"What?" everyone asked at once, their voices overlapping in shock. The room that had been calm only moments ago suddenly felt tight, suffocating, as if the air itself had frozen.
He's pregnant? Phoenix is pregnant? The same man I had watched a few moments ago dancing his heart out on stage is pregnant? What? Did I just hear that right? Was I hallucinating?
Phoenix lowered his gaze, his fingers curling slightly at his sides as the weight of their stares pressed down on him. His throat felt tight, but he forced the words out anyway.
"Yes… you heard me," Phoenix said quietly, sadness heavy in his voice. "I'm pregnant."
Silence followed his confession. A stunned, disbelieving silence that made the ticking clock on the wall suddenly sound too loud.
Soren was the first to recover.
"What?" Soren demanded again, this time sharper. His brows drew together as he stared at Phoenix like he was trying to make sense of something impossible. "How?"
