Hide My Love

Take Me Back

"You're pregnant?" I stutter out, looking frantically between Alex and Bridget.

"Well, of course!" Bridget squeals out.

As Peter and Bridget continue discussing her pregnancy and their plans for the baby, I gaze at the tablecloth and feel my heart drop past my stomach and my head start to spin. When I finally look back up, I notice Alex looking at me with pure pity.

"Pardon me, I need some fresh air," I whisper before scooting the chair back and heading out the front door to the porch.

I sit in the rocking chair and lean my head back while closing my eyes to let a tear escape. My mind continues to race as I think of all the reasons I'm feeling this way towards an innocent person. If anything, I should be angry at myself for interrupting this perfect family.

"Is everything okay?" Alex inquires as he sits in the rocking chair beside me.

"I've never been better," I sigh, looking away from him.

"That's bullshit and you know it."

"Actually, I'm doing better than before. I don't have to worry about selling my body anymore, so I guess I don't need to be around you anymore. I'm also plenty happy with my boyfriend as well -"

"And who's that?" He mocks, staring lasers into my head.

Ironically, Peter waltzes out of the front door to offer his hand to me. I gladly accept it as I stand up and position myself beside him.

Alex looks between the two of us and sighs before getting up and brushing past me into the house. As he goes past me, I look back for a brief second to catch an image of him.

"Bridget thought it would be best to get you home. She believes you must not feel well, and she gave me instructions on how to take care of you." He instructed while leading me to his car.

The ride to my duplex felt like ages as I toned out Peter and tried to relive the words that came out of Bridget's mouth and the reactions from both Alex and I.

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*Flashback*
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"Oh shit, I'm so sorry," a tall, attractive figure stutters as he leans down to help me with the fallen books.

I blush and shake my head, "it's okay."

We both glance up at each other and stare at each other for what feels like years, but instead seconds. As we scramble trying to pick up the books, our hands collide and touch but quickly pull apart. I bit my lower lip from sheer embarrassment of the situation.

He stands up as well as I, and notices the amount of books I was carrying to begin with.

"You look like you might need help with this," he grins as a shifts the books into a comfortable position into his arms.

"You really don't have to do that," I mumble, looking up at the gorgeous blue eyes of this stranger.

"It would be my pleasure."

We go to the line for checkout and wait for several minutes before he breaks the silence.

"Alex. My names Alex. And yours?" He questions.

"Athena, like the goddess- "

"of the arts and intelligence," we both chime together.