I take a deep breath and the tears suddenly dissipate without coming out. Thank God. The weepy feeling goes away and I just feel a little dead inside.
“Something happened last night,” I say. She waits for me to continue. Not pushing me beyond the pace at which I’m comfortable. I don’t know if I have the strength to say it out loud. “The condom broke,” I whisper.
“What?” Dr. Greyson sits up in her chair. I don’t repeat it. “Alice, when did this happen?”
“Last night.”
“You need to go to the health office. You need to get the Plan B pill. It works within seventy-two hours.”
I nod. I don’t want to.
“I know you don’t want to deal with it right now,” she says urgently, “but you have to. You only have seventy-two hours. If you go to the health office, they’ll give you a prescription and you can get it filled tonight.”
“I don’t know.” I shake my head. “It’s probably fine. He didn’t…orgasm.”
The word feels awful in this clinical environment, but I couldn’t think of another one.
“It doesn’t matter. There’s still a chance that you might get pregnant. You have to take care of this.”
I sigh.
“Alice, if you don’t promise to take care of this, I’m going to take you to the health office myself. This is very important. Unless of course, you want to get pregnant at eighteen.”
I don’t. That’s the last thing I want.
“Okay, I promise.” I shrug.
I stand in line at the closest drugstore, the Duane Read a few blocks away from the dorm. Could this week get any worse? I think to myself, perusing through People magazine. All of these people dressed up in the best dresses for the Golden Globes in warm Los Angeles. Oh, what I wouldn’t give to be back there. I don’t have to be at the Golden Globes, I just want to go home. Away from this place. Away from this week.
“Alice? Alice!” I hear someone calling my name. I don’t recognize the voice. I don’t want to talk to anyone right now. Shit.
When I turn around, I come face-to-face with Tea and let out a sigh. Tea is one of the best people to run into.
“What are you doing here?” she asks.
“Just getting some medication. You?”
“Me, too. Well, not medication, but I have to pick up a few things.”
They call my name. The pharmacist gives me the box and instructs me about how to use it. I nod and pay the amount. $70! Crap. Why the hell is it so expensive? The pharmacist asks me about insurance, but I say I don’t have any. It’s a lie. I do have some but it’s through my parents’ and I don’t want them to find out.
“Oh my God, Alice,” Tea says. “I couldn’t help but overhear. Plan B. Are you okay?”
I shrug. “I’ll be fine.”
I didn’t plan on telling her what happened with Hudson, but it just comes out. In the hosiery aisle, of all places. Right in front of a wall of leggings.
“I can’t believe that you two broke up.” Tea shakes her head. “I’m so sorry. And now you have to deal with this on top of all that?”
I sigh. I have to attend mandatory alcohol abuse counseling too. I still don’t know how the hell I’m going to pass my public speaking class at this point. Tea asks me if I want to have a cup of coffee next door. That sounds like a great idea.
“Hey, you know what you need?” she asks as we share a croissant. I take a sip of my coffee. “Why don’t you come to Atlantic City with us?”
“What?”
“Tanner and I are going to Atlantic City this weekend. I’d love for you to come.”
“No, no, you guys are going on a romantic getaway…” I start to say.
“Well, it is Valentine’s Day, but it’s not like that.”
Valentine’s Day. Oh my God. That’s right! It’s this weekend. I had completely forgotten about it.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“I have to go there to research something for this book I’m writing. Tanner is coming along. It’s too soon for us to go on a weekend trip. So actually, you’ll be doing me a favor if you come.”
“I don’t know,” I say. “I don’t want to be a third wheel. I’m sure that Tanner wants some romantic time with you on Valentine’s Day.”
“Okay, well, then invite some people. I’d love to have extra people there.”
“Tea, what’s wrong? Are you not that into Tanner?”
She sighs. “No, I am. I’m just…I don’t really want to go away for a weekend with him. I’m not ready to sleep with him yet.”
“Oh,” I say. “Oh, I see. If you two go away together, share a hotel room…then you think…”
“Exactly,” she says. “So, you’re really going to be doing me a favor. Invite your roommates, too. The more, the merrier. Juliet. Dylan. Maybe not Hudson.”
“Ha, yeah, probably not Hudson.” I smile. “I guess a trip away from here does sound nice.”
“Excellent, then it’s decided!” She grins from ear to ear.
“So, tell me about this book. That’s exciting!” I say. “Was it what you were working on before? About Belize?”
“No.” She shakes her head. “It’s a completely different story. It’s actually a romance novel.”
“Really? Wow.”
“I know. I never thought I’d write one, but then I read a few and they’re really exciting and passionate. I just wanted to try my hand at it.”
“So, what’s it about?” I ask.
“I’m not entirely set on the name yet,” Tea says. “It’s either going to be called A Weeklong Fiancé or Fiancé for a Week.”
“Hmm, I’m intrigued.”
“It’s about this normal girl. She’s a copywriter at an online magazine. Just graduated from college. She has an apartment, a roommate, and an unhealthy obsession with chocolate and shoes.”
“Well, who doesn’t, right?” I say with a wink.
“She’s drowning in student loans, has no idea how she’s going to pay them off. Then
