Chapter 39: I’m pregnant.

Olivia doesn’t say anything, she simply walks toward me.

The moment she reaches me, she wraps her arms around me. I freeze for a second before hugging her back.

God, I’ve missed this.

I’ve missed the way she feels in my arms, I’ve missed having my sister close enough that I could reach out and touch her whenever I wanted.

I hold her tightly, closing my eyes. For a while, neither of us says anything.

I don’t know how long we stand like that but eventually, I pull back. My hands remain on her arms as I look at her properly.

"What’s going on, Oli?"

She looks away.

"Come on. Let’s go and I’ll fill you in."

"What?"

She doesn’t answer. Instead, she takes my hand and drags me along with her.

I follow because, honestly, I don’t know what else to do.

We make our way down the hallway toward her room.

Well...her former room.

Because this used to be Olivia’s room before I took it over.

I don’t even know why she wants to talk in here, but I don’t question her.

The moment we step inside, she closes the door behind us then she locks it.

I turn slowly.

"What’s going on, Oli?"

She doesn’t answer.

"You’re freaking me out."

She looks down at her hands.

"Uhm..."

I stare at her

"Oli?"

When she still doesn’t look up, I start..

"Please, you know you can tell me anyth..."

"I’m pregnant."

I choke on the spit in my mouth.

"What?!"

The word comes out louder than I intend and Olivia flinches.

I stare at her. My brain seems to get stuck on that one word.

My sister is pregnant.

No.

Wait.

Pregnant?

I blink several times.

"Shit."

I take a step back.

"Shit, shit..."

I drag both hands through my hair.

"Okay."

I look at her again.

"Okay, does Lysander know?"

She doesn’t answer.

"How about Uncle? Does anybody know?"

Still nothing.

"Fuck."

I start pacing.

"How did you even get pregnant so quickly? It’s just been two months!"

I stop and look at her

"Is Lysander that much of a sharp shooter or what?"

"Wait."

Something about her expression makes my stomach drop.

"What?"

She swallows.

"It’s not Lysander’s."

"What!!?"

"It’s not Lysander’s."

I think my brain has stopped functioning.

"What do you mean it’s not Lysander’s?"

Olivia’s eyes fill with tears as I take a step toward her.

"Olivia..."

"It’s not his."

My mouth opens but nothing comes out.

"Oh my God."

I place a hand over my mouth.

"Oh my God."

I start pacing again.

"No."

My head shakes.

"No, no, no."

I look at her.

"How?"

She starts crying.

And somehow that makes everything worse.

I know my sister, I know Olivia.

She doesn’t do reckless things, she doesn’t sneak around, she doesn’t intentionally put herself in danger.

At least, that’s what I’ve always believed.

But now she’s standing in front of me carrying a secret that could get her killed.

Literally.

I inhale sharply.

"Okay."

I force myself to breathe.

"It’s okay, Nerissa."

I whisper the words to myself.

"Calm down."

I pace again.

"We can fix this."

I look at Olivia.

"Lysander can’t find out."

She wipes her cheek.

"Rissa..."

"No."

I point at her.

"He cannot find out."

I turn toward the door.

"And Uncle can’t find out either."

My heart is pounding so hard I’m scared they can hear me in the other room.

"Does anybody know?"

Olivia finally nods.

"They already know."

I stop breathing. For a moment, everything goes silent.

"What?"

"They already know, Ris."

I slowly turn around.

"Who?"

"Uncle."

My knees almost give out.

"God."

I grip the edge of the dresser cause I feel like I’m going to die.

"How did you even get out of the Sanchez house?"

She doesn’t answer but I don’t care anymore, there are bigger problems.

I start pacing again.

"This is bad."

"Rissa..."

"This is really fucking bad."

"I know."

"No, you don’t."

I look at her.

"Uncle is going to kill you."

Her face crumples.

"Please don’t say that."

"But it’s true!"

My voice cracks.

"God..."

I close my eyes.

I’m angry, I’m terrified, I’m confused and underneath all of that, I’m heartbroken because my sister is standing in front of me looking like she’s already expecting me to hate her.

I walk toward her.

"Why?"

She looks at me.

"Why did you do this?"

She looks down.

"Please don’t judge me, Ris. I already feel bad enough."

She wipes another tear from her cheek.

"I just wanted love."

I stare at her.

"I found love..."

Her voice breaks.

"And I wanted to hold on to it."

"So you got pregnant?"

She nods.

I sit down heavily on the edge of the bed.

"You know Uncle won’t take this lightly."

"I know."

"He’ll..."

I stop.

I can’t even finish the sentence.

There’s got to be a way out, there has to be.

"We need to run away."

Olivia looks at me.

"What?"

"We need to leave."

"Rissa..."

"I’m serious."

I stand.

"We really need to."

I grab her hands.

"We can go somewhere they won’t find us."

She stares at me.

"I have money saved."

"Rissa..."

"We can go to Turkey."

I start talking faster as the idea takes shape in my head.

"Yeah. Turkey."

I nod.

"We’ll find some small town. Somewhere quiet, somewhere nobody knows us."

I squeeze her hands.

"They won’t think to look there."

"We can’t."

"Yes, we can!."

"We can’t run away."

"Why not?"

"Because..."

She pulls her hands away from mine.

"Because what?"

She shakes her head.

"We can’t run away, Rissa."

"Yes, we can!"

I step closer.

"Come on, Oli."

She backs away.

"We have to."

My voice cracks.

"Uncle will kill you please."

She closes her eyes.

"I know."

"Then come with me!"

I reach for her hand again.

"We can leave tonight."

She doesn’t take it.

"We’ll get money. Clothes. Everything."

I start thinking aloud.

"I know people who can get us new documents. We can disappear. Please."

I grab her hand again.

"We have to."

"Running won’t fix it."

"Then what will?"

She doesn’t answer.

"Tell me, Oli."

She looks at me with tears in her eyes.

I wait.

"Tell me what we’re supposed to do."