Eric glanced up at his dad, standing at the bathroom door. His insides still turned. “No.”

“Then what’s the matter?”

My sixteen-year-old girlfriend is pregnant. I betrayed my best friend in the worst way imaginable. He’ll probably end up in jail for murdering me. Nothing really.

“I dunno. I just felt sick all of a sudden.”

Less suspicious and more concerned, his dad asked, “You need me to take you to the emergency room?”

Eric shook his head. After being questioned some more, he convinced his dad it must’ve been something he ate. He went to his room and lay there for hours, staring at the ceiling. Though he wasn’t the most religious person on the planet, and God was probably not thinking too favorably of what he and Sofia had done, he began to pray.

*

Several torturous days passed since Sofia should have got her period and still nothing. She couldn’t wait any longer. Convinced she was pregnant, she’d begun to think about her options. There was no other choice. She’d have to go to her mom, but she wanted to be sure first. Eric was on his way over with a pregnancy test.

The front door rang and she took a deep breath. She heard Alex and Eric’s voices downstairs. Eric wanted to wait until Alex wasn’t home. He didn’t even want to chance the possibility of Alex sensing anything was wrong, but Sofia couldn’t wait anymore.

She told him to lose the box and just bring the test in his pocket. The voices downstairs seemed to fade, and Sofia knew they were in the kitchen. She made her way down and walked into the kitchen where Eric sat at the center island. Alex had made himself a protein drink and was pouring into a glass. She exchanged glances with Eric, who looked as nervous as she felt.

Even though the last thing she could think of was eating, she cut up an orange and made small talk. Finally, Alex got a phone call he said he would take outside. As soon as he was out the door, Sofia hurried over to Eric’s side. He pulled out the small stick from his pocket and handed it to her under the island table. She grabbed it, stuck it in her own pocket and practically ran out the kitchen, nearly colliding with Angel as he walked to the kitchen. He looked at her funny, but didn’t say anything. She hurried upstairs to the restroom that separated her room from and Angel’s.

Eric had already texted her the instructions on the box earlier and all she needed to know: One line = no, two lines = yes.

Waiting for the results was the longest five minutes of her life. She stood in front of the sink, eyes closed, taking deep breaths, checking her phone several times for the time. Thoughts of what would happen if she had to tell her family plagued her mind. She wasn’t afraid of telling her mom. She dreaded disappointing her, but she’d always been able to go to her mom about anything. But even her mother wouldn’t be able to hold back her brothers k heshe, especially Alex. Sofia shook her head. This couldn’t be happening.

Finally, she confirmed it had been five minutes. Sofia was almost too scared to look down. She glanced down, read the results and immediately, became overwhelmed with emotion.

*

Alex being home was bad enough, but of all weekends for him to come home, Sal was there, too. All three brothers and Eric were now in the garage. Alex and Angel were both under the hood of their moms’ car, while Sal, as usual, supervised, making sure everything was done properly.

It couldn’t get any worse. If anything went down today, they’d all be there to tear him apart. The nausea was back. It started at the drug store when he stood there reading the labels on the home pregnancy tests. It only intensified when Sal got home.

Eric stood there taking deep breaths, concentrating on not being sick, while the brothers argued back and forth.

“Will you just hand me the damn thing?” Alex held out his hand.

“Hold on.” Sal bent over to check Alex’s work. “You gotta make sure it’s tight enough.”

“Hey, Mr. Dreamy.”

Eric had been so lost in thought he didn’t even notice Alex was talking to him. “Yo, Eric.”

Eric snapped out of it and looked at him.

“What’s you’re problem?” Alex didn’t wait for an answer. “Make yourself useful and go grab me a water from the fridge.”

“Yeah, me too,” Angel said.

“Make that three,” Sal added.

Eric managed a nod as he walked toward the kitchen. His phone beeped just as he reached the kitchen door—a text from Sofia. He gulped before opening it.

Negative…but what if it’s false? I still haven’t got my…

Relief came and went in the same breath. For now, they were in the clear but she was right. What if?

He walked in the kitchen. Sofia stood there looking worried. When their eyes met, she fell apart. Eric panicked. “Sofie, don’t cry.” He turned to look out the window. “All your brothers are out there, babe.”

To his dismay, Mrs. Moreno walked in from the front room. “Honey, what’s wrong?”

Sofia wiped the tears away and attempted to compose herself. “I have really bad cramps.”

Her mother rubbed Sofia’s back. “That bad?”

Sofia nodded. “Yeah, I’m gonna take an aspirin and lie down.”

Mrs. Moreno turned to Eric. “Did you need something, Eric?”

He’d been frozen in the same spot the whole time. “Uh, yeah,” he motioned to the back door, “they want water.”

She looked at him kind of weird. “They’re in the fridge. Go ahead and grab some.” She turned back to Sofia. “I’ll get you the heating pad. That should help ease the pain.”