knew I had to face the truth. The father. Whether it was Ethan, my ex, or Justin from that one reckless night at his party—it mattered. It mattered more than I wanted to admit.

That morning, sitting across from my mom at the kitchen table, I finally blurted it out.

"I need to take a paternity test."

Mom looked up from her coffee, her face instantly shadowed with concern. She didn't need me to explain. She knew about Ethan. She'd asked me about Justin after I told her I was pregnant, but I'd been too embarrassed to give her a straight answer. Now, I didn't have the luxury of avoiding it any longer.

She set her mug down, folding her hands on the table in that calm, patient way she always did when things got serious. "Mia, are you sure you want to do this now? I mean, I know it's been weighing on you, but are you ready to handle whatever the result is?"

I hesitated, looking down at my hands. The thing was, I didn't feel ready at all. But not knowing felt worse. I had to face it, no matter how much it scared me.

"I need to know, Mom," I said quietly. "I can't... I can't plan anything, or even think straight, without knowing."

Mom sighed, and after a long pause, she nodded. "Okay. We'll do it. But you'll have to talk to both of them, Mia. You can't do this alone."

The thought of talking to Ethan and Justin made my stomach churn, but she was right. I had to tell them. They deserved to know.

I decided to talk to Ethan first. He and I hadn't spoken since we broke up a few months before the party. It wasn't a bad breakup, more like a slow drift apart, but we hadn't kept in touch much. I didn't even know how he'd react.

After school, I found him in the parking lot, leaning against his car, chatting with a couple of his friends. My heart pounded in my chest as I walked over, nerves twisting my insides. This wasn't a conversation I'd ever imagined having.

"Ethan, can we talk for a minute?" I asked, my voice shaky.

He looked surprised to see me, but he nodded, motioning for his friends to go ahead without him. Once they left, he turned to me, concern flickering in his brown eyes. "What's up, Mia? Everything okay?"

I took a deep breath. "I need to tell you something. It's... big."

He waited, his face serious now.

"I'm pregnant," I said, watching his reaction closely. "And... there's a chance the baby could be yours."

For a second, it felt like time froze. Ethan just stared at me, his expression unreadable. Then, after what felt like an eternity, he exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair.

"Wow. Okay," he said, clearly trying to process the news. "I didn't... I mean, we haven't been together in months, Mia. Are you sure it could be mine?"

"There's a chance," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I've been trying to figure things out, and I think it's between you and... Justin."

"Justin?" he asked, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "The guy from the party?"

I nodded, feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment. "Yeah. That night, after we broke up."