“Baby?” his quiet voice startled me and I jumped slightly when his hand touched my forehead.

“Hu?” my eyes tried to adjust to the light but the only light coming into the room was from the bedroom door her left open, the rest of the room was pitch black.

“Hey, how ya feeling?” He asked as he pushed the hair out of my eyes.

“A little better. What time is it?” I asked as I pushed myself to sit up.

“It’s almost 10. I just wanted to see how you felt and I brought you some Aspirin.” He said holding out the two little white pills in his hand along with a glass of water. I smiled at him and was about to reach for the pills when Dr. Roenstiens words rang out through my mind to avoid Aspirin.

“No thank you. I’m okay, just a little tired.” I said a yawn escaping me.

“Sweetheart you should take something.” He insisted offering the pills to me again. I shook my head and gently pushed his hand away.

“Josh, I really don’t need them.” He once again held them out towards me.

“Come on baby, it couldn’t hurt.” I felt myself becoming annoyed with him and silently counted to 5 before once again refusing the pills.

“Meg they aren’t going to kill you. I just don’t want you to feel bad honey.” He said clearly not taking no for an answer. I couldn’t help the words that flew out of my mouth but I instantly regretted them.

“Would you PLEASE just STOP with the pills Josh. I don’t want to take them okay? I JUST want to go back to sleep.” From the look on his handsome face I knew he a little hurt by my sudden attitude but I couldn’t help it. These hormones are driving me insane and trying to keep them hidden is making them worse. I started to turn away from him and I felt the bed shift as he moved. Probably wanted to get away from me and shitty attitude and I couldn’t blame him.

Suddenly there was a weight on the bed and I turned back to see the pills on the counter top and Josh taking off his shoes.

“Well, some extra sleep will do us all some good.” He said as he lifted up the blankets and climbed into the bed with me.

“Scoot over woman.” I smiled as I moved even closer to him and he groaned pushing me to my side of the bed as he got comfortable. Once situated I felt his arms encircle my waist as he pulled me over to him lacing our fingers together over my stomach.

I turned my head to smile at him and he leaned down to softly kiss my lips. He then placed a kiss on my nose, cheek and forehead before placing his mouth right my by ear.

“I love you.”

The pang of guilt I have started to become accustomed to when he said that had returned and I swallowed the tears that had built up in my throat. I hoped he didn’t notice the length of time it took for me to answer but I sucked it up and closed my eyes as I whispered back the reply he waited to hear.

“I love you too.” His arms tightened for a brief moment before his body relaxed and he fell into a deep slumber.

________________________________________________________

Flushing the toilet I turned my head as the door to bathroom opened. My heart began to race as I tried to think of an excuse as to why once again, I was throwing up. My mind began to throw a million words out at me that I could barely piece together one thought.

“Meg? Is that you?” Courtney. Oh god. It was just Courtney.

“Yea it’s me Court.” I said. She pushed her way in and shut the door leaning against it as she looked at me. She didn’t need to ask, I didn’t need to confirm she knew.

“Oh Megan, what are you going to tell Jace?” I felt a knot in my throat and a cry came out before I could answer. I didn’t realize how badly I needed to cry until I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Almost as if she had opened up Pandora’s box I knew this was the beginning of the end. There was no hiding the truth from Courtney and once I told her it would only be a matter of time before I let everyone else in on my secret.

“It’s not his.” I said barely above a whisper. Her eyes widened and look of utter disbelief covered her features. She shook her head and walked over to me grabbing hold of my arm and pulling me up from the floor.

I looked her straight in the eye and the tears kept falling as I again said the words I dreaded.

“It’s not his court. It’s not JC’s.” I broke down for what felt like the 100th time that week and Courtney pulled me into a hug.

“Shh, we’ll figure this out Meg…….I don’t have a clue how, but we’ll figure it out.” I continued to cry as her words didn’t do anything more than upset me.

“There is no ‘figuring it out’ I know who’s it is and if I tell it will just make things even worse. For everyone.” Her eyes widened and I could tell she was thinking of the other two men in the house.

“Meg, is it….” She took a small step back too look at my face and shook my head.

“No, it’s not Trace’s.” The look on her face didn’t change and she shook her head.

“ I wasn’t going to ask if it was Trace’s.” She said. A confused look covered my face and she took another step back but kept her hand on my shoulders.

“Look, We all know you had a little thing for Justin, and now that I think about it the two of you had disappeared for a little during Jace’s party….”

What.

The.

Fuck.

“ Court, I don’t have a thing for Justin!” I said getting defensive. They are NOT going to turn this entire thing around on me. He had just as much to do with it as I did.

“I’m not saying you DO, I’m saying you DID.” She clarified as I shook my head. “Look, if something did happen between the two of you, you should just come clean now and get it out into the open. Don’t make things worse for yourself Meg.” She said

“He’s just as much to blame as I am.” I said and I heard Courtney gasp.

Shit.

“So it is Justin’s.” She said. I panicked, this is it. This is the moment in which my life becomes unbearable. I could try and lie my way out of it, or come clean.

“Yea. It’s Justin’s. “ I confirmed.