“Don’t get upset,” Elena said, though she was smiling. “It’s important that people know their limits. I just don’t want to see you get hurt.” I turned from her, and rushed back to Nicole’s side. She was with a few other cheerleaders, who were much more supportive. “You got this!” they told me.
Over the phone, I briefly explained my situation to Nancy, trying to leave out the details, and asked, “Is it safe for the baby if I have… physical intimacy with… someone?” Nancy replied, point-blank. “You want to have sex with Asher?” My face burned hot. Asher was standing nearby, watching me c
“You can talk to me,” Asher said. Could I? Asher hadn’t been the most supportive of me lately, in regard to the transfer exam. If I told him what Elena said, how would he react? If he didn’t respond in the way I wanted, I thought my heart would break. A wedge would form between us. It wasn’t worth
Asher Maybe we shouldn’t even be friends. Even as I said it, I didn’t mean it, but once the words were out, it was too late. Cynthia was so expressive. She didn’t hide things like I did. She projected her hurt across her entire body, stepping back from me like I had physically struck her. I ha
Since leaving Asher’s, I was an absolute mess. I was ugly crying, all sobs and hiccups, and blowing my nose every twenty seconds. I tried to call Nicole, but she couldn’t understand what I was saying through my tears and sniffles. I supposed that I shouldn’t have been surprised when she and Aimee
But at least I had my friends. “Your ice cream is melting,” Nicole said and passed me my pint again. With them by my side, and enough ice cream, maybe I would be okay again in time. Because I remained confident that I would pass the transfer exam, I continued attending my classes. Unfortunatel
The boy who had defended me confidentially sauntered across the hallway, stopping when he had come to stand directly before me. “I hope you don’t let their ignorance bother you,” he said. I checked twice behind me, to make sure there wasn’t someone there that he was actually talking to. But it w
“You are going to have to make up.” Shaking her head, Nurse Irene scribbled down a few more notes with increasing ferocity. “Before my research starts to suffer.” “That’s not possible,” I said, trying to ignore the lingering hurt that always revealed itself when I thought of Asher or our breakup.