Page 41 of Free Fall

My mouth hung open as my brain processed the new information. Why the hell had Cole done that?

My instinct was to shout that it wasn’t, that he was lying, to rush over to his house and demand he explain what he was up to now. But I didn’t. Of course, I didn’t. This protectedLuca.They must have planned it together.

So I nodded.

“Why couldn’t you tell us that?” Dad asked, tilting his head. Jules was gaping, her mouth opening and shutting, a forkful of spaghetti half way up to her face. I winked at her.

“It’s private,” I lied. Started a lie I was debating keeping for the rest of my life. It bolstered me though, my anxiety shifting and floating away as I did what those two Diaz men wanted, used Cole to protect his father.

“But,Cole?” Mom blurted, slamming her hands on the table. “You know he’s…”

“What? A fuck up? He’s in college.” I winced. “He may be a little… devious, but he’s solid.”

Mom whined. “But why not Jesse? He’s—”

“Delilah.” Dad’s voice was stern, his face blanched. He stood up, looming over his family. “No more,” he demanded, looking at me and Mom. “It’s done. Arguing won’t stop it.”

Mom looked pissed at her husband, opened her mouth to say something that would no doubt be cruel. She was hurting, I knew that, would forgive it when she was ready to move forward, but I was over this awkward dinner, so I stood too, joining Dad on the cusp of storming out.

“Look, this is happening, this baby is going to be a Diaz” — not a lie — “and you’ll have to get used to it. I’m gonna head back to school now, need to fucking breathe. You can stop treating me like a child.” I turned and stormed away, chancing a glance at my dad as I did. He gave me a miniscule nod.

“Zelda!” Mom shouted after me, but I’d had enough.

I needed to find Luca. Find Cole. Go to that damn doctor and get everything straight. Away from this pressure. This mess.

Distance from everyone would help. I was starting to feel repressed, squashed down like a bug under a shoe. The looks of confusion, anguish and even disgust were too much to bear. My concussion was gone, I had a doctor I liked, I needed to make a plan for just myself. Alone.

Twenty Two

Zelda

IcaughtColecomingout of a lecture a week later. He’d done far too good a job of avoiding me to have it be a coincidence. He replied to my many texts when I wouldn’t leave him alone, telling me to drop it, that he was helping us out.

I didn’t believe it for a single second. There was more to it, had to be.

After spending days stewing and plotting by myself, the sense of loneliness I was trying to get used to settling over me, I was in a foul mood. Avery and Seren had been there through all of it, attempting to coax me out of my funk, but I didn’t want to put any more burdens on them.

They had their own lives; I wasn’t the center of them. Since the night at the frat party, when I’d fallen and then found out about the pregnancy, they’d pushed to never leave my side, wanting to be around for it all. The prickle of loneliness was a strange one, because my friends surrounded me, love bombed me, but it wasn’t enough. Avery was so damn excited at the prospect of a baby, and Seren, while horrified, found the positives too.

We weren’t teenagers. We were close to leaving college and finding jobs. I could make it work, she said. They’d help, she said. They both made it clear they wanted to, and plans were forming. Still. Guilt. How could I ask that of them?

“Where’s your friend?” Cole asked the second he saw me, not even reducing his pace as he strolled past like he was hot shit. His hair looked longer, like he was growing it out, and he reminded me so much of his dad I almost turned tail and ran. The halls were busy, so I had to weave and dodge bodies to keep up with him, and he wasn’t slowing down. It gave me enough time to get my head straight. I needed this confrontation.

I pulled a face. “Which one?”

“The curly haired elf that had your back at the party, Avery?” Cole said, turning his head a little as he kept moving.

“Why do you care? What do you want with him?” Avery had offered to tell them all he was the father too, but he was as gay as a maypole and looked it. I thanked him, hugged him, and told him he’d be the best uncle the baby could need instead. It was then he promised to be there for me, the biggest sweetheart on the planet.

Seren was also ragingly protective, sharing my bed with me most nights and asking a million questions. She was coming with me to my first appointment later, the vicious queen ready to demand everything I needed to be comfortable. I couldn’t face bringing my mom or sister, but Seren more than made up for that.

I had to let it happen, let someone take care of me. And Seren was damn good at it.

“He was so protective of you. I liked it,” Cole said with a shrug, though his tone betrayed something more. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I made a mental note not to leave Avery alone in a room with Cole. He didn’t need the attention of the slightly less deviant Diaz. Wouldn’t put my best friend through that. “Surprised he’s not up your ass right now, yapping away like your angry little chihuahua.”

I gave my head a shake, grabbing Cole by the arm to tug him to the side of the hall, to make him stop marching along like he was trying to lose me. He let me guide him, leaning against the wall with a smirk. He seemed comfortable there, like he lived to lurk.

“Explain yourself,” I demanded. “Please. How did you even know I was pregnant? Or… you know, about…”

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