Her Dad's Best Friend

A Shift in the Air

The soft hum of the night wrapped around us, Jordan's rhythmic breathing warm against my neck, his arm lazily draped over my waist. We lay tangled together, naked under the sheets, the warmth of his body seeping into mine. Normally, being here, in his bed, felt like a sanctuary, a place where the rest of the world didn't exist—where it was just him and me.

But tonight, everything felt wrong.

I blinked up at the dark ceiling, my mind racing, a sense of unease gnawing at my insides. It wasn't just the nerves from sneaking around or the thrill of keeping secrets. This was something different, something that had been building for weeks. I hadn't gotten my period.

At first, I'd shrugged it off. Stress. Of course, it was stress. I'd been living a double life, dancing at the club, keeping my relationship with Jordan hidden from my dad, sneaking out at all hours. My body was just reacting to the chaos, right? But the longer time passed without that familiar sign, the more I couldn't shake the growing pit in my stomach.

I tried to breathe evenly, not wanting to disturb Jordan, but every little sound, every shift of the bed felt magnified. My thoughts were spinning, tangled with questions I didn't have answers to. What if...? No. I couldn't think like that. Not until I was sure.

A sudden wave of nausea hit me, sharp and unrelenting, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. My stomach twisted painfully, and I barely managed to swallow down the bile rising in my throat. I clamped a hand over my mouth, trying to suppress the overwhelming urge to throw up.

I had to move—now.Carefully, I slid out from beneath Jordan's arm, inching my way out of bed, praying I wouldn't wake him. His grip tightened slightly, his body stirring, but he stayed asleep, muttering something incoherent before rolling onto his side.I let out a quiet breath of relief and made my way to the bathroom as quickly as I could without making any noise. As soon as I reached the toilet, I collapsed to my knees, my body revolting against me. The nausea surged, and I barely made it before I was heaving, emptying my stomach into the porcelain bowl.

My hands gripped the cool edge of the toilet as my body shook, the effort of throwing up leaving me weak and trembling. When it was over, I sat back on my heels, gasping for air, my entire body feeling wrung out. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, leaning my head against the wall as I tried to calm my racing heart.

What the hell was happening to me?I closed my eyes, the cold floor grounding me as my mind raced with possibilities, none of them comforting. The nausea, the missed period... it all lined up. But I didn't want to believe it. I couldn't let myself believe it. Not yet.

But deep down, I already knew.

The thought hit me like a freight train, knocking the air from my lungs. I might be pregnant. Oh God.

I pressed a hand to my mouth, as if that could stop the wave of panic from crashing over me. My mind spiraled, jumping from one thought to the next—Jordan, my dad, the club, my future. This couldn't be happening. We had been reckless, sure, but I never thought it would go this far. I hadn't thought about the consequences until now, and now... it felt like the ground had been ripped out from beneath me.

I couldn't stay in the bathroom forever. I splashed some cold water on my face, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I looked pale, my skin a little clammy, my eyes wide and anxious. I had to pull myself together. If Jordan woke up and saw me like this, he'd know something was wrong. 

And I wasn't ready for that conversation. Not yet.

I swallowed hard, gripping the edge of the sink as I took deep breaths. I needed to stay calm. For now, I wasn't sure of anything, and I couldn't panic until I knew for sure. Tomorrow, I'd take a test. Tomorrow, I'd face whatever this was.With one last glance at myself in the mirror, I crept back into the bedroom, moving as quietly as possible. Jordan was still fast asleep, his chest rising and falling steadily. I carefully slid back under the covers, trying to keep my movements light. His arm instinctively wrapped around me again, pulling me against him in his sleep, his face nuzzling into the crook of my neck.

Normally, this would be where I'd melt into him, where I'd feel safe and protected. But tonight, I felt like I was holding onto a secret too big to carry. His touch was comforting, but my mind was racing, and I couldn't focus on anything except the growing uncertainty inside me.

I lay there for what felt like hours, staring at the ceiling, my mind swirling with thoughts of what I'd do if it was true. How would I tell Jordan? How would he react? He wasn't the type to panic easily, but this was different. And then there was my dad. I couldn't even think about that conversation without feeling a knot of dread twist in my stomach.

I thought about the club. How I had danced there night after night, wrapped up in the persona of Harley, confident, mysterious, untouchable. But now, the lines between Harley and Hailey were blurring, and I didn't know who I was anymore.

The nausea had passed, but the unease lingered. Sleep felt impossible, but I had no choice but to lie there and pretend everything was fine. I didn't want to wake Jordan. Not yet. I wasn't ready to talk about what I was afraid of, what was lurking beneath the surface.

As the first hint of dawn began to filter through the blinds, I finally felt the weight of exhaustion pull me under. 

But even as I drifted off, my mind couldn't stop racing, couldn't stop wondering.

Tomorrow, I'd know for sure.