Total pages in book: 12
Estimated words: 11299 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 56(@200wpm)___ 45(@250wpm)___ 38(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 11299 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 56(@200wpm)___ 45(@250wpm)___ 38(@300wpm)
But a tidal wave of unfortunate circumstances have Cameron facing a choice she never dreamed she’d have to make.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Chapter One
Cameron
“Cam? You in there?”
I drag my hands down my body in pure hopelessness as I swallow a sob. The tile of our bathroom is cold, and it’s welcome against the backs of my thighs. Not only am I sore from practice, but since I can’t keep anything down, the coolness is helping my nausea.
“Hey, are you okay? You’ve been in there awhile. You didn’t drink milk, did you?”
God, I wish.
Any other time, any other moment, I would laugh my ass off at my roommate’s joke about my dairy issues. I’ve been lactose intolerant since birth, but that’s not the issue right now. I wish it were. Instead, in front of me sits a pregnancy test with the word PREGNANT in the window.
I force a laugh, though I feel as if I’ve fallen into a dark hole and can’t find my way out. “Ha-ha. No, my stomach is upset. I don’t think my lunch is sitting right.”
“Oh no! Do you need some Sprite?” Callie is the sweetest and the best roommate ever. “Or Tums?”
“I’m good. Thanks, Cal.”
“Okay,” she says sweetly. “Do you need me?”
I do, but what would I even say? How would I even explain this? It’s drilled into our heads during recruitment and even at our team meetings—do not get pregnant. Hell, all of us got the same birth control implants in our arms. We went together. It was a team-bonding exercise, and then we went for sushi afterward. I had an allergic reaction to the implant, so I switched to the pill, but I take it religiously. I don’t understand.
“Aren’t you meeting Evan? I thought y’all were looking at apartments?”
“We are,” she says, and I’m sad all over again. I was hoping to room with her next year, but I should have known once Evan Adler walked into her life, she was going to be a goner. He is a good egg, and he loves her a lot. Which she deserves. We’re only required to live on campus our freshman year. Though, most of the time, since our team housing is so awesome, people don’t leave. But then, no one is dating someone like Evan. I would leave this housing so quickly to live with someone like him.
Dreamboat.
“Okay. Then go, I’m good. Just gonna poop some more.”
She laughs. It’s so carefree and happy. It usually makes me smile, but right now, I’m freaking the hell out. “Call me if you need me to get something for ya.”
“Thanks, Cal.”
“No problem.” She taps on the door as a goodbye, and I slide down the wall while the tears slide down my face. My heart is beating so hard that my chest hurts. I don’t even know how this happened. I mean, I know how babies are made, but I’m smart. I make sure the guy wears condoms, and I’m on birth control. How is that not enough to make sure I don’t get pregnant? How is this even possible? I thought maybe it was a mistake, but in the trash are four of the other positive pregnancy tests. I toss the one I just took in there, wrapping it up in a bag and tucking it under my legs. I’m not done crying, and I sure as hell don’t know what to do.
I’m not even sure I want kids. Yeah, they’re cute and all, but I want to make sure my career is established and I have a partner to raise the kids with. Damn it, this is so frustrating. I’ve worked so hard for my collegiate sports career. I started gymnastics at eight, which is late for some, but I climbed through the levels of gymnastics to make my dreams come true. Despite how much my body wanted to quit and how hard it was mentally, I fought. I have always wanted to be a college gymnast. Not only for the love and fun of gymnastics, but for the sisterhood. I love my teammates, and we are family. Yet why do I feel so alone?
I reach for my phone on the counter as I blow snot into a towel. As I throw it down, I open my contacts to call my mom. I’m terrified and I don’t know how she is going to take this, but my mom is honestly my best friend. Surely she’ll have some advice.
She answers right away, her bubbly voice filling the line. “Hey, baby doll!”
“Mom,” I say with a sob, and insane concern immediately fills her voice.
“Cam?”
Within seconds, my FaceTime is ringing, and when I answer it, her eyes are wide. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
Another sob racks me as my body shakes. I try to talk, but it isn’t working. I can’t form words, even though I know what I need to say. I start to take in little spurts of air, and I can tell she is trying not to freak out. “Cammy, baby doll, breathe. It’s okay. Breathe.”