Page 83 of Slow Burn (The Boston Beauties)

I spoke with Drew multiple times a day; it was the only thing that was keeping me sane while also driving me crazy knowing he was missing me just as much as I was missing him and the land barrier was once again between us.

After all the complications from my surgery, I had a pretty strong hate-on for doctors, tests and any type of examination. Which was precisely why I was dreading my appointment with the doctor who had been following my post-surgical case. I was overdue for a check-up, so was killing two birds with one stone today.

After the check-up on my incisions, which I was told were healing perfectly, I asked her for a prescription for birth control pills.

‘That’s not a problem,’ she assured me. ‘When was your last pap-smear?’ she asked me, filling out an electronic record on the tablet in her hand.

‘Oh, years ago.’

She looked up to me. ‘I need a date or an approximate.’

‘Two years ago, September.’

‘Any new sexual partners in that time?’

I nodded, inwardly smiling.

‘Ok, I’ll do a full STD and HIV in addition,’ I looked at her with my jaw open.

‘It’s routine,’ she placed a hand on mine in my lap. ‘I’m not saying that you need it, it’s just part of what we do.’

‘I had a test done when I found my ex had been cheating on me,’ I informed her.

‘Ok, any new partners since?’

‘Yes…’

‘Really, it’s just an extra lab test, there’s nothing to be worried about.’ She handed me a urine cup. ‘I’ll collect a urine sample also.’

They always tell you, no news is good news, so when the clinic called me the following day to schedule a follow-up appointment to go over my results, my stomach dropped.

I had been clean, I knew I was. After I knew I was never again going to sleep with Matt, I had a test done that summer before I left to make sure I wasn't infected with anything. At the time I knew the chances were low, Matt and I always used a condom, but I wanted to be sure. I had been hoping against all hope that Drew would sleep with me. Now that he had, he’d given me something.

I was beyond mortified that I had contracted some STI and equally pissed off at Drew for it. I had been sure he wasn’t playing me, but was I blinded once again. Had he fooled me and my family just as Matt had?

Did he not know he had an STI? And who the hell did he catch it from. Perhaps it was Lisa, but he’d told me he always wore protection with all his other partners.

But still, condoms weren’t 100 percent reliable.

I’d never liked Lisa, not even before she dug her claws into Drew, and even less since then. I can only imagine how many guys she’s let fuck her.

Now I was the one being fucked over.

I didn’t see how it was possible. I opened my Google incognito window and started searching all about STI’s, latent periods, signs and symptoms. But I had none, and clearly neither did Drew.

For the rest of the day, I dodged his calls, just too pissed to hear his voice. The next day, when I trusted myself enough not to go psycho on him, I replied to a few of his text messages until my afternoon doctor’s appointment.

My doctor was running behind schedule when I got there.

Just fucking great. My patience over the past day was non-existent. Which was saying something as I didn't have much of one to start with on the best of days. Thankfully my mother had left a few days ago and wasn’t due back for another week, so at least I didn’t have to cover up much my bitchy mood for longer than the few moments we were on the phone together.

When Sarah Khan was called, I didn’t move. I had spent a few weeks at home where I was addressed by Jessa, or cupcake as Drew still called me.

I was so wrapped up with him in my life, that even when I was pissed at him, I thought fondly of him.

Stop it.

When my name was called for a second time, I looked up and realized the nurse was talking to me.

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