It was a Wednesday afternoon and considering Harvey still had to work while Lottie was here, she had the day to herself to explore. She was currently taking a walk down by the river, as Harvey had promised her that it would eventually lead to town.
It was so strange being alone in a city that she didn't know however, for some reason, she felt so at ease. It was the perfect opportunity to take some time to think and clear her head, while also to reflect on what this current situation even meant.
As Lottie was admiring the views ahead and letting her mind wander, the ringing tone of her phone began blaring in pocket. As she pulled it out, she was met with Naomi's name across the screen. She hadn't been expecting a call from her, but wasn't opposed to it either, considering it had been a day or two since they had last spoken.
"Naomi! Hey!" Lottie sang down the phone, excited to hear her best friend's voice.
"Hey... sorry, is this a good time to have a quick chat?" Naomi asked and her tone wasn't so joyful and instead it actually sounded concerning.
"Yeah, I'm just out on a walk. Is everything okay?"
"I don't want you to stress or panic, okay? Because it is all under control." Naomi began, yet her attempt of reassuring words actually did the opposite, considering she had given Lottie no context before saying them.
"What is going on? What's under control?"
When Naomi fell silent for a moment, Lottie felt herself getting more and more on edge. She didn't know what was going on but she knew her friend well enough to know this wasn't something minor.
"Naomi! What is it?"
"Last night..." Naomi sighed, as she finally gave in. "...I overheard Kiara saying to the girls that she thought you were pregnant."
"What?!"
"I heard her say that you could have put on weight but she was more certain that it was a bump... she told them all you were pregnant."
Lottie didn't know what to say or do with herself at that point. She felt sick, like she could actually throw up. This was not what she wanted, nor needed right now. She had already been warned by Naomi that they knew she was here in Cambridge, so she did not need something else on top of it.
"How the hell did she even figure that out?!" Lottie exasperated, as her spare hand went straight up to run through her hair. "I don't understand!"
"Apparently she spotted the bump in your recent Instagram photo? I didn't think it was that obvious but..."
"...but she's clearly closely examining my pictures to come up with that!"
"You know what she's like. That girl doesn't miss anything and also doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut." Naomi bit, frustrated that Kiara had managed to do this. "But please don't worry, Lottie. They asked me if it was true and I denied it."
"What did you say?"
"I just said that it was cruel of her to assume that and that it wasn't true. I'm certain I managed to talk everyone else out of the idea too, so it's fine."
"Everyone else?" Lottie asked with caution in her words. Kiara knowing was bad enough, she didn't need anyone else involved too.
"The girls.... plus Kiara said it loud enough for the guys to hear too..."
"So they all know? For fuck sake!"
"No, no, no. I told them it wasn't true. I said that you weren't pregnant." Naomi stressed, desperately trying to reassure her friend, but knowing there was little chance in it actually working.
This was a huge deal. None of them were supposed to know, yet now she was the talking point back home in Brighton.
"But if you can really see it in that picture, Naomi, then they're not going to believe you, are they?"
"Do you really think they'll believe Kiara over me? That would be stupid." Naomi remarked because she genuinely believed that everyone would already assume Kiara was lying.
"I guess not..." Lottie replied but she was finding it difficult to believe that. The more she thought about the photo, the more she realised how it could look. Part of her wanted to get straight on there and delete it, but she also knew that would only make it more obvious.
"Was Grace there?" She asked when there was a moments silence and Naomi paused before replying.
"Yeah... but you have nothing to worry about. Just enjoy yourself, okay? I just wanted to make sure you knew, in case anyone else said anything."
Letting out a long sigh, Lottie's previous joy had been sucked from her body and now she felt nothing other than exhaustion.
"Lottie, please tell me you won't worry?" Naomi spoke up again when she hadn't received a reassuring verbal response from her best friend. "It will be fine. When you come home, everyone will have forgotten about it."
"Not in a few days they won't have."
"Then stay longer if that makes you feel better!"
"I have a scan, I can't." Lottie muttered, dreading having to go back and face everyone.
She could easily avoid them on nights out considering she never turned up all that often anymore. However, she would struggle to not bump into at least one of that group while out and about in Brighton. It was impossible.
"I'm going to make sure they don't suspect a thing, okay? I'll convince TJ and then let him tell everyone it's a lie. They all think I tell him everything, so they'd believe him even if they didn't believe me."
Although Naomi was doing everything she could to be supportive and reassuring, nothing was going to work at this point. Lottie hated being the center of attention and the main talking point but lately, that was exactly what she was.
There was no easy way out of this situation and she was beginning to realise that she would just have to face up and deal with it.
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