UNEXPECTED NEWS

The following day—At school.

Both Daniella and Mandy were sitting on their favorite backless bench in the faculty relaxation center with only a few students around.

It was winter season now and everyone was dressed to keep themselves as warm as possible.

Daniella was clad in a black sweater and Jean with a White long woolen coat as overall while Mandy was wearing a black down jacket with a gray scarf around her neck.

The two of them had been laughing heartily since the moment their chat had started, not minding the looks the people around them kept stealing at them occasionally.

Mandy had finally gotten the chance to gist her best friend about the occurrence at Michael’s mom's birthday party. And the part that was making them laugh so hard was the way Michael had rained punches upon Nathan’s face.

“If you were there with me that night, Ella, I'm sure you wouldn't be laughing at the situation,” Mandy began again after their laughter had died down.

Daniella’s expression shifted from playful to serious, all signs of playfulness gone as she said…

“Give me a break, Mandy. I would have definitely rolled on the floor while mocking at that son of a bitch and as for Michael, I would jumped on him and gave him a big kiss on the forehead for teaching that bastard a lesson,”

Mandy just shook her head, smiling.

“And where did Michael’s mom drag you to? Does she not like you to be with her son or why would she have acted so cold toward you?” Daniella asked, curiousness flickering in her bright eyes.

“That was my thought from the beginning too, babe, but it turned out to be the other way round,” Mandy replied with a broad wink, inching closer and pecking Daniella’s cheek out of the blue.

And like that, the huge grin that left Daniella’s face just now came back again and then she urged her friend to give her the full gist.

Mandy then, readjusted her scarf, straightened her back and wet her lower lip before she started mimicking Louisa, “Oh dear, I'm so sorry for frightening you back there. I saw how scared you were but all that was just a facade, honey,”

In Mandy’s normal voice, she explained how the passionate spoken words were followed by a crushing hug.

Amusement glinted into Daniella's eyes, “Really?”

“Really, Ella,” Mandy conceded, smiling so big.

She then continued in Louisa’s voice again, “You see, as much as I want you to tell me how much you love Michael, I really want you to find that out yourself,”

“But I'm going to say this, not because I'm his mother but as a woman to woman. Michael had never invited any woman to our house in the past. Not only that, he had told me a lot about you which is very unlike my son. He truly loves you, Mandy,”

Daniella couldn't stop her lips from stretching wider and wider in a bright smile. “I’m so happy for you, Mandy. You've eventually hit the right guy this time,”

“I’m so happy for myself too, Bestie,” Mandy said bashfully, hiding her face in Daniella’s chest.

“Silly,” Daniella laughed, wrapping her hand around her.

Just then, she noticed the slim tall manly figure that suddenly enveloped them and she looked over to see Nathan standing a few meters away from them.

He looks graceful in his white sweatshirt and black leather coat with his hands at his back. His low-cut blonde hair accentuated his oval-shaped face and the warm smile lingering around his thin lips made him even more handsome.

“Looks like you have a guest,” Daniella notified, her gaze never peeling from Nathan’s.

“Guest?” Mandy repeated while she removed her face from Daniella’s body and sat straight.

She followed Daniella’s line of gaze and her eyes also came in contact with Nathan’s eyes.

In awe, Mandy ripped her attention from Nathan immediately and looked back at her friend’s face.

“You’re not angry to see him, Ella?” she asked in disbelief.

Normally, it was expected for Daniella to have charged toward Nathan, give him a very hard slap across his cute face, and directly send him away. However, her friend was not doing any of that, instead, she seemed so natural with having him around her.

Nathan, on the other hand, had not moved an inch from the spot he was standing. But the timid smile playing around his lips indicated that he was waiting for an invitation from any of the girls before he could move closer.

“I’m in a good mood today, Mandy. Moreover, I think I can now trust Michael for he's going to put someone like him in his place if he dares cross the line again,” Daniella purposely let out in a high voice, sneaking a peek in Nathan’s way.

“Ella,” Mandy nudged her arm playfully, giggling.

“I’ll be waiting in my car, baby,” Daniella announced with a smile and after they both shared a brief hug, she got up on her feet.

“Asshole,” she glared at Nathan and slammed her shoulder into his as she walked away.

Nathan watched Daniella's receding figure for a long time before bringing his gaze to Mandy’s body on the bench and said jokingly, “That girl can never change, can she?”

“She definitely can't change and that's why she will always remain my best friend forever,” Mandy deadpanned.

Nodding, Nathan got closer and sat in the empty space Daniella evacuated from just now.

He dropped a box of chocolates in the little space between them and then lifted his eyes at the same time Mandy raised hers to meet his.

He giggled, “Come on, this is still your favorite or isn't it?”

“Why are you giving me this?” Mandy asked, frowning unpleasantly at him.

 An uncomfortable silence descended upon them. No one tried to break it as they kept staring into each other’s eyes.

Nathan looked away first and began slowly, “What I've done to you is unforgivable, Mandy, but I want you to know that I've never regretted ever messing with my past flings but you,”

He switched his attention back to Mandy’s face, “I’m genuinely sorry for being a son of a bitch, Mandy. I'm really sorry for maltreating you and I hope you can forgive me, please,”

The remorsefulness that was clouding his features at that moment was enough to convince Mandy that he was truly sorry.

Mandy then cleared her throat, picking up the box of chocolates and opening it.

“Michael said you're leaving for London,” It was more of a statement than a question.

“It seems someone is really going to miss me,” Nathan smiled snidely, causing him to earn a playful glare from Mandy.

She had unwrapped a bar of chocolate and was already biting on it slowly.

“I wish you all the best,” she said with a small genuine smile, and Nathan couldn't resist the urge to pull her into a hug.

“Don't worry, I'll surely attend your wedding,” he teased, and they both cracked up softly on each other’s shoulders.

*************

 In the next week that followed things changed considerably well for some people while for others, it was just as it always is.

Daniella especially, that lady seems to have a bright perpetual smile engraved into her face this past week.

Things between her father had gone from smooth to incredibly better and their sexacapade had even advanced as they both had sex at any little chance they got.

Right now, she has driven to a prominent pharmacy in the city to get pregnancy-prevention drugs because in her opinion she thought that at this point, she really needs it.

The sex was becoming too much and to prevent unwanted and scandalous pregnancy, it was best for her to get some drugs with immediate effect.

She came down from her car and headed to the glass doors of the drugstore and went in.

Reaching inside, she was pretty much satisfied that there was no customers present except her and the attendant— a middle-aged woman in a lab coat, sitting behind a huge rectangular desk and a computer on it.

“Welcome, young lady. How may I help you?” the woman fair woman adjusted her glasses and greeted warmly.

Daniella itched her hair and bit her lower lip nervously as she walked up to the woman inhaling and exhaling discreetly.

“Uhmm… my f-friend’s need a… uhmm. What's it called again? You know, meds that can, you know, prevent pregnancies. You know it, right?” Daniella sputtered, scratching her forehead the whole time.

The woman put her glasses on the bridge of her nose and regarded Daniella carefully before slowly rising on her feet.

“Of course I know it, and it’s very much available. I just want to believe you're asking for the proper medications,”

The physician voiced out her opinion, walking away from her seat and heading to one of the gigantic shelves that were occupied with lots of varieties drugs.

Daniella blinked as if the woman had just offended her with her words. “What do you mean, ma’am? The meds isn't for me but my friend,”

The physician spared Daniella a glance before saying, “Yes, I know you’re getting it for your friend because you didn't prevent yours when you should have. So definetely this is for your friend,” she put emphasis on her last words.

Her heart constricted in pain and she struggled to swallow.

“What do you mean, ma’am? Stop beating around the bush. Face me and talk to me!” Her breathing came out fast… nervously.

The physician then properly turned around and looked straight at her eyes, “You’re pregnant, young lady,”

Daniella’s heart suddenly sank. Her body uncontrollably swayed as if she would collapse in the next second.