Mistake (B.S.)

T W E L V E

I frantically scavenged the bathroom cabinets, tossing toiletries from under the sink into the hall. I was too upset to actually place my belongings in a bag, so instead, I was flinging them into the hall to pick up later—only picking out the things I'd take with me.

All the while, my mother chastised me for the mistake I'd made a year before—moving clear across the country with a man I barely knew. She didn't know the whole story; she didn't know I'd slept with his best friend on my birthday while Adam and his ex discussed what they were going to do about their unfortunate predicament.

"I'm supposed to fly in Friday. So... I guess just... meet me at the airport." I rolled my eyes, no longer listening to her tangent through the phone. "I'll call you before I leave, yes mom." She couldn't seem to read between the lines—totally unaware that I was trying to get off the phone.

It wasn't until my eyes landed on something in the back of that cabinet that made me pull back like I'd just been bitten by a snake. My eyes went wide; a cold went through me and I couldn't tell if I was still breathing or not.

"Mom." I managed to choke. "Mom, I'm... I'm gonna have to call you back." I ended the call without an explanation.

In small careful movements, I reached for what had taken my breath away. I felt my face twist, turning the box over in my hand as I tried recalling the last time I'd used those cotton plugs.

Months... it had been months.

Two months to be exact. It was around the time Adam had gone distant—when he was fighting tooth and nail about me leaving the hair dryer out.

"No." I whispered; trying to remember when it stopped and when it started. Not only that, I was adding up the time line.

I fell back into the floor, crossing my legs as the box of tampons fell out of my lap. I was crawling away from it, nearly terrified. No way could that have happened—no way in hell had Adam trapped me here with him. But the more I thought, the more images of Bill rolled through my head.

I had to admit, I wasn't a very good girlfriend in the intimate department. I turned away once Adam started fighting with me over mundane misplaced items. I remembered telling myself that I was just hormonal at the start of it—because it had been that time of month.

That's when it hit me... I hadn't had sex with Adam in nearly three months—since before the last period I could remember. But there wasn't a need to jump the gun, I told myself... over and over. It was probably just stress—I was too stressed from all the drama Adam had caused. Not to mention, Bill.

Poor Bill.

He had told me he loved me and I shut him down as if I hadn't even heard him; I let him believe that I didn't feel the same way. What a stupid girl.

I was scared—terrified of falling straight into the same trap Adam had set me up for. I was a dim-witted prude falling head over heels for the first attractive guy that gave me a sliver of attention. In my heart, I knew Bill was different, but... it was hard to not fall victim again; I refused to be made a fool for a second time.

But looking at the navy box in front of the sink cabinets, perhaps I had already been made a fool.