I stare at myself in the bathroom mirror for God knows how long; until the door opens and Sophia barges in with a worried look on her face.
"What's going on Rey?"
Her tone is a mix between anger and worry, so I sigh and turn my head to look at her properly.
"I just-nothing."
She gives me her 'really bitch, really?' look and puts a hand on her hip. "Tell me. Now."
"I missed my period this month."
Sophia frowns, coming closer.
"When was it supposed to start?"
"Like a week ago? And I missed it. I've never missed it before."
"Maybe because you don't eat enough."
Shit, she might be right.
"You think?"
"Yes." She answers, impatiently. "But the safest way to find out is by going to a doctor."
I shake my head immediately. "No. No way. I don't want my parents finding out."
"They won't. Liam's older sister is a doctor and she can run a test to see why you missed your period."
"Maybe it's just late-"
"We'll go next week if nothing changes, okay?"
I nod. "Thank you."
"Of course. Always." She says smiling, and pulls me into a tight hug.
"Also, don't tell anyone okay? Not even Liam."
"I won't. I promise."
-
When I get home that day, both my parents are home way too early, which seems a bit suspicious.
"What's going on? Hi." I say as I enter the kitchen. They're both at the kitchen table sipping tea and talking, so something is definitely not right.
"Do you know what today is?" my mother asks, looking up at me.
"Um...Monday?"
"No. Today is the day your grandparents celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary."
"Really? Wow."
"Yes. So I suggest you go to your room and pick something nice to wear because we're going out to dinner tonight."
"Who is we?"
"Your grandparents, your father and I, Katherine, and your brother with Ellie."
"Alright." I say, trying not to roll my eyes as I walk out of the room.
When I get to my own room, I drop my backpack on the bed and sit down to my desk so I can check Tumblr and see what's going on on Twitter. Honestly, who needs homework?
I change into my house clothes and actually start on the homework that's due in the next couple of days, before I ask myself if I really need lunch. Probably not. And that's not just my eating disorder speaking, it's also the knot I feel in my stomach at the thought that I might be pregnant.
What if I really am pregnant? What will I tell Zayn? What will I tell my parents? How will everyone react? What about my future?
There are just too many questions swirling through my head and I can't make them stop even if I wanted to. So to try and get my mind off things, I look for the latest Teen Wolf episode and put my earphones in to drown out all the sounds, including the voices in my head telling me that everything is going to shit.
-
Zayn's POV
I park my Bentley next to my mother's car, which means that she's home. Which also means that her and my dad continued the fight they started this morning before I left for school and neither of them got to work, even though his Mercedes in missing from the driveway.
As soon as I enter the house, I can already hear yelling coming from upstairs, so I go into the living room to check if my siblings are in there, but judging by the fact that the TV is turned off and the car our driver uses also wasn't parked, they're both at their after school program.
When I get to my room I drop my backpack on the bed and walk into the bathroom to change and take a shower. By the time I'm back and sitting down at my desk, trying to actually do some work on an essay that's due tomorrow, the screams get way too loud for my liking so I exit my room and stride over to theirs.
I push the door open and try not to be taken aback by the chaos my eyes meet when I do; bed sheets thrown against the wall, the glass table shattered in the corner, a few broken vases lying on the floor next to the window, and most importantly my crying mother and red-faced father.
"Can you two shut the fuck up? I'm so tired of your screaming and I'm actually trying to do some schoolwork but I fucking can't! Stop fighting and think about the fact that you have two little children in this house who still think their parents love each other, okay?"
They stare at me without saying anything, probably as surprised as I am by the sudden outbursts. I mean, I'm always telling them to shut up or to take their fighting elsewhere, but I've never been this angry or this serious before.
I slam the door to their bedroom before I walk back to mine and slam that door too, and then I drop into the seat. However, the silence bothers me and ironically, I can't seem to concentrate on what I'm supposed to be doing, so I log into WhatsApp on my laptop and answer conversations that don't really interest me.
I block a few girls that get on my nerves and then plan my next smoking session with Niall and Louis, before I click on my chat with Rey that's been left with a ':))' from me two days ago.
I bite my lip as I think of what I could write to her without seeming too desperate and bother her too much.
Why do I even feel like I bother her? I don't have this problem with anyone ever.
So I type:
hey :)
why did you run out of class today?
The message delivers but she doesn't answer right away, so I minimize the tab and get to work. I'm supposed to be writing an essay in history, but all I can think about is what Rey is doing and why the hell did she run out of class today.
I'm halfway through copying the essay off a site when I get a notification that she answered.
Rey: I felt sick
Rey: why? Did I miss anything interesting? :))
Zayn: no
Zayn: I was just worried about you that's all
Rey: Zayn Malik worried about someone? Wooow
Rey: never thought I'd see the day
Rey: :)))
Zayn: (annoyed emoji)
I lick my lips and close the conversation so I can refocus on my essay. A few minutes later there's a knock on my door and I don't answer, but it opens anyway.
"I didn't say come in." I say and turn around with my chair. My father is standing in the doorframe with his arms crossed, looking more tired than I've ever seen him.
"What?" I ask.
"Can we talk?"
"I don't know, will you scream and throw things?"
"The throwing was all your mother."
I roll my eyes. I never pick sides, because I don't really care, or at least I try not to care, but seeing my mother this upset and actually crying makes me want to take her side this time.
"What?" I repeat.
"Your mother and I are going through a rough time."
"You've been going through a 'rough time' for years now, then."
He sighs and sits down at the edge of my bed, keeping his distance.
"So why are you fighting about? Why don't you just get divorced? It would help everyone, honestly."
"Because we love each other."
I snort, and then I realize that this wasn't at all the answer I expected to receive. I was expecting something along the lines of 'because of your siblings', or 'because it's too complicated to get divorced, too much paperwork and we don't have a prenup'. But definitely not this.
"How does that work? It doesn't make any sense." I say, turning around and looking for a cigarette pack through my desk drawers. I definitely need one if I'm going to have this conversation.
My father waits for me to light it and pull the ashtray out of one of the drawers, before I motion for him to continue while trying to look as indifferent as possible.
"We l-"
