Sophia's POV
Feeling exposed and vulnerable, I close the door behind me, creating a small barrier between us and the rest of the world. At this rate, my roommates will find out about the surrogacy if Alexander keeps running to my apartment every minute.
"Sophia, open the door. We need to talk," Tyler says, but I don't respond, knowing full well they are about to barrage me with a tirade of questions.
I quickly grab a rag and clean the floor with it. Then, I hid the test under my bed before walking to the closed door.
Jake's voice reaches me, "What exactly are you hiding, Sophia? Open the door or I'll break in."
Taking a deep breath, I open the door slowly, meeting Tyler and Jake's intense gazes. I open the door wide, knowing they would want to look at what I may have been hiding. Sure enough, they both peeked in and when they saw nothing, they looked back at me.
"What's up with that pregnancy kit? Are you pregnant?" Jake questions, giving me a look over.
I give a soft laugh, shaking my head gently as I respond, "No, it's not what you think. Actually, I just saw the kit lying around so I picked it up to keep it that was why you saw it in my hand."
They glance at each other looking as if they are not expecting such an answer but they seem to believe me, probably because they know I don't have a boyfriend nor am I the type to sleep with a random man.
But they probably don't know that I've done the worst of them; carrying the child of a man I don't know that well.
"Then, what's up with that Alexander guy?" Tyler asks, his serious face still not fading. "Are you dating?"
I look at him, wondering why he is so caught up with that. I shake my head. "No, we are not dating."
"Then, why does he keep coming here?" He asks. "He barged in and came directly to your room earlier. He must have been here before to know the way."
My eyes widen as I realize that toom I have never brought Alexander into the apartment, so how does he know my room?
But I don't dwell on that at the moment as I look back at Tyler. I lied, "Well, he helped me with some groceries the other time so he must have known back then."
Tyler still doesn't seem impressed. "But still, how could you just bring a random man into the apartment? We don't know about him nor what his motives are for circling around you. You use be careful."
"Brother, how about we run an investigation on him?" Jake suddenly brings up the idea.
"Listen, guys..." I call out, surprised by how quickly the conversation was derailing. But none of them answers and they continue to talk to each other, totally pretending I do not exist.
Tyler nods, putting his hand into his pocket. "Yeah, we should do that. It's better to be safe. Who knows, he could be a wanted criminal."
"Or, a conman," Jake puts in. "He does look like one. Only Conman dresses like that and puts on exaggerated shows of wealth.
I eventually shout to break their conversation. "It's not what you think!"
They look at me. "Then, what is it?"
"Actually, Alexander is just a younger u-uncle of mine. He is a distant uncle and very young so we have been close since childhood. He just returned to the city so he is trying to catch up on the old times. He must have misunderstood earlier when I said I felt cramps in my stomach so he rushed in. I'm sorry about the inconvenience."
I think I've gotten so accustomed to lying recently that it just rolls out of my mouth naturally.
The two of them look at each other, seemingly just considering that.
Tyler looks at me suspiciously. "You sure you're not lying to us?"
"Have I ever lied to you?" I question back.
He purses his lips. "No, the Sophia I know is not a liar." He shifts his stance and puts a hand into his pocket. "Sorry for the misunderstanding, then. We were just worried."
I nod, understanding that he has believed my words.
"We'll go back to the court to play, then," Jake says as he turns around and walks away.
Tyler remains though and asks, "You have gotten slimmer recently. Are you ill?"
"I think I'm just tired," I say. "Probably, because I don't work at the store anymore, I've started feeling sick from all the accumulated stress."
He nods, showing his understanding. "I'll get you some supplements when I go out today. Go and get some rest."
I nod, grateful to be left alone as I watch him leave. Then, I enter the room and close the door.
I sit down and grab a glass of water, trying to calm myself. It's finally hitting me, the whole situation is sinking in. I pull out the test from under my bed, and when I see those two lines marking pregnancy, I'm shocked. I mean, I knew it could happen since I followed all the steps correctly, but mentally, I wasn't prepared for it.
My thoughts are a jumbled mess of shock and anxiety. I knew this could happen, but actually seeing it on the test feels overwhelming. I gulp down the water, my hands shaking a little. I try to calm myself, but it's not easy. The weight of the situation is heavy, and I can't help but feel scared and uncertain.
I keep replaying the image of the pregnancy test in my head. Those two lines staring back at me, confirming what I already knew deep down. I did everything right, but I never thought it would actually happen. The mix of emotions inside me is intense. I'm happy, but at the same time, I'm terrified. Can I handle this? Can I handle having to give the child to Alexander when the time comes?
As I take another sip of water, I realize that I'm not alone. I have friends and family who care about me. But the thought of telling them fills me with doubt. Will they understand? Will they judge me for my choices? The fear of their reactions adds to my anxiety.