Keep On Walking (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 3 of the Hardships Saga)

Chapter Seven

❝soup (pronounced suːp or soop), noun
a liquid dish, which can also include ingredients such as vegetables and noodles.❞

"Ugh..." groaned Mel.

"What's up, honey?" asked Ryan.

"Period cramps, that's all," she lied. She needed to see how Ryan would react.

"Oh." She thought for a moment. "Wait, what day is it?"

"Tenth of February."

She frowned. "Huh. How weird."

"What?"

"I was meant to get my period yesterday. Weird, huh?"

Mel's eyebrows were in danger of disappearing into her bright blue hair. Lucky didn't say anything. "What?" said Ryan. "You're acting strangely."

"Ry..." said Lucky. "When... when was the last time you and Hunter..."

"When Hunter and I... did what?"

"You know... had sex?"

Ryan frowned. "Lucky! That's hardly a conversation to have in front of Melissa!"

"I'm nineteen!"

"Yes, but-"

"Ryan, just answer the question."

She went red. "I'm not answering that question. What a thing to ask of someone. I don't ask you about your sex life with Parker, do I?"

"Ryan, please. Just answer the question."

She sighed. "A few days ago. Happy?"

"Before that?"

"Come on, Lucky, I'm not a teenager, I don't keep track of all the times we've had sex."

"Alright, the first time this year."

"First day of January."

"And how many periods have you missed?"

"W-Well... two, but that's just stress. You know, planning the wedding, looking after my family..."

"Missing two periods isn't normal, Ryan."

"You're not seriously suggesting what I think you're suggesting," she said. "I'm not- I couldn't be. No way."

"Prove it."

"Excuse me?"

"Do you and Hunter use contraception?"

"Lucky! Oh my God!"

"Just answer the question!" said Mel.

"The pills for my dysmenorrhea double as birth control, okay?!"

Lucky frowned. "I thought you stopped taking those pills?"

Ryan went pale. "N-No... no, that's... that's just..."

"I don't mean to scare you, Ry," said Lucky gently. "But maybe you should go see a doctor."

She put a hand on her stomach. "I can't be. I couldn't be... I couldn't be pregnant."

"And if you are?"

"I'm not! I'm not pregnant!"

"But-"

"I'm not!"

Mel tried to say something, but Lucky shook her head. It wasn't time to press her now. She needed time to think it over.