The pregnancy test turned positive while the school bell rang for first period.
My hands trembled so badly that I almost dropped it into the sink.
Two pink lines.
I was pregnant.
At eighteen.
And the father was the one person who could ruin my life if anyone ever found out.
The words kept repeating in my head, over and over again. The clear blue strip in my hand showed the same result every time I looked at it, two bright lines that felt like they were stomping on my heart.
I was only eighteen. How was I pregnant?
"Well, you were having sex. That's a very dumb question to ask," my subconscious snapped.
Shit.
Panic clawed up my chest. I splashed cold water on my face in the janitor's sink. The girls' bathroom was the last place I wanted a secret like this discovered.
"Laniiiii!"
My best friend Rixa's voice echoed down the hallway.
I had completely forgotten she was waiting for me.
She was already shocked enough that I even had a pregnancy test. Rixa didn't even know I had a boyfriend, let alone that I was having sex. If she ever found out who the father was…
No. That could never happen.
I shoved the test deep into my uniform pocket and pushed the door open slowly, forcing a casual smile onto my face.
"I was worried over nothing," I said lightly. "I'm good."
"Of course you're good. I mean—pregnant? Phew." She laughed, shaking her head. "I didn't even know you were doing it."
I nudged her playfully, but inside I was already panicking again. Rixa had the curiosity of a bloodhound once she smelled a secret.
"It happened during the holidays," I said quickly. "At Manson's party. It was a one-time thing with some stranger. That's why I panicked."
It wasn't a stranger.
And it definitely wasn't one time.
"Laniii," Rixa whined. "We are best friends and I'm the last person to know you lost your virginity?"
I quickly covered her mouth and shoved her toward the hallway before she could get any louder.
"First class," I whispered urgently.
"My favorite girls."
The familiar voice behind us made my stomach drop.
We both turned.
Manson stood a few steps away, smiling easily at us—though his eyes lingered mostly on Rixa.
"Babes!" Rixa squealed, throwing herself into his arms.
She kissed him like she hadn't seen him in months.
Manson wrapped an arm around her waist, laughing softly.
Manson was Rixa's boyfriend.
And my friend.
But as his eyes lifted over her shoulder and locked onto mine, something dark flickered in them.
For just a second, the hallway, the noise, the people rushing past us—everything disappeared.
And all I could think about was the night that had led to those two pink lines.
Because Manson wasn't just my best friend's boyfriend.
He was the father of my baby.
I know how this looks. Trust me, I get it. But I wasn't entirely at fault.
I saw Manson first at a music concert back in junior high—long before I knew he'd transferred to our school.
I can still remember how he looked that night. Young, rebellious, with two bodyguards plastered to his sides like loyal shadows. His black hair shone under the stage lights, and his black-on-black outfit made him look untouchable, like he belonged to a world I'd never be a part of.
He was sitting in the VVIP section—the kind of place I'd only gotten access to because of my friendship with a crazy rich Asian classmate. And even with that privilege, I felt painfully aware of the invisible line separating him and me.
It was love at first sight, and I knew immediately: he was untouchable. The son of one of the wealthiest men in the city, Luca Bright, is a business tycoon with a reputation for getting anything he wants. And me? Just Lani Bush—a simple, lonely middle-class girl.
When Rixa—my best friend—confessed she had a crush on him, I encouraged her. Shoot your shot, I told her. And in no time, they were the perfect couple, posting smiles online, living the "dream."
Rixa was from the highest food chain anyway: a spoiled mixed Chinese heiress with an American mother and a crazy-rich Asian father. I didn't stand a chance. Or so I thought—until summer break.
Rixa had to go to China and left her boyfriend in my care. And that's when everything started.
"You betrayed her still," the voice in my head whispered.
But the truth? Manson started all of this.
"What do you say we ditch in the first period?" Manson asked, pulling Rixa close. I tried to pretend it didn't do anything to me.
"We're seniors, Manson. Rixa can't afford another bad grade," I said, glancing at her for backup—but she was already lost in him, tongue-deep in his mouth.
"Aww, just this once, Lani. We can do whatever you want later."
I opened my mouth to object, but then he looked at me with that knowing smile, those eyes that always seemed to twinkle with mischief. And suddenly, I was back in my flashbacks—his deep voice whispering in my ear, telling me he wanted to be the only one I ever thought about.
I banged my locker shut and sighed.
"Okay… let's go."
I was a straight-A student. This school wasn't cheap; my parents had worked hard for me to be here, and I was on a scholarship. One missed class wouldn't ruin my grades. And honestly… I needed the distraction.
"Fun Lani is back," Manson said, clapping his hand with a grin.
"I need to get my bag and books from the library. Wait here," Rixa announced, already moving before I could follow—my perfect excuse to escape.
The pretense was gone.
"How are you, baby?" Manson asked, stepping closer.
"Don't call me that," I frowned, trying to put space between us.
"Can I come over tonight? You know I missed you." His voice dropped to a whisper as he took my hands and guided me to a corner away from the open hall.
By now, the hallway was empty—not that anyone would have seen.
He pressed me against the wall and kissed me—the kind of kiss that wasn't soft like the ones he shared with Rixa. This one was rough, tense, and impossible to resist.
I melted into it for a second before panic clawed back.
"Wait! Stop! We have to talk… I have a problem," I gasped between kisses and quick breaths, shoving him away just enough to catch my balance. "
"What's wrong with you? We're in school, and Rixa is just a few steps away," I reminded him.
"You're so cute when you're in panic mode," he said, grinning. Somehow, I couldn't stay mad at him. Not with that smile.
"Stop it. This is important, and I'm worried," I said, playfully swatting him.
"I'm sorry… what is it?"
"I… I don't know for sure… I… shit, I think I'm—"
"Let's go," Rixa said, smiling brightly. She linked hands with Manson as he gave me a small signal to follow later.
I was supposed to be smart—top of my class, straight-A material. And yet, here I was, utterly stupid. How had I let myself get tangled up in this mess? And why did my stupid, stubborn heart still feel for him?
I was betraying my best friend. And somehow… I didn't even feel guilty enough.