Vanessa didn’t think she could possibly feel any lower than she did. She was wrong.

‘Come in, guys.’ She moved aside to let them pass, Vanessa’s rounded belly touching Maggie’s taunt one. ‘So, are you guys here to discuss my eighteenth birthday party? What do you have planned? I promise I’ll act surprised.’

Shit! Maggie’s birthday was next weekend. Happy birthday to you.

Mark cleared his throat, his voice breaking slightly as he spoke. ‘Not exactly. We’ve… we’ve come to tell you something.’ His face was pale, sallow. ‘We… uh… sorry Mags, Vanessa and I. We slept together.’

There. It was out now. He’d told her.

‘We’re… I’m so very sorry,’ Vanessa added.

Maggie’s eyes swung from one to the other before a flush of rage raced up her neck to settle on her cheeks. ‘You’re sorry? You’re sorry?’ she screamed. She took a swing at Mark, who grabbed her hand easily in his. He held it down to her side.

Despite this, Vanessa knew what was coming but did nothing to stop it. She deserved it. The slap from Maggie’s other hand caught her across her left eye. Maggie drew back again, ready to deliver another slap when Mark yelled, ‘Stop! She’s pregnant!’

Maggie slapped her anyway. Vanessa hadn’t been expecting that one and her head rocked backward, neck cracking. Panting, Maggie stopped attacking her.

‘Shit, Maggie,’ Mark said, staring at his now former girlfriend.

‘You’re really pregnant?’ she asked tearfully.

Vanessa wiped her hand across her lips, tasting metallic blood on her tongue. ‘Yeah. We didn’t mean for this to happen, Maggie. You have to believe me.’

‘It was an accident,’ Mark added unhelpfully.

‘Oh right. So your cock just fell inside her, huh?’ The sarcasm was heavy in Maggie’s voice. ‘Get the fuck outta my house,’ she said through gritted teeth.

‘Fine then,’ Mark spat. ‘Just remember that I tried to do the right thing here,’ he said unfairly.

But how could Maggie be expected to react any differently? Vanessa stared forlornly at her best friend.

‘You heard me, get the fuck out,’ she snarled.

Vanessa turned to leave but felt something lodge itself in her hair, close to her scalp, pulling back hard.

‘You fucking whore!’ screamed Maggie, pulling so hard that Vanessa fell to the floor. Tears fell silently onto Vanessa’s cheeks as she stared up at her old friend. ‘How could you?’ Maggie was crying too. Noisy, angry tears.

It was like she was possessed, kicking out at Vanessa’s legs. Mark raced back into the house, grabbing her around the waist, picking Maggie up.

‘Get in the van. Now!’ he yelled as Vanessa hobbled out of the house and back to the van, hauling herself in.

A few minutes later Mark slammed the front door and ran down the path, throwing himself in the driver’s seat and locking the door as if afraid that Maggie would give chase. Maggie would never forgive either one of them, and Vanessa didn’t blame her. They had betrayed her trust in the worst possible way. Vanessa felt a sudden rush in her stomach and opened the door just in time to vomit out into the gutter.