I didn't feel quite right after my confrontation with my mother. But Cory kept my spirits high as I righted myself the next morning to prepare for a day of lectures. After he left for work, I got into my car and drove off to the university.

Entering the lecture hall, I walked up to the back row, taking a seat hoping I could feel small. While I felt confident I wouldn't cry, I really didn't want any attention. But, to my dismay, that didn't last as someone sat down in the seat next to me.

I turned to glare at him, but that dissipated quite quickly. I didn't normally respond in such a manner to people, because people are people, right? They are more than their face value. But damn this guy was fine. Dark brown hair and eyes, but gorgeously large muscles. He was almost like a model. I could feel myself gawking at him and my hormones making me want to reach out and touch him. But before I could let that thought go any further, I shook it away.

He looked at me, seeing I was staring at him, and grinned. "Hey, sorry. Is this seat taken?"

I gulped and shook my head. Get a hold of yourself Lily. You're pregnant and with Cory.

"Great. I'm Tyler," he said, holding a hand out to me.

I hesitantly put my hand in his, shaking it.

"And you are..." he asked.

I removed my hand from his, blinked twice, and found my voice. "L-lily," I croaked. "I'm Lily.
He smiled. "Nice to meet you Lily."

"You're not normally in this class," I said, stating the obvious.

He smirked. "No. I just transferred. Wasn't feeling my degree."

"Yes. Right. You like, um, medicine?"

He raised his eyebrows. I could see it in his eyes. He was regretting sitting down next to the blubbering idiot--that blubbering idiot being me, of course. But he quickly shook that expression away and said, "I don't know. Trying all sorts of things. Not sure what I want to settle on yet."

"Yes. Right. Commitment is difficult." What? Lily!

Thankfully, before I could say anything more stupid, the lecturer walked into the room and started the class, giving me room to breathe.

When the class ended, I packed up my things quickly and rushed out before I could say anything else ridiculous to the hot guy or get caught gawking at him more.

"Hey, Lily," his voice called from behind me.

Closing my eyes, I came to a stop.

He had caught up. "Do you have another class now?"

"No I have a break."

He grinned. "Me too. Want to get lunch together?"

I bit my lip. I was just making a friend. Yeah, I found this guy attractive... but surely there was no harm in saying yes, right? He was the first person in my classes to be this friendly. So I gave in and agreed.

Look. I know. I should have put many things on the table over our lunch conversation, especially the fact that I have a boyfriend and that I'm pregnant... with twins. But I avoided those two things. I felt like Cory and the babies had defined me so much lately in conversations with everyone that who I am--who Lily is--was slipping away into this role expected from me: girlfriend, friend, academic, mother-to-be. With Tyler, who knew nothing about me or my past, I had a chance to be just Lily. So I hid it. I knew it wouldn't last long. I was starting to show, but I was wearing loose dresses to avoid the staring eyes from acquaintances on campus. Eventually I would tell him. But for a brief hour, I enjoyed being me.

Before I had a chance to tell Cory when he came home about my new friend, he came in fuming, slamming his keys on the counter.

"What's wrong?" I asked, putting our dinner on the table.

"Fucking Mikey." Cory sat down in a humph.

"What did he do?"

"Broke up with Jojo."

"What? Why? We liked Mikey."

"He tried to pressure her into sex and she said no."

I frowned. "I will punch Mikey myself."

"No you will not."

"I'd like to see him take on a pregnant lady."

Cory rolled his eyes at me. "You are not going anywhere near jerk-head teenage boys."

I sighed and stirred my dinner around on my plate. "Fun ruiner."

He shook his head.

"So how was work?"

He shrugged and said, "Same old, same old."

"Lame. How's your uni classes?"

He shrugged again. He didn't have many words tonight. Had I said something that upset him?

"Picked out next semester's subjects yet?" I continued to probe.

Cory sighed. "I'm still thinking I should defer earlier so that I can work more."

I rolled my eyes. "You are not letting these babies get in the way of your education again."

He bit my lip. "Let's see how things get along." I knew he had more he wanted to say, but I let him drop it. I didn't want to pester when he already had enough on his mind from Jojo. Though I was certain I was going to kill Mikey if I ever saw him again.

"Jake?" I asked, my eyes wide. "How did you find me?"

Jake grinned at me, walking towards me slowly. I was on campus, late at night, no one around. I had just finished a late night lecture and was walking back to my car when I saw him, lurking by the vehicle.

"Go away. You can't come near me," I threatened him.

"I will never let you have those babies, Lily. Not after what you did to me," he sneered. And then he lept at me.

I curled up on the ground. Jake had disappeared. I hugged my stomach, knowing my baby was gone. "My baby!" I cried.

But suddenly my eyes flew open. Cory was staring at me concerned, asking what was wrong.

Shaking my head, I put my hand on my stomach, feeling a searing pain in my side. As I shuffled to sit upwards, a wet feeling caused my heart to drop. I slipped my hand down under my blanket, touching the wet liquid, before pulling my hand out to inspect. Blood. Bright red blood glistened on my hand.

"No," I whispered.

I didn't hear anything Cory said to me, but I let him help me out of bed, go to the shower to rinse off, and change my clothes. He quickly stripped the bed of the sheets so that the blood didn't soak through, then he helped me to the car.

As he started the vehicle, he hooked his phone up to the bluetooth and dialled the emergency after hours number.

"Hi, it's Cory Peterson. My partner Lily Willaims is pregnant with twins," he said.

"Oh yes. Cory. What's going on?"

"She woke up with blood just before. We are on our way to emergency. I'm just not sure who needs to know?"

"That's a good decision. I will contact the hospital. I can't come in now, but I'll talk with the OB on and explain Lily's medical stance so that she can help you best as possible. If you're still there come morning, I'll come check on you."

"Thank you." He hung up the call and extended a hand over to me, grabbing mine in his. But all the while I could think. I just thought about how I had failed these babies again. It was my fault for ever letting Jake into my life. My fault for even glancing at that other guy today... Why was Cory even with me when I was failing my duty as a woman?