Fate's Test

Two pink lines stared at Evangeline, clear and undeniable.

There was no denying what had resulted of a one night's mistake with Julian. Evangeline's fingers shook as she held the pregnancy test, her pulse thundering loudly against her ears. She had her suspicions and fears, but confirming it for herself made everything seem brutally real. She dropped the test on the counter, her hand covering her mouth as she stifled a terrified gasp, wave of panic crashing over her.

I'm pregnant. The words were echoing through her mind, the reality of it feeling foreign and surreal. She tried to steady herself through her shock, taking deep breaths as she gripped the edge of the bathroom counter. The tiny bathroom of her apartment felt smaller than ever as she feels the walls closing in around her as she grappled with the enormity of what this meant. Her reflection in the mirror showed wide, panicked eyes, the color drained from her face. The terror-stricken face that stared back at her was almost unrecognizable.

She'd managed to keep her life together since that night – no distractions, no lingering thoughts of him. Julian Moore had vanished from her mind as much as she thought was possible for her. She'd thrown herself into school, clinicals, and her hectic routine, convincing herself that she was fine, that her life could just continue as it was. But now, with the pregnancy test staring back a her with two pink, visible lines, that illusion was shattered.

Her hand curled around the sink, gripping it even more tightly as her mind raced through the endless questions she didn't know how to answer. What am I going to do?

Suddenly, the walls of the bathroom felt too suffocating for her. She pushed open the door and stumbled into her bedroom, sinking down onto the bed as the weight of her situation pressed down on her. Alone in the quiet of her apartment, she felt a crushing sense of isolation. There was no one to talk to about her current situation, no nearby family who could help her through this. Her mother had been gone for years, no siblings, and her aunt, supportive as she was, was halfway across the world, living her own life.

The ache she feels deepened into her chest, her mind flickering to memories of her mother's steady presence, her gentle strength. She'd always felt safe with her, even in life's most difficult moments. But now, there no one to turn to.

No one who could help her make sense of the path she was about to take.

Evangeline let herself fall back onto the bed, her hand pressing against her stomach as if attempting to feel something, some proof that this was real. Her vision blurred, and she closed her eyes, willing herself to stay calm despite the absurdity of her situation. But the fear was relentless, filling every corner of her mind with questions she didn't want to face.

What will happen to me now?

The life and career she'd worked so hard to build, the dreams she'd fought for - all of it felt like it was easily slipping away from her. She could hardly breathe around the panic rising in her throat and the weight of her reality pressing down on her chest.

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The hours passed in a blur. She laid on her bed, still, staring blankly at her ceiling, her mind cycling through waves of shock, fear and disbelief. At some point, Evangeline managed to sit up, her gaze drifting around her small, cozy apartment. This space had always been a refuge for her, a place where she felt safe and in control of her own life.

That control was no longer hers, she realizes. Everything that was once in her grasp – college, friends, and maybe romance, was no longer in her control. Get good grades, finish nursing school, make something for yourself. None of that matters now.

Everything had already changed the moment she saw those two pink lines that indicated a positive pregnancy. No matter how much she wished she could go back to that night and change everything, the truth that stares at her now remained. She was pregnant, and she was going to have to face it.

The sound of her phone buzzing beside her broke her through her haze. She glanced at the screen, seeing a message from Isabel asking if she wanted to grab a coffee later. She stared at it, the normalcy of the invitation feeling strangely out of place in the wake of everything that had just happened. Isabel and Louise didn't know. And quite frankly, she didn't know how she would tell them. However, she does believe they need to know what has happened. Isabel and Louise never even suspected anything beyond a one-night fling - they'd have no idea how her world had just been turned upside down.

How am I going to tell them? The thought of confessing everything to her friends made her stomach twist with anxiety. Evangeline couldn't bring herself to say it, couldn't bear the thought of facing their questions, their concerns, and worse, their pity.

And Julian…

She hadn't seen him since their few passing encounters on campus, each one a silent, tension-filled reminder of the night they'd spent together. Julian had avoided her gaze, barely acknowledging her presence, though she knew she'd also done the same. Evangeline was determined to forget him and the mistake they'd made.

But now…

Everything was different. She knew he had the right to know, that he should be told, as the father of the child she was carrying.

But what would he even say? Would he care, would he brush her off? Will he treat the situation as something that had no relation to his life? The though of what his reaction would be makes her stomach twist in anxiety.

I have to tell him, right?

She wanted to believe that this wasn't just her burden, that both her and Julian were responsible for what had happened, but the idea of walking up to Julian and telling him she was carrying his child made her stomach churn. Would he demand proof? Would he tell her to take care of it herself?

Or in a worse thought – would he offer to be involved out of obligation?

She wiped at her face in stress, sucking in a deep breath. No, not yet. She wasn't ready for that conversation. She's not even ready now to process this herself. And Evangeline doesn't know when she'll every be ready.

She drags herself up from the floor, she moved to the sink and rinsed her mouth, the cold water grounding her just enough to keep her from spiraling again. She grabbed the test and threw it immediately in the trash just beside the counter, out of sight out of mind.

She needed time to think.

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Evangeline finds herself in a small coffee shop just outside the campus, one she usually went to whenever she needed a much needed break from her busy schedule. The café was warm and inviting, filled with the soft hum of conversation and the comforting scent of freshly brewed coffee.

Both Louise and Isabel were already there, chatting animatedly at their usual corner table. Evangeline hesitated at the entrance, suddenly unsure if she had the energy to sit with her friends. But when Isabel spotted her outside the door, she waved her over. Realizing she had no other choice but to keep up the motions of normalcy, Evangeline walked over with a small smile to greet them.

"Hey, you look exhausted" Isabel commented, sipping her iced latte as Evangeline slid into the seat across from her. "Pulled another all-nighter, didn't you?"

"Yeah" Evangeline muttered, avoiding their eyes as she wrapped her hands around the warm cup that her friends already ordered for her.

Louise raised a brow. "What happened? You've been so out of it, lately"

"Yeah, you've been kind of…distant. Are you sure everything's okay?" Isabel nodded in agreement.

The concern in their eyes and tone made Evangeline's throat tighten. They had no idea. They were just chatting, laughing, living their normal lives while hers had been completely thrown off course. That all of her dreams and aspirations became just that, dreams. She wished she could go back to that – to a time when a bad grade or a long shift was the worst thing on her mind.

"I'm fine, really" she lied convincingly – at least to herself. She forced a small smile. "Just really, really stressed with school"

Louise didn't look convinced. "Are you sure? Because you look…I don't know, different?" she shared a worried glance with Isabel.

Evangeline stiffened. Can they tell? Is it already that obvious?

She shook her head, forcing out a light laugh. "I promise, I'm fine. I'm just really tired"

Isabel breathes out deeply. "Honey, for the past week, every time that we meet up with each other we almost always ask what's wrong. And you say it's nothing. But we can tell, we're not blind, Eva. What is going on with you that you can't even tell us what it is?" she crosses her arms and although she sports annoyance in her face, there was undeniable concern in her eyes.

Evangeline swallowed. She shook her head as tears welled up in her eyes which immediately alerted her two friends who stood up and moved beside her, wrapping their arms around her for comfort as she broke down in front of them.

"Oh, sweetie. What happened to you?" Louise held her hand as she hiccups. Evangeline couldn't even feel the embarrassment of crying in public. She just had to let it all out.

"I don't want to say – I can't say it yet. Can you two just give me some time to take this all in?"

Louise and Isabel nodded simultaneously. "Sure, honey, take all the time that you need. We'll always be here for you" Isabel wiped her tears with her thumbs.

She had a secret now. A terrifying, life-altering secret.

And sooner or later, she's going to have to figure out what to do with it.

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Julian sat at his desk, staring blankly at the papers in front of him. A paper sat in his hands – some first -year's case study, neatly written, perfectly structured. He had read over the same paragraph four times now, yet the words refused to register. His grip tightened on the page, and with an irritated sigh, he set it down.

He was distracted, and he hated it.

He turns his chair around to gaze at the view behind him, as if expecting her to walk outside where the lecture hall was located just in front of his office even though class had already ended hours ago. It was absurd, this habit he'd formed. Noticing when she was near. Feeling the shift in the air whenever she passed by. Ignoring her presence while entirely being aware of it.

Yet, he couldn't help but notice something. No matter how much he tried to hide it.

Something was different.

She was different.

Julian had spent weeks carefully avoiding her, yet his mind betrayed him by noticing things he shouldn't. The way she moved through the halls slower than before, the way she sat in the campus café with her friends, but barely engaged, the way her once-sharp gaze seemed clouded with something unspoken.

As if she was slipping – retreating into herself.

That shouldn't be of his concern, he knew.

She was an adult. She had her own life, and her own problems. She was nothing more than a student he had once made the mistake of knowing to intimately.

An yet…Something gnawed at him, something he couldn't name.

His finger drummed against the armrest of his chair as frustration built in his chest. It was ridiculous for him to be so fixated on this. He had spent his entire life making sure he never let emotions dictate his actions, never let anything unravel his carefully constructed walls.

Then one night – just one night with her and everything crumbled for him.

Enough.

Julian sat up straighter, turning himself to face his desk again before running a hand down on his face.

Focus.

There was work to be done, responsibilities to uphold.

Whatever was going on with Evangeline – it wasn't his problem anymore.