2 7 1 |Noorhelm|

DAY 46 - JULY 20TH (pt. 2)

Noora was still shocked herself, since realizing, but nothing could beat the face that Chris had made, when she'd blurted it out loud. He slowly let go of her, letting his hands run through his soft-looking hair.

"What?"

"I mean, I don't know for sure, but I've had like," she made a big, chaotic gesture with her arms, "all of the symptoms. Morning sickness, sore breasts, over-sensitive smell and taste and- It's all there!"

"Not that it's any of my business, like William is my bro and I do have some sense of privacy, but..." Chris shook his head, not wanting to ask but forcing it out anyways. "Don't you guys use protection?"

A sigh escaped Noora's miserable body, realizing how complicated it would be to explain Chris everything. She honestly had no idea why she did. Chris was William's best friend. She was putting Chris in a shitty position, and she should've told William first... Which she would've, if he hadn't left to pick up food. Jesus, William.

"A couple of years ago, way before I met William," Noora paused, not wanting to tell him too much, before continuing. "I was really sick, and it completely føkked up my body and menstruational cycle."

"We learned in biology that a woman doesn't need a 100% regular cycle to get pregnant though?" Chris tried to save them both for further complications and secrets.

"I know, but it really fucked it up, Chris. I won't tell you in details, you don't need to hear that, but the chances of me getting pregnant ever were grossly small. Like, we're talking 5% chances here."

Chris was silent for a moment, processing the whole thing.

"Shit. Have you told William that?"

"Of course. Why do you think we sometimes 'accidentally' forget a condom? It's because we thought there were no chances of me getting pregnant, like ever." Noora felt the tears appear in her eyes again, but she bit her lip and tried to hold them back. "But now I'm here, I'm barely 20 and I'm pregnant with this actual miracle child that I want so badly, someday, but not this soon."

The last few words were barely audible as they came out mixed with small, weak sobs that the young woman couldn't manage to keep inside her exhausted and emotional body. Chris quickly engulfed her in another hug, not knowing what to do, but knowing that he didn't want to see her cry. Steadily, he started rocking her back and forth, trying to calm her down.

"It'll be okay, Noora. William will understand."

They didn't hear the footsteps until the newly arrived stood in the door frame to the living room.

"What will I understand?"

Noora immediately jumped out of the best friend's arms, looking at William with horrified eyes, not knowing whether she should be more afraid of William assuming things based on what he saw, or him hearing the actual truth.

"And have you been crying?" He put down the bag with food, walking closer to his girlfriend, looking both suspicious but also worried.

"Yeah, I just-"

"Noora was telling me about a movie, she saw. It was about a little, cute puppy," he chuckled, but quickly realized that it wasn't really something to cry about. The grin on his face quickly disappeared. "And then it died."

William frowned, taking off his coat. "Chris, are you drunk?"

"No, I swear that's why she cried. Probably PMSing or something."

William looked at Noora, raised his eyebrows in confusion and then looked back at his best friend. "Not that it's any of your business, Chris. But Noora very rarely get her periods."

Chris' mouth hung wide open for a few seconds, as he tried to come up with a continuation to his horrible lie. "Well... Then my best guess is that your girlfriend is crazy."
With that said, he wandered back to the couch and threw himself onto it, leaving Noora and William to stand in the middle of the living room. William rolled his eyes, like he only could when it was at Chris, before he looked back to Noora with concern.

"You okay? Maybe it is some kind of 'post-PMSing'? You said your breasts were hurting before the trip, right?"

Noora smiled weakly, nodding. "Yeah, maybe, but... I'll be okay. Just a bit tired and all over the place after the trip."

"Okay, good. If there's anything you want to tell me, then please do, okay?" He placed a hand on her cheek as he said it, before pecking her forehead and turning around to put the food in the kitchen. When he'd left the room, Noora's horrified eyes immediately flew to Chris, who was already looking at her with the same amount of uncomfortableness.

"Shit," he whispered.

"A dead puppy?" Noora suddenly looked more annoyed than anything else.

"Hey! It got him off topic. Kinda. But as soon as I leave, you tell him what you told me! If he finds out that I knew first, he's going to kill me."

The guilt was eating Noora up from inside, because she knew Chris was right. She too would've been pissed if William had such big news, concerning them both, but had told Eva or one of the other girls first. She'd have to tell him... But not before she was sure that she was indeed pregnant. There was no need to set free a huge storm of chaos, if she wasn't even pregnant. And no, she wasn't going to pee on some stupid sticks. You could never be sure with those. She was going to see a doctor and no way was she going to go alone. Her eyes were glued to Chris, as if he was her last shot at life.

"Chris, I need you to do me a huge favor."