Gravity

*Her*

**2 months later**

I walked through the gas station with my hands rammed into my hoodie. I picked the skin of my fingers with my nails until I grimaced from the pain.

When I looked over my shoulder and saw that no one else was in there, I reached for the small box. It almost burned to hold it.

I threw it in the counter and the cashier raised an eyebrow, smacking on her gum, “Is that all?”

My nostrils flared and I lifted my lips as if the taste in my mouth had gone sour. The judgement rolled off of her and I wanted to slap her straight across the face.

I nodded instead.

I shoved the money across the counter, took the box and walked away. I didn’t even wait for her to give me change.

A light rain was falling from the dark sky and I jogged to my car almost screaming when I saw an unfamiliar face reflected in the window of my car.

It was horrifying.

And painful.

Because it took me a moment to realize the reflection was me.

My hair was a mess. I had no make up on and had broken out across my cheeks. The bags under my eyes were dark and my lips sagged in a frown.

I didn’t recognize myself.

I shook my head, my face scrunching as I began to cry while I sat in the car. With the box thrown to the passenger seat, I slammed my hands on the steering wheel and wailed.

The pain in my chest had grown obnoxious. It was always there. Like an incessant humming.

Everywhere I went, I knew I was empty. I knew I was no one. I knew I had nothing.

No tears fell. They had dried out. I had cried them all.

What the fuck am I doing with my life?

I probably would have been doing much better. I probably would have been able to breathe by now. But I was late. So late.

I had dragged this long enough, but I needed answers. I needed to know if my life was actually over. Needed to know if I could put myself back together.

I looked over to the box of pregnancy tests and shuddered just as I began to turn out of the parking lot.

The moon sat high in the sky and I watched it with awe. It was beautiful, bright and yet sad and dark. It reminded me of the green eyes that still haunted my sleep.

I bit my lip, angry at myself that I still got off to thinking of him. Angry that I still let him invade every part of me.

God, I was an idiot. When Kian had left me to cry in Rick’s arms, I actually thought I was going to win him back. I had made a plan, weighed the pros and cons. I had made my argument,

But when Rick showed up to the house the next day with a box of my things, I knew Kian had sent them.

And I knew it was truly over.

I loved him. I had wanted to live with him, marry him. But he pushed me aside like I was nothing. Like I meant nothing.

It had been two months, and yet my heart felt like the wound was fresh. As if I was still bleeding. As if I was still open.

I inhaled brokenly, looking back down at the box of tests, grimacing in absolute hopelessness.

What would Rick say? Would I have to decline my scholarships? Would I have to skip out on college?

Questions made my head dizzy and I exhaled slowly. I had to take it first, maybe I wasn’t. Maybe I was fine.

I didn’t register the blinding headlights as they approached. All I could focus on was the obstructed view before me, blurred by the tears that clung to my eyelashes.

The crack was deafening, followed by the crush of glass. But it all seemed to happen all at once.

My body was thrown against the door, my head smashing against the window. I screamed, my arms flying from steering wheel as my car was shoved off the street.

Gravity flipped and I found myself laying on my shoulder.

I could smell blood.

I could smell the chemicals, the air coolant, the gas.

An inexplainable heat lit up behind me, fire reflected off the glass and shattered mirrors.

Maybe if this was the end, it wouldn’t be so bad.

At least the pain would stop.

The last thing I heard were panicked noises, a frantic 911 call and the soft approach of sirens.

The last thing I saw were piercing green eyes.