By the time Pearl got home from work that evening, she was nothing short of wrecked—mentally, physically, and emotionally drained. The day had thrown everything at her: Jason's confusing presence, Amanda's humiliating outburst, and Clara's snide comment still echoing in her head. It felt like the universe had conspired to test every limit she had—and somehow, she was still standing. Barely.
She washed up, changed into an oversized tee, and curled under her blanket, attempting to distract herself with an online novel. But exhaustion won. Her eyes grew heavy, and before she could swipe to the next chapter, sleep pulled her under.
It was the sound that woke her.
Not loud. Not harsh. But soft, broken sobs. The kind of quiet crying that still pierced the soul. It was coming from outside her window. She jolted upright, heart thumping, squinting at her dim phone screen—*11:52 PM*.
*Who the hell is crying outside my window at this hour?*
She crept toward the window, pulling the curtains just enough to peek through the glass. The dorm compound was mostly asleep, bathed in a weak pool of moonlight—but then she saw them.
A girl, her back turned, shoulders trembling. And a guy—leaning casually against the wall opposite her, speaking. His posture was relaxed, but even through the glass, Pearl could sense the tension. He wasn't comforting her. He was *saying something.*
Pearl's curiosity snapped fully awake.
She leaned in closer.
Something about the girl's silhouette seemed... familiar.
And the guy? She couldn't make out his face yet, but her gut twisted.
*What the hell is going on at midnight under my window?*
Moving in for a better view, Pearl squinted through the darkness—and froze. It was *Jason*. And *Sheila*.
Shock jolted through her like a cold slap.
*Sheila? Crying?*
The always-cheerful, unbothered Sheila now had her face buried in her hands, shoulders shaking uncontrollably as Jason stood before her, looking... frustrated?
Pearl instinctively leaned forward, almost too far—her elbow slipped slightly, but she caught herself just in time by grabbing the window frame. Heart hammering, she focused in, trying to catch their voices.
And then—she heard it.
Heavily whispered words that sent her whole world spinning off its axis.
> "It was a mistake," Jason said quietly. "I was drunk. I told Armstrong to take me home... but when I woke up, I saw *you* on the bed with me."
Pearl's hand flew to her mouth.
*What?*
Her legs buckled. She staggered backward, knocking into her reading table with a loud clatter. A pen rolled to the ground. The sound was enough to startle the figures outside—both Jason and Sheila turned sharply toward her window. Within seconds, they vanished into the shadows.
Pearl dropped to the floor, barely breathing.
Her mind raced.
Jason's voice still echoed in her skull—cold and detached.
> "We can't keep this baby. You know it was a mistake. You were drunk too. It was just a moment... why ruin your life over it?"
Pearl sat frozen, the weight of what she'd just heard crushing down on her. Her ears rang with silence, but her thoughts were loud—chaotic.
A baby?
A drunken night?
Sheila?
Jason?
The boy who once looked at Pearl like she was his whole world... had just shattered another girl's world under her window.
And now... everything had changed.
Jason's voice was low but firm, laced with frustration and something colder beneath the surface.
"It was just a moment of pleasure for both of us," he said, avoiding Sheila's tear-streaked face. "Why do you have to ruin your future over it? You're only in your second year now—two more years to go. Think about what's at stake."
Sheila's body trembled as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. Her voice cracked, filled with desperation.
"You still don't get it, Jason. You *still* don't get me."
Jason frowned, genuinely confused. "I don't get what?"
Sheila took a shaky breath, clutching her stomach as if to steady herself. "I wasn't drunk that night. Armstrong knew I loved you, so he told me you thought I was drunk. But it wasn't like that. Suddenly, I just… started kissing you. One thing led to another, and yes, I did it. But it wasn't a mistake."
Her voice grew steadier, filled with raw honesty. "I did it because I love you, Jason."
Jason blinked, taken aback by her words.
"Ever since you stood up for me near the auditorium in my first year," Sheila confessed, "I've been in love with you."
Pearl sat frozen, every word crashing into her like a tidal wave. Her heart hammered so loudly she was sure Jason and Sheila could hear it even from outside.
*Sheila is pregnant.*
*Jason is the father.*
*And no one knew. Not a single soul.*
It was too much to take in—too much to process in one night.
Pearl's world tilted on its axis. The girl she always saw as carefree and untouchable was carrying Jason's child—and Jason, the guy she once trusted, was now tangled in a secret that could shatter all their lives.