Riona

CHAPTER 2

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay over for a while? You know I can." Korra asks for the millionth time.

"I know you can but you have to get back to Trevor. I'm sure he misses you terribly by now. It's been two days. I'm fine." I lie through my teeth.

I'm not fine. How can I be fine?

He's gone.

Forever.

"I don't believe you but I know you wouldn't let me sleep if I stayed over. You're that crazy. So I'm going to go, but I will call you in the morning, okay?" She pulls me into a tight hug and strokes my hair.

"Fine. But I'm only ever calling you when I need a foot rub or a massage." She laughs and opens my apartment door for me, handing me the keys.

"Bye Riri." She hugs me again before turning to leave, concern evident in her eyes.

There are times when I'm genuinely grateful to have Korra as a sister. I'm older by seven minutes – which is a big deal by the way – but she's the mature and responsible one, because growing up, I didn't have an ounce of responsibility in me. But she loved me anyways. The only person that cares about me more than my dad – who surprisingly still hasn't called – is Korra. We've had each other's backs for as long as I can remember. Despite being very different people, we love each other like we are the same person.

I close the door and Sam comes running to me.

"Awwn Sam. I know you missed me. I missed you too. How are you buddy?" I get on one knee to pet him and he starts licking my face.

"Okay that's enough Sam. I love you, but not that much."

I walk over to his bowl which surprisingly had food in it and a note attached to the side.

'Don't worry, I fed and bathed him while you were in the hospital. Trevor.'

How nice of him. Trevor is Korra's fiancé. They've been together for a little over a year now and I could not be happier for my sister. She's been quite unlucky in the area of love ever since we graduated college but she met Trevor at a seminar that I forced her to go to with Asher and I, 2 years ago. They started out as friends and now they're getting married in 2 months!

I head into the kitchen feeling hungry even though Korra and I stopped at a restaurant on the way here. I glance down at my protruding belly and for the first time in 2 days, the thought crosses my mind.

This baby.

Our baby.

I can't imagine raising a kid on my own. She's not even going to meet her father. I can't imagine my baby growing up without a father. For most of my life, I grew up without a mother and it was quiet obvious that I had a lot missing in my life.

I've been so occupied with Korra and her friends visiting me at the hospital for the last 2 days that I haven't been alone to think.

This is why no one ever leaves me alone. I can't be alone.

With tears racing down my cheeks, I think back to when I first met Asher. Our first date. Our first kiss. Everything I did from the time that I met him was with him. He never let me feel lonely. He was always there. When everything was terrible, he was there. He was always there, even when I didn't need him.

When I told him about my past, that's when he got me Sam. He was exactly what I needed, maybe even more. And now, with him gone, I know that life is going to become unbearable for me. I can't go back to who I used to be, not with a child.

This isn't healthy, for me and the baby. I have to get my mind off this somehow, no matter how impossible it's going to be with everything reminding me of him. His cologne is still faintly lingering in the air in the apartment or maybe I'm just imagining it.