Sadie wiped her sweaty palms on her black work pants before entering through the back door of The Big Donut. As usual, Lars hadn't arrived yet. She really didn't know why she was so nervous, it wasn't as if he'd be able to tell, she didn't look any different from yesterday. But, now she knew….she knew and he didn't and that would be all that was on her mind today.
"Hey Sade." Lars walked through the door with a yawn and Sadie suddenly began to tremble. She wasn't ready to face him yet, she'd assumed there would be more time for her to mentally prepare before he got here. Her face was flushing, was it obvious? She couldn't do this right now, not when her emotions were still so fresh and raw. Her stomach suddenly revolted violently, she ran to the break room trash can just in time to expel her breakfast.
"Woah! Sadie." Lars jumped. He hurried over to her, holding back her hair as she retched. "Do you have a stomach flu or something?"
"No…I'm just…I must've ate something funny." She stood up, swaying a little.
"Are you sure?" Lars cocked an eyebrow skeptically. "Cuz you look terrible."
"Thanks." She sneered.
"No seriously, you're all pale and shaky. Are you sure you aren't sick?" He asked.
"I'm fine!" She insisted. She had to be, because they were not having the conversation right now, she wasn't ready for it yet. "We need to open."
"You shouldn't be here if you're throwing up." He eyed her suspiciously. "It's unsanitary."
"I'm okay now." Sadie told him, even though she was still feeling dangerously queasy.
"Sade, let me take you home." Lars insisted.
"No!" She cried. She just wanted to open the stupid shop and sell donuts and go home. It wasn't that much to ask.
"You don't have to get pissy." Lars put his hands up defensively.
"I'm sorry." She sighed. "Just open okay? I'm going to clean up and then I'll be out."
"Okay." He agreed hesitantly. Lars still wasn't sure she was up to being here but, if she said she was okay, then he'd let it slide.
They worked in silence that day, communicating only when necessary. Sadie out of fear that she would break down if she spoke to much and Lars because he thought she was angry with him. He didn't know what he'd done to upset her but clearly, something had happened. She refused to meet his eyes, her gaze fixed firmly on the store's front door. When they closed he was surprised to receive a shy invitation back to her place.
He began to regret accepting when they got halfway back to the Miller house without Sadie saying a single word.
"Hey sweetheart." Barb called when they came in the front door.
"Hi mom." Sadie finally broke her silence. "Lars is here." Barb appeared around the corner from the living room very suddenly.
"Oh, hi Lars, how are you?" Her tone was all wrong, not Barb's typical abrasive joviality. She was muted today, just like her daughter.
"I'm fine." He shrugged, officially freaked out by the whole situation. Was something wrong? Maybe Sadie was sick, like, really sick. He felt his pulse quicken at the thought.
"We're going to go downstairs." Sadie told Barb, a knowing look passed between the duo before Lars was pulled out of the entryway down to the basement, where Sadie's room was.
"So, did you ever watch that new extended cut of "House of Horrors"?" Lars tried to make small talk, browsing Sadie's DVD collection.
"No." Sadie sat down hard on the edge of her bed. Lars paced the room, pretending to examine various knick-knacks and books.
"Ugh, you still have your high school physics book? I plan on burning mine."
"Lars…"
"Ehh, you know I won't really burn it. Definitely throw it away though." He muttered.
"That's not what I…"
"Just six more months and then I'm out of there." He grinned.
"I have to tell you…."
"And then I'm out of here, forget this city."
"Lars, I seriously need you to listen…."
"Maybe move to Empire City…or go up the coast and…."
"Lars, I'm pregnant."
Ice slid down his back and into his veins. He turned to see Sadie sitting perfectly still on the edge of her bed. She was so pale, Lars was pretty sure he looked the same.
"You're sure?" He asked in a strained whisper. She nodded slowly, tears slipping down her cheeks. "God." He ran a hand through his dark red curls. "Oh my God."
"Lars, I…"
"How?" He cut in. "We always used protection."
"It has a fail rate." Sadie shrugged.
"I thought you were on the pill?" Lars shouted.
"I am!" Sadie stood up, getting a little defensive.
"Then how, between condoms and pills, did you get pregnant?" Lars argued.
"I don't know!" Sadie threw her hands up. "God, I don't…I don't have any idea how this happened."
"Sadie, are you sure…" Lars's heart was pounding out of his chest. "Are you sure that it's mine?"
"Of course it's yours, you dumbass!" Sadie raged. "Who else's would it be?"
"I don't know, Sade!" Lars sat down hard in her desk chair. "What are we gonna do? I mean, are we even together?"
"I dunnno." Sadie sniffed, sitting back down on the edge of the bed. "Do you want to be together?"
"Do I have a choice?" Lars sighed.
"Yes!" Sadie protested. "We can't be together just because of this."
"This? This is a baby!" Lars countered. "That's a pretty convincing because!"
"I know…but I don't want you to tell me you want to be with me because I'm pregnant. I want you to want me." Sadie admitted, wiping away a few tears.
"Sadie, I…" Lars searched for words that didn't sound hollow. "I need some time to process this." The blonde nodded in agreement, that was reasonable, even if it stung. "I'll call you tomorrow." He backed towards the door.
"Okay." She said in a voice that barely reached a whisper.