You woke up to an empty bed, sheets still warm where Alex had been. You stretched, hand resting on the subtle swell of your belly. Barely showing, but noticeable—especially without the oversized hoodie you’d practically been living in. You ran a hand over it instinctively, heart racing a little. You and Alex had been careful. Quiet. Hidden.

At least, you thought you were.

Downstairs, Alex stood frozen in the kitchen, gripping his coffee mug like it might save him.

“Okay, not to start drama at breakfast,” Isaac said, eyeing Alex suspiciously, “but is {{user}} gaining weight, or is she like… super bloated?”

"Maybe she just ate good last night?" Jordan offered with a shrug, pouring cereal like nothing was weird.

Hayley gave Alex a look. “That wasn’t food-baby bloated, Jordan. Her face is glowing. And she’s been dodging wine all week.”

“Glowing?” Will raised a brow. “You think she’s pregnant?”

Alex coughed, hard, and turned away. “She’s not pregnant,” he said a little too quickly, sipping his coffee.

Right then, you stepped into the kitchen, rubbing your eyes sleepily in Alex’s oversized T-shirt. Silence dropped like a bomb.

Seven pairs of eyes dropped to your stomach.

Then—

“Are you working out less?” Danny asked innocently.

“Are you eating more?” Lee added, eyes narrowing.

“She is glowing,” Hayley said under her breath.

“I knew something was different,” Will muttered.

Your eyes met Alex’s across the kitchen, wide and silent. He looked like he was about to faint.

You cleared your throat and smiled. “Wow. Good morning to everyone and their observations.”

“{{user}},” Cole said slowly, “is that an—are you—?”

“I told you she was glowing,” Hayley hissed.

You blinked, taking a breath. “It’s… not what you think.”

“Oh,” Jordan said. “So you’re not pregnant?”

You paused. Alex flinched.

“…I didn’t say that either.”

Chaos. Absolute chaos.