In Omnia Paratus (AU) - Book 2

Problem

"Are you alright, you've been acting off ever since that dinner you had with Richard? Are sure everything went smoothly?" Matt asked as I walked into his dorm and put the TV on.

"I'm fine, I told you. It was just a dinner to tell me that he's sorry for ignoring me when I asked him a question a few weeks back, nothing major I promise." I smiled kissing his cheek as we sat to watch a movie.

Tom appeared from his room fairly suddenly and apologised for interrupting and usually I'd just let him go but I didn't. "Hey why don't you join us, we've got loads of snacks." I smiled up at him.

"You sure?" Tom asked. I looked at Matt hopefully.

"Fine by me." Matt shrugged. I was just glad we were off the subject of Richard. It had been a week and I hadn't told anybody - not even Lily. It wasn't my secret to tell but at the same time it was eating me alive.

- - - - -

"You think I'm pregnant?" Molly shouted at Richard loudly in her dorm. She'd just finished throwing up and Richard was there holding back her hair comfortingly. He had a lot of experience.

"I have an incline." Richard shrugged.

"What sort of incline?" Molly scowled at him.

"About three weeks ago-- we had unprotected sex and now you're throwing up and I spoke to Jenna and that's when she started throwing up." Richard said speaking fast and nervously.

"I thought I ate something bad." She said scratching the back of her head. "Wait-- you spoke to Jenna? She knows that I'm--"

"I had to get some advice from someone. She was the only one I could think off." Richard shrugged.

"Next time ask me first. Oh god I can't believe this. What are my parents going to say-- what is the school going to say. Oh fuck--" she screamed before bursting into tears and Richard wrapped his arms around her to comfort her.

- - - - -

"We have a problem." Richard pulled me aside in the newsroom after I'd finished giving out assignments.

"Bigger than the one we already have?" I frowned at him walking away to pick up some papers from around the room. I felt him follow behind me, hot on my tail before I went back in to my office. "Can I help you?"

"Molly." He uttered. I widened my eyes and shut the door tightly before we sat down to start this awkward conversation. "I'm not sure who else to come to. You're the only one that knows and I'm kind of freaking out." Richard said fast.

"Uh well, I know. So just spill it." I closed my eyes regretting already for being involved in this.

"I have to stop speaking to you." He said slowly. I took a deep breath and turned my head slightly hoping that he was joking and the punchline was late.

"Right."

"Molly thinks I'm too attached to you-- to Maisie. And if we have a kid, I won't pay him/her any attention." He admitted painfully.

"So you're..."

"I'm quitting the paper." He said quickly, speaking over me.

"What?"

"I have to. Its not like my parents would disagree." He shrugged.

"Because they hated me. I bet they love Molly now don't they?!" I shouted back at him suddenly feeling very bad about this girl.