MERCEDES' POV

She spent the rest of the day trying to keep Alicia in good spirits. She decided not to tell her about everything with Sam-she didn't want to spring her happiness onto her while she was in this state. Instead, she let her tell her about her break. Alicia was one of the most excitable and animated people she knew. But as she spoke, her expression was singular, her voice monotone. It was clear that she was only talking but her mind hadn't left the very terrifying possibility that she might be pregnant while she'd just barely made it out of her "teens". Mercedes was scared for her but also confused. She wondered if this was the result of conscious unprotected sex and if so, why? Alicia had always been the greatest advocate for safe sex. She stuffed Mercedes night stand drawer with condoms every single week. How could this have happened to her? But she knew this would be the wrong time to ask. She didn't ask any questions, only listened and did her best to distract her. All of her attempts to do so failed because it didn't make the possible baby in her stomach stop growing. She complained of biting cramps and nausea throughout the day, afterwards she would only look at Mercedes and frown. Mercedes didn't know what to do. The truth was, Alicia didn't need her, she needed Devon. He was the one who's mental support she needed above anyone elses. But she wouldn't say anything about her telling him until they knew for sure whether or not she was pregnant.

As the night grew later, they parted ways-Alicia to her bedroom and Mercedes to hers. She could hear her sniffling quietly in her room as she went to get a bottle of water from the refrigerator. She knew Alicia and she knew that if she was crying in her room, she didn't want to be bothered. So she continued to her room, closing the door behind her. She looked through her closet for something to wear to class and work the next day. After looking for about five minutes, she decided on a simple deep red peplum shirt and black skinny jeans. Afterwards she checked through her planner, making sure she hadn't left out any homework that needed to be done during the break. Then she wrapped her hair and showered before she got ready for bed. When she entered her room again, she saw the green LED light on her phone lighting up, signaling that she had a text. She smiled when she read the name.

What are you wearing? She lifted an eyebrow as she read it, laying down in the middle of her bed.

Sam Evans are you trying to sext me right now? She replied. She couldn't help the grin on her face as she put her phone down. It was the first time they'd ever texted each other and the anticipation was insane. When her phone sounded again, she grabbed it before it could even finish vibrating.

Just asking a question. He said and she shook her head.

Clothes. She told him. She placed her phone down next to her and continued to smile to herself as she waited.

Why? He replied and her lips formed a tiny "O" before she bit her bottom one as she giggled. It was the first time she'd laughed since she'd been home. And remembering that sort of depressed her. She decided to change the subject.

Did you finish your homework?

Yeah. But I had to do it at the table. Couldn't focus on that desk. He replied and she laughed.

Sorry. She wrote back. And his response was quick.

I'm not.

She smiled. She moved to respond but her phone sounded again before she could.

Gonna be weird sleeping w/o you. She sighed at his words. She hadn't considered it until now. It was just another thing that scared her about being with him-the dependence. She recalled the day before when they'd been at the wedding face to face with Derrick, and she'd felt a second wind of strength with Sam next to her. And now she was at a point where she was used to sleeping in a bed with him-where she slept more peacefully that way. She couldn't help but wonder what would happened when whatever they were doing came to an end. Her life probably would require major adjustments and that scared her. She'd always found depending on others dangerous. She'd never been comfortable with needing someone else because nothing was ever set and stone with human beings to her. There was no longer any denying that she liked him a lot and he her. But for how long? Her phone beeped once more, interrupting her thinking. She opened the text to find a picture of him making the silliest face she'd ever seen-his lips somehow looked bigger and his eyes were stretched. She laughed as she looked at it.

For my contact photo. The little grey faces make me uncomfortable. It read beneath it.

Lol all I see are lips. She replied.

That's all I am to you isn't it?

Yep. She sent. She smiled as she cropped the picture until it was just his lips and set it as his contact picture. They texted for a while longer before they said goodnight. She lay in the middle of the bed her, legs and arms wrapped tightly around the pillow where his head had rested for the past week. She smiled when she found his scent there-the word dependence somewhere far off in the distance. The pillow was nothing compared to the warmth she felt when was next to her, but it would have to suffice.

The next morning when she woke, she went through her morning routine-brushing her teeth, cleaning and moisturizing her skin, getting dressed, styling her hair and applying her make-up-all while trying to ignore how odd it felt to wake up without Sam there. Afterwards, she toasted herself a bagel. She could hear Alicia snoring as she ate in the dining room. Alicia would usually wake up at the sound of Mercedes' bedroom door opening. She was the lightest sleeper the ever walk the earth and yet she'd slept peacefully through Mercedes moving around in the kitchen as she prepared her breakfast. It was unheard of, really. Something was definitely different. After she ate she headed to campus. It was 10:15 and her first class of the day started at 10:30. She thanked her lucky stars that she'd managed to get a late morning Monday class and that she only had two classes that day.

Her Marketing class seemed to fly right by. Her professor was fun and did his best to make the class fun, too. It was the only reason it was bearable. She got a text halfway into it from Alicia telling her that her appointment was at two. That would leave her with no time to do anything afterwards except go straight to work for her 4:00-10:00 shift. She hadn't been to work in over a week and she really couldn't afford to be late. Her boss at Guess was patient and down to earth. But she didn't want to push it. She sent Alicia a quick ok back and sighed, hoping that her appointment time wouldn't run over. It was her Research and Analysis class that dragged on. She kept telling herself not to look at the clock but with every word her professor spoke, her eyes became more and more glued to it. He spoke in one voice constantly and he constantly spoke. The sad part was that in all his talking, he still didn't explain anything. Mercedes had learned quickly that she would have to go home and teach herself after his class and so far she was doing well. When the class finally ended, she headed to her car. They had agreed to take separate cars so that Mercedes could head straight to work when the appointment was over. Her mind was running wild as she drove, realizing that the next time she got into her car, she would know whether her best friend was having a baby or not. It was terrifying.

She found Alicia sitting in the waiting room when she got there at 1:45. Her hair was thrown into a loose pony tail, her face clear, and her usually fashionable clothing replaced with a simple white summer dress and sandals for the day. She was staring down at her hands, her mind clearly gone. It wasn't until Mercedes sat down next to her that she looked up. Mercedes grabbed her best friends hand and held it, looking at her and smiling reassuringly.

"No matter what happens, everything's gonna be alright." She promised her and Alicia chuckled quietly and almost sarcastically as a tear immediately ran down her cheek. Her eyes teared so easily-the ways eyes do after they've been crying for a while. Alicia rested her head on her shoulder as she cried-no sounds escaping her, Mercedes could only feel her body rocking against her as she sobbed. She didn't say another word then, only waited with her until her name was called.

After the nurse took her weight and blood pressure Alicia was escorted to a room with Mercedes by her side. The doctor arrived within five minutes of them being placed to the room much to Mercedes' relief. Alicia was on the bed, her knees up and her legs open as Mercedes sat in the chair next to her. She cringed at the sight of the long white device that Dr. Hart was covering in some sort of plastic. She saw Alicia's eyes squint close when the doctor pushed it inside of her after she covered the tip of it with gel. Mercedes tried to stop her heart from racing. She couldn't imagine what Alicia must have been thinking and feeling. For the most part, Dr. Hart had been very talkative-seemingly oblivious to the fact that Alicia was terrified. So Mercedes became increasingly more scared when the doctor suddenly became quiet, her eyes fixated on the ultrasound screen as she moved the white stick around. Alicia's eyes were glued to the screen as well, her hands clutching the sides of the bed. Mercedes didn't know what to look for so the screen seemed irrelevant to her. She just wanted to know from the doctor's mouth. Suddenly Doctor Hart removed the stick and moved to press a few buttons on the keyboard of the ultrasound machine. And then all at once, both of the best friends' hearts stopped at the sound of the quietly beating one coming from the screen.

"Six weeks." Alicia said as she stood in front of Mercedes' car next to her outside of the doctor's office. Doctor Hart had confirmed that Alicia was indeed pregnant and that she was already a month and a couple of weeks along. Mercedes couldn't believe it. But she was glad that her best friend had finally stopped crying. Ever since they'd come out of the office, her eyes had been dry. Mercedes couldn't decide if that was a good sign or a bad one but she would take what she could get because now she could say what she needed to say to Alicia. It was 3:15 and her job was about forty-five minutes away. She couldn't beat around the bush.

"Are you going to tell him?" She asked and Alicia froze. She was silent, just as Mercedes had expected her to be. "Alicia,"

"I guess so." She finally whispered.

"When?"

"I don't know," She replied. "I'm so scared. I don't know. I don't know what he's going to say." She continued as she sighed. Mercedes nodded in understanding.

"What are you afraid of?" She asked her.

"That he'll freak out and break up with me. Or that he won't want the baby." She shrugged. "I don't even know if I want the baby." She almost whispered. Mercedes shook her head. Alicia had always talked about wanting a family, even since the very day they met. Mercedes knew she wanted the baby. The timing just seemed so wrong and Mercedes suddenly so bad for her best friend that one of her dreams could suddenly become less appealing to her. She sighed as she looked at her. She wanted her to be happy and she never laughed more than when Devon was around.

"Does he love you?" Mercedes asked her and Alicia sniffed as she looked at her.

"He says he does." She said.

"Then tell him," she urged her. Mercedes wasn't one for love stories and fairy tales but she just believed that if she would just tell him, it would work out somehow. "If he loves you, then there's no way he won't love what you and him created together. Or at least be with you to make a decision on what to do about it." She said. She hugged her friend tightly and for a moment longer than usual before she let her go. "Just tell him," she said and Alicia nodded.

"I love you, 'Licia." She told her as she got into her car.

"I love you, too 'Cedes." She heard her best friend reply, just before she backed out of the parking lot and headed to work.