The Road.

I feel my stomach turn into knots, and I begin to breathe heavy as I start to feel nauseous.

“Oh my god,” I gasp staring at my phone.

“What’s wrong?” Alex asks as he sits beside me on the couch.

“She knows,” I say as my voice starts to fade.

“Who knows what?”

I sit up from the couch and hand him my phone. I run my fingers through my hair as I begin to pace.

“What am I going to do?” I mumble to myself.

“Meghan, please you need to calm down.”

“How can I calm down? She’s going to know that I’m hiding something from her.”

“You’re going to lie to her, and pretend like you’re helping her out, everything is going to be okay.”

“What if she finds out that it’s me? She’s going to have a heart attack.”

“Meghan, look at me.” Alex tells me as he places his hands on my shoulders.

He looks at me trying to seem relaxed and calm, but I can tell he’s freaking out as well.

“Take in a deep breath,”

I do as he tells me, and then exhale slowly.

“Okay, now repeat after me. She’s not going to find out, and everything’s going to be okay.”

“She’s not going to find out, and everything is going to be okay,” I repeat after him, wishing I could believe the words coming out of my mouth.

“You have to reply to her and pretend to be shocked like you can’t believe I would do something like that, and tell her that you will help her out.”

“Okay,” I mumble and look down at the floor.

“That’s why you came last night, right?” I ask in a low whisper.

“What?”

“Because you found out she’s pregnant,” I say looking up at him.

“Yeah,” he sighs sitting back down on the couch.”I just freaked out, me a dad?”

“I think you would-You’re going to be a great dad,” I say with a small smile taking a seat next to him.

“How do you know that?”

“You just think you’re going to be fail as a dad because of everything that’s happening right now, but this has nothing to do with him… or her. What matters, is you being there for them whenever they fail, or whenever they achieve something. For them to know that you love them no matter what, and for them not to feel like a mistake, and telling them to wish upon a star, telling them that the tooth fairy is real, and that Santa Clause is capable of delivering Christmas gifts all around the world in one single night. And when you’re out on the road they’ll call you every night to tell you how much they miss you, and then you’ll come home, and it’ll be like your life is complete, because they are your life.”

“Why do you always do this to yourself?”

“Do what?”

“You say all these things to make me feel better but you just end up hurting yourself.”

“I don’t want you to do something you’re going to regret.”

Alex smiles and pecks my lips; I smile back and look down at my hands.

“You should go talk to her, tell her that you’re sorry for the way that you acted. Tell her the truth… that you’re scared and you need time to get used to the idea of becoming a dad. She needs you right now.”

“Don’t ever think you’re a bad person, because you’re not,” Alex tells me, and then kisses me before standing up.

“I’ll call you tonight,” he says and kisses my forehead.

“I’ll be waiting,” I say with a small smile watching as he walks out of my condo.

I sigh and pick up my phone.

How do you know for certain that he’s cheating on you? He doesn’t seem like that type of person. And you’re pregnant!? Congratulations! Don’t worry he’ll come around, you know guys, they freak out over the smallest things, and don’t worry I’m here for anything you need.

_____________________________________ALEX.

“Jack!” I call out as I knock on his apartment door.

“I’m coming!” he calls out as I hear footsteps getting near.

“It’s ten in the morning, why didn’t you just call me?” He asks and then yawns.

“You’re my best friend, and I really need to talk to you.” I say desperately.

“What happened?”

“Can I come in?”

“Oh yeah, sorry man.”

“Thanks,” I say and walk in, I head over to his living room and sit on his couch.

“So what’s up?”

“Remember when I told you I slept with Meghan that day in Paris?”

“Did you make that up?”

I shake my head and sigh, “That wasn’t the only time I slept with her.”

“What do you mean!?” Jack shrieks.

“I’ve kind of been… seeing her these past four months.”

“You’ve been cheating on Ariana!?”

I look at him nod; I knew he was going to react badly to the news that was the only reason why I hadn’t told him sooner.

“Why are you telling me this now?”

“I’m so confused Jack! I love Ariana, we’ve been friends for so long, and we’ve been together for three years, everything was just perfect, and then Meghan came along and I started doubting my relationship with Ariana, is that as good as it’s going to get?”

“I thought you were happy?”

“I was- I am, I don’t know anymore Jack, and not to mention that Ariana is pregnant, it just makes everything so much harder.”

“What the hell is wrong with you Alex? Are you blind? Are you stupid? You have an amazing girl who loves you very much, and who would never do anything to hurt you, and you actually think that’s bad? For Christ’s sake! She’s having your fucking baby! Are you going to throw that all away because of some whore!?”

“Don’t call her that! You don’t know her like I do.”

“How would I? I’m not the one fucking her every night.”

I stare at Jack, shock written all over my face. Why was he acting this way? He’s supposed to be my best friend, he’s supposed to help me feel better, to help me figure out all this mess.

“I know that I’m a horrible person, and that maybe I don’t deserve to be happy for what I’m doing to Ariana, but you don’t know what it’s like to love someone for such a long time, and to think that they’re the only person you’ll ever love, and then someone else comes along. And they make you feel happy and safe, and like everything in the world is perfect because you’re with them. I just don’t know what to do, I love Ariana deeply, we’re going to have a baby, and I want to be there with her and to grow old with her, but I can’t let go of Meghan, I’m afraid that if I do, it’ll turn out to be that Meghan’s actually the one that I love, and the one I was meant for.”

“You’re right, I don’t know how that feels, and I’m sorry for over reacting, but after everything you and Ariana have been through you should know that she’s the one for you, if you can’t see that… then maybe it’s time to move on.”

“I don’t want to,”

“You better figure it out soon.”