Did you kidnap me?” I asked the stranger standing before me.
He looked at me like I was drunk or something. I tried to get up from the bed but noticed I was stark naked. My eyes widened in shock. I slowly looked up at him, fear written in my eyes.“Did you rape?” I asked.“I picked you up from the club, ho and your stay here is overdue. Now, get up, get dressed and get out of my house,” the stranger said, his voice exerted anger and coldness.Suddenly, my thoughts were refreshed and I could remember miniature things from the club. The guy I met at the club was nice. This one here was a complete dickhead. As I got dressed, I couldn’t believe that I went home with a complete stranger.“Last night would be the last time I’d have any more drinks,” I said to myself for the umpteenth time in my lifetime.Soon I was done getting dressed and picked up my stuff. I practically ran out of the guy’s house; I still didn’t know his name. I got into a cab and gave the driver my address. Still in the cab, I took out my phone only to be bombarded with missed calls and texts from Kiama, Daisy, Gemma, and even De Andre. Their worried words lingered in my head, a sharp reminder of the reality from which I had briefly gone. The weight of the morning after hit me like a heap of rocks as I groaned and sat staring out the cab window.I couldn't help but wonder how my life had taken such a sudden turn as the cab carried me away from the stranger's home. Not long after, the cab stopped right in front of my building complex. I paid the driver and took a deep breath before hopping out of the cab.When I got to my door, I found it unlocked. I walked in feeling extremely scared. I checked the door and noticed the lock was not broken which meant the perpetrator had a key.“Hello? Who’s in here?” I asked.Kiama slowly walked out of the kitchen, a questioning look on her face.“Hey Kiama,” I said, with a smile trying to play it off.“Where have you been? Where did you spend the night?” she asked.I knew I couldn’t lie to her so I sat her down and told her everything in my embarrassment and she listened attentively to me until I was done. When I was done speaking, she asked,“Why the hell would you follow a complete stranger to his home? What exactly were you thinking? And you couldn’t even inform us before leaving? What if he had done something to you? Do you know how worried we were about you?”“I know, I know, I’m stupid for going home with a stranger but I think I was just too drunk and also too hurt that I wanted to feel wanted,” I answered, tears gathering in my eyes.Kiama moved to where I sat and I knew she was about to comfort me. She pulled me into a hug.“Don't feel stupid. Everybody makes errors. It's crucial that you take something away from them,” Kiama advised.I blinked away my tears."I will," I responded."Good; Come on, now. Let's go get some breakfast for you," remarked Kiama.I grinned and went into the kitchen after Kiama. Even though I knew what I had done was extremely wrong, Kiama's presence made me feel better. She could always make me feel better.Kiama and I sat down to breakfast, and I couldn't help but be thankful for her compassion and encouragement. It was a comfort to have a buddy like her who didn't criticize me despite the careless choices I made. As we conversed and attempted to forget the horrors of the previous night, the pleasant scent of coffee permeated the air.Kiama gave Anne a serious look and added,"Seriously, Anne, promise me you won't put yourself in such a dangerous situation again."I acknowledged her anxiety by nodding."I'll be there, Kiama. No more making spontaneous judgments like that,” I promised.Soon we were done with breakfast and I went into my room to have a hot bath to wash off the memories of last night, only if it were possible. An emotional hurricane was sparked by the stranger's chilly manner, his caustic statements, and my own vulnerability.I found a brief haven from the craziness that had taken over my life in the steam from the hot shower. I felt a little of the weight being lifted with each drop of water that cascaded down my skin. However, despite my best efforts, the recollections of the previous night remained like a stubborn stain. When I was done with my bath, I dragged my body out of the bathroom and quickly got dressed. I rejoined Kiama in the living room, smiling at her and she gave me an affectionate grin in return.“Now that you’re back from your very long shower, how about we put our attention on better and more important things; like preparing a girls' night out this weekend, for example? We need to have some fun and laugh,” she said, the smile on her face broadening.I couldn't help but return the smile. Kiama has a talent for making everything better."That is a fantastic concept. Undoubtedly, I could use a great night after all that’s happened,” I answered.We were still conversing and making arrangements when there was a quick, loud tap at the door. Before Kiama rose to respond, we exchanged perplexed looks while Kiama walked up to the door. I saw her face transform from one of confusion to one of wrath as she opened the door."Anne, you might want to see this," she remarked, her voice tinged with both uncertainty and rage.My heart was beating really fast as I rose from my seat and approached the door. Getting to the door I saw the one person who was responsible for Kiama's changed expression.Anne’s POVIt was Nathan.My heart raced as I confronted Nathan, the man who broke my trust and crushed my heart. His presence in front of me elicited a torrent of conflicting emotions in me, including wrath, hurt, and a tinge of yearning that I desperately tried to conceal."Anne," he said slowly, his voice laced with desire and grief. "We really need to talk."I crossed my arms defensively, putting up a wall between myself and the torrent of emotions that threatened to consume me. Kiama stood on the sidelines, her face tense with anticipation."What exactly it is you have to say, Nathan?" I answered; my voice was a little firmer than I would have liked it to be but I didn’t care.Nathan ruffled his hair, a sign of his anxiousness."I realize I made a mistake, Anne. I know I hurt you deeply, and I can't express how sorry I am. But, please, may we chat in private?"Kiama looked at me, her eyes quietly asking whether I wanted to hear him out. I paused, caught between wanting to give hi
Anne’s POV"Positive."My entire body jolted in disbelief as the word glared back at me from the little screen of the pregnancy test. Pregnant? I was pregnant? “No way,” I said in a shaky voice.How did this happen? My legs began weak and I slowly fell to the floor. My mind was filled with a lot of thoughts. I began to blame myself for being careless and stupid for letting something like this happen to me. Suddenly I heard a knock on the door in the bathroom.“Ann-Ann, are you in there? I heard noises,” I could hear Kiama’s voice from outside the door.I didn’t say a word but soon again I heard a voice, different from Kiama’s.“What’s up girl? Are you good there?” Gemma’s voice resounded.My heart was still racing as I returned the pregnancy test into the box and opened the bathroom door. "No, I'm great," I replied. I just came to use the restroom."Kiama's eyes widened as she glanced at me, definitely detecting a problem. "Are you certain? You appear to have encountered a ghost."
Anne’s POV“Well young lady, I’ve had my fair share of One-night stands in this lifetime and you won’t be the first to approach me with this silly tactic. You all are gold diggers, looking for whom to extort money from. But young lady, you came to the wrong house today. Now if you could excuse me, I have to round up my meal and get on with things more important,” Lucian said to me.I felt so angry and embarrassed. How could he say that to me? Me? A Gold-digger? How did I end up sleeping with a heartless man like Lucian? “Excuse me, Mr. Lucian, I’m not here to extort money from you. Hell, I didn’t even know who you were until I got to know that I was pregnant. I’m only here to tell you about your child that I’m carrying so you can perform your fatherly duties towards him or her. I could have taken care of this child on my own but my pay isn’t enough,” I said.“See, a Gold-digger; you couldn’t take care of yourself alone but then you went ahead to get pregnant for just any man and you
Anne’s POV“Fine; I’ll agree to it. I’ll agree to the 1 year or rather 9 months contract marriage so that in return Lucian can accept the fatherly duties,” I said.Mr. Macaulay and Lucian looked at me like they couldn’t believe my reply. Wasn’t that what they expected? I asked myself. “That’s if the child ends up being mine,” Lucian added.I rolled my eyes at him. “That’s a good decision, Miss Anne. Now you’ll have to sign a few papers to effect the contract,” the lawyer said.“No problem,” I said.I just wanted to be done with that and get out of here. The lawyer brought out the contract which I later found out was the document Lucian had typed while waiting for the lawyer. He gave it to me and I read the necessary parts to be read before signing the contract. I handed it back to them when I was done and asked the question that had been in my mind since I agreed to this contract thing.“When will the fake wedding be held?” I asked.“This weekend,” said Lucian.“What? That early?” I
Anne’s POVThe pain suddenly stopped and I felt better again. I looked at my best friends with a smile and said,“Sorry; I guess it’s just a fake alarm. The baby kicked; it has been doing that for some time now. I’m in my 4th month so it’s normal.”Kiama and the girls sighed in relief. They were worried that something else gone wrong. The fun vibe returned as we conversed and laughed throughout the remainder of dinner. We eventually finished our meal, said our kind goodbyes, and they left, leaving me with a heart full of thankfulness for the beloved connections that had gotten me this far in my trip.One day, I was in the living room surround with different snacks. Don’t blame me, it’s the baby’s cravings. I was watching TV while eating the snacks when Lucian walked in. “What’s going on here?” He asked, a disgusted looked on his face.“What does it look like?” I retorted back.“Why have you turned my living room into a garbage house? You could have done that in your bedroom,” he said
Author’s POVKiama, Daisy, and Gemma, Anne's friends, couldn't help but look at each other nervously as Lucian appeared out of nowhere. Unaware of the tense atmosphere in the space, Anne questioned their apprehensive looks."Why do you three appear to have witnessed a ghost?" Anne asked with worry rushing through her body.Her friends responded by motioning for her to turn around while trying to discreetly communicate their point. The fact that Anne was still unable to understand their signs just made her uneasiness worse.As her frustration grew, Anne said,"What's happening? I'm scared of you."Look behind you," Daisy muttered as she leaned closer.Slowly, Anne moved her head to see what her friends were looking at. Lucian was there, in the space, his presence throwing an unexpected shadow over the group. His unexpected return caused Anne's eyes to widen as she processed it.She asked, her voice tinged with a range of emotions, "You're back?"Lucian returned her stare with a myster
Author's POV"Can you tell me more about your friends?" Lucian asked Anne as he moved closer to her and took a seat beside her.Anne told Lucian how she met her friends starting with Kiama whom she met at high school then to Daisy and Gemma whom she befriended in college. She told him all they've been through as friends and how they've got her back. She told him of their professions and Anne noticed the change in Lucian's demeanor."Don't be a scared; they only hit anyone who hurts me like my ex?" Anne said."You were in a relationship?" Lucian asked curiously."Yes I was; the night we met, I caught my fiancé as of that time with another woman on our bed in my apartment. It was so heartbreaking," Anne said."I'm...I'm so sorry about that," Lucian replied, showing signs of true concern."I went to the clubhouse that day to drink away my sorrow and that was the day you saw me and brought me to your home. Now here we are and I'm carrying your child. I could still remember how you humilia
Author’s POV“Anne, it’s not just about having common experiences,” Kiama started with a sigh. “You never know when love will creep up on you. Perhaps it began as sympathy, but it’s obvious that your feelings for Lucian have grown,” she continued.“And it’s not a negative thing, Anne,” added Gemma. “Love is a lovely and common feeling. Furthermore, we have observed the closeness between you two. There is definitely a special connection between the two of you,” she concluded.When Anne realized that her friends’ statements were accurate, she was forced to consider her developing feelings for Lucian. She had witnessed his frailty, held him during nightmares, and had private moments with him. It was becoming more and more obvious that her heart was opening up to him in unexpected ways.“I… I suppose you could be possibly right,” Anne said, her cheeks beginning to flush.“So, when are you going to tell him how you feel?” Daisy asked with a cheeky grin.In fear, Anne’s eyes widened.“Tel