Sparkle's POV
Michelle's apartment feels like a lifeline, but after a week of her pulling me out of my post-graduation, post-Lee spiral, I know it's time to go. I'm sprawled on her couch, surrounded by the familiar glow of fairy lights and the clutter of her coffee table, when I make the decision. "Michy," I say, twisting a strand of my red hair around my finger, "I'm gonna head home for a bit. See Mom and Star. I need… I don't know, a reset."
She looks up from her phone, her eyes softening. "You sure, babe? You know you can stay here forever if you need." She's been my rock, dragging me to exams, to the club, through the mess of Mat and that reckless night with Lee. I owe her everything.
I pull her into a tight hug, breathing in the lavender scent of her curls. "You've done more than enough. I'll be okay. Promise." My voice wavers, but I mean it. I need to get out of Burlington, away from the ghosts of Mat and the memory of Lee's hands on me.
The bus ride to my hometown, a small speck an hour outside Boston, is quiet, the hum of the engine lulling my nerves. When I step off, the familiar sight of our weathered blue house, with its sagging porch and overgrown garden, hits me like a warm embrace. Mom and Diana bursts out the door before I can even knock, her blonde hair streaked with gray, her apron dusted with flour. "Sparkles!" she cries, wrapping me in her arms, her vanilla perfume grounding me. Star, my 16-year-old sister, barrels out next, her freckled face lit up, her ponytail bouncing as she tackles me into a hug.
"You're a college grad!" Star squeals, dragging me inside. The living room is a mess of balloons and a handmade "Congrats, Sparkles!" banner, the glitter still wet in spots. Mom's baked my favorite lemon cake, the sweet tang filling the air, and they're both talking over each other, asking about exams, Michelle, everything but Mat. They know enough from my tearful phone calls to avoid that landmine. We spend the evening laughing, eating, and toasting my degree with cheap sparkling cider, and for the first time in weeks, I feel like I can breathe.
~
A few weeks later, something's off. I'm exhausted, more than usual, my body heavy like I'm wading through mud. Nausea hits me in waves, and I can't keep breakfast down. Mom notices, her brow furrowing as she watches me push away a plate of pancakes. "Sparkles, you're pale as a ghost," she says, her voice gentle but firm. "We're going to the doctor."
The hospital is cold, sterile, the fluorescent lights buzzing overhead as I sit on the exam table, my hands twisting in my lap. Mom's beside me, her hand warm on mine, her calm presence the only thing keeping me from bolting. The doctor, a kind woman with gray hair and a soft voice, comes back with my test results, her expression neutral. "Sparkles," she says, "you're pregnant. About six weeks along."
The world stops. Pregnant. The word echoes, sharp and impossible. Lee's face flashes in my mind those hazel eyes, that night, the reckless heat of it all. My stomach drops, and I grip the table, my vision blurring with tears. "No," I whisper, shaking my head. "That can't… I can't…" My voice breaks, and the weight of it Mat's betrayal, the one-night stand, now this crushes me. I'm 21, jobless, heartbroken, and now pregnant with a stranger's baby. How did I fall this far?
Mom's hand tightens on mine, and I feel her shift closer, her arm wrapping around my shoulders. "Oh, honey," she murmurs, pulling me into her chest. I sob, the sound muffled against her sweater, my whole body shaking. "It's okay, Sparkles. We'll get through this. You're not alone."
"I can't do this, Mom," I choke out, my voice raw. "I'm not ready. I don't even know him. I don't have anything to give a baby."
She pulls back, cupping my face, her blue eyes steady and fierce. "You listen to me, Sparkles. You're stronger than you know. You just graduated top of your class after everything you've been through. This baby? It's a gift, even if it doesn't feel like it right now. And I'm here me and Star, we've got you. We'll figure it out together, every step of the way."
Her words sink in, a lifeline in the chaos. I'm still terrified, still devastated, but her certainty, her love, holds me together. I nod, tears streaming down my face, and lean into her again, letting her strength anchor me. I don't know what comes next, but with Mom by my side, I believe maybe just a little that I might survive this after all.