3: I'M GOING TO GET PREGNANT

     “Simon.”

     Looking around the old telephone booth, Lucas confirmed that he indeed lost the police tagging him. on the streets, there was no one but him as the night reached 2 before dawn.

     “Lucas! Where are you?! Are you able to lose them?” his friend’s panicking voice were evident that made Lucas sneer.

     “It will be the police calling you if I was caught by them, isn’t it?”

     Though he made a point, his sarcasm made Simon on the other line frown.

     “I shouldn’t have answered your call if you were to be this naughty again, Mr. Lucas Levin.”

     “But you still did, Sim.” A familiar silence filled the air between them as Lucas made his mind up to ask that question. And Simon already knew what he wanted to ask.

     “Your father called.”

     Lucas didn’t reply.

     “I don’t know how he knew it but you know it really is impossible to hide this from him. especially when this is much bigger than the troubles you caused before. He said he wanted you come home. He will help you get out of this.”

     “And?” Lucas snapped. His fingers clawing at the telephone. He heard something behind him, making him alert. But when he turned around, it was just few drunk men walking passed the streets. “And after he helped me, what will he do? cage me, force to tame me and take away my freedom? You know I will never live a life like that, Sim.”

     “I know but what else can we do? you have no other option. You can’t just run and hide forever! I thought I could find some evidence to prove you didn’t kill that woman. But I was mistaken. Who ever framed you for that made sure that you have no way out.”

     Simon heaved a deep sigh after nagging like an old mom. He wanted to keep his cool but his voice just keeps raising and raising.

     “Lucas. I think one of the people you messed up with did this. but they were just too many. I don’t know who exactly made a move against you.”

     Lucas pursed his lips, hearing Simon’s hopelessness. Looked like even his trouble-savior was out of ideas anymore.

     “Sim. Let me ask you a question.”

     The silence indicated his answer.

     “How are you so sure I was innocent? Remember when we were 11? When I was at the summer cabin…”

     Simon held his breath. How could he ever forget that moment? That moment when Lucas’s family went to hunting trip and he tagged along. Lucas got sick back then that he stayed in the cabin while his grandfather, his brother and Simon went to hunt instead.

     Yet, Simon just couldn’t help worrying of leaving Lucas alone. So, he came back. But what he witnessed was something an 11 years old boy shouldn’t have witnessed. And more especially, an 11-year-old boy, Lucas, shouldn’t be capable of doing.

     Simon found him in the salas cabin, bloodied, and holding a shashka (a kind of sabre) while as he stood, a dying wolf was wounded to death.

     It was too gory, too bloody, and too ruthless to look at. that in a few days after witnessing that, Simon refused to see Lucas and was constantly having nightmare of meeting his cold ruthless eyes with a blood-stained sword in his hand.

     “What if… I indeed killed her?”

     Simon’s body froze with Lucas’ words over the phone and for a moment, he wondered if he was again that 11-year-old Lucas who killed that huge wolf with his own hand.

     He knew Lucas’s family was never an ordinary one. His father trained them to be like a persistent ruthless hunter. And one of that training was intentionally luring a wolf into the cabin where the sick Lucas was. And that Lucas only did that, killing the wolf ruthlessly, to save himself.

     But then, he wondered.

     After that harsh and cold way of up-bringing, did Lucas never ever developed a personality like his grandfather’s?

     Simon went cold.

***

     Eve rented out a room at the outskirts of the city her friend recommended. Though she didn’t plan to stay in there for too long. She just knew her father so much that she was aware he’ll find her later if she stayed in one place even for a week.

     It really was an old, dirty room that anyone who grew up in a well family wouldn’t endure living in. and though Eve wasn’t really used to it, she wasn’t like other rich-spoiled girl who would make a fuss out of it.

     She immediately took her clothes off, leaving only her white sweat-drench sando and slipping in a skin-tone shorts. She went into the bathroom and hurriedly washed her face with the water from the sink, making her grunt at the coldness.

     She lifted her face, staring at her face. for a moment, she felt a surge of accomplishment inside her, making her grin. She felt like she just broke away from her father’s chain. She felt like she was freed!

     And this feeling was something she never felt after her mother’s death.

     Then, her eyes saw the small cut in her lower lip. Now that she was looking at it more clearly, she realized how bigger it looked like.

     “Does that man didn’t know how to kiss?” she snorted, letting off a short chuckle. She shook her head as she remembered his venomous handsome face. “Too bad he’s my first kiss.” Then, she went to her room and dropped asleep on the bed.

***

     The sun was peeking from the unpleasing curtain of the room, letting in a small illuminance in where Eve lays. She was staring at the bulb in the ceiling that kept blinking when she turned on last night.

     It was passed noon and it had been four hours since she started thinking. Thinking on ways to stop the marriage with the Heirta Family.

     Heirta Family was one of the most powerful family in their city. Not only were they powerful and the wealthiest, they were also known for being too private and vicious.

     There were many conspiracies against the. Like they’re some part of underground society or they’re some mafia family. Especially before the death of the late chairman of their family. Yet, none of those were proven.

     So that means, everyone tries to curry favor and connection with them. And at the same time, neither would want to offend and make them an enemy.

     “So how can I make them gave up the marriage and leave me alone?”

     Eve firmly closed her eyes, biting her lip but groaned in pain after biting the same exact spot of wound-caused-by-a kiss.

     “Haish! I should have asked for that man a compensation to-” Eve was halted by the sudden thought that crossed her mind.

     She bolted up from bed, with a big smile and widened eyes. slowly, her smile turned into a grin then into a laughter.

     “The Heirta Family won’t want a flirty pregnant woman as their daughter-in-law, won’t they?” 

     Eve made up her mind. She’s going to get pregnant.

***

     Shia was one of Eve’s block mate that she never talked in her entire life except that time where they had to be in one group for school purposes. And other than that, they had never conversations before.

     And that was because Shia was one of those rich spoiled girls who acted like a hoe. A type of girl Eve’s father won’t want her to be associated with.

     In their university, she’s probably the girl who hooked up with almost every boy that she’s nicknamed, the “Campus B*tch”.

     Yet now, Eve was dialing her number for the very first time.

     The phone rang and was answered immediately by a sweet, indeed flirty, voice.

     “Yes? Who is this honey?”

     Eve didn’t lose any second. “It’s me. Eve.”

     Still, since Shia and her never really talked much, she couldn’t recognize her voice and which Eve she was.

     “Eve who? Eve Fora that my ex-boyfriend cheated with? Or Evelyn Rosh, that b*tch who stole my boy? Or was it Eve who-”

     Perhaps, she was planning to mention every single ‘Eve’ she knew that made Eve roll her eyes. she cut her off.

     “Eve Rizzo.”

     “WHAT?! EVE RIZZO?! ARE F*CKIN’ LYING TO ME?! IS THIS A PRANK? Why would that good girly girl call me?! you must be kidding!”

     Soon, the other line was filled with high-pitch laughter that made Eve’s ears hurt. Of course, Shia won’t believe she would call her. so, does Eve never believe either.

     “No. I’m serious. It’s really me.”

     A moment of silence, Shia stopped laughing. Then, her serious tone was suddenly heard.

     “What do you want Miss Eve Rizzo, the campus ideal girl?” she wasn’t teasing or mocking her, but was stating a fact that the whole university knew.

     And this made Eve grit her teeth. She hated that title.

     “I want to ask you a favor.”

     “What type?”

     Eve gathered her courage, though she had always been brave. It’s just that, it’s as if, she was uttering a word that will change her life in an instant.

     “I want you to bring me to a place where I can meet boys. The more they are, the better.”

     After saying those words, indeed, like she expected Shia started bursting out in a laughter like as if she told her the biggest joke in history.