Pregnant With The Douchebag Jock novel Chapter 1

Ellie

I would choose the bear.

Why?

Because men are the scariest creatures on earth.

I haven't told anyone that I feel like this, and I'm not seeing a therapist. I should, but my fear didn’t take root until recently. It happened after I was sexually assaulted. Of course, no one knows it ever happened. I'm scared no one would believe me if I told them. Especially since I'm not beautiful, tall, or attractive.

I'm just a short, bookish brunette, an introverted nobody. And it was a famous football player on campus who did it.

Why did he do that?

Why me?

Those exact thoughts are why I keep it a secret. I'm not the type of girl a guy would go for, so no one would believe me if I said Laurent Smith pushed me against a wall and forced himself on me.

It happened during my first frat party, before any classes had started. Laurent was drunk, but that is no excuse. What he did was wrong. Yet, I still feel guilty for being there. For locking eyes with him and thinking he liked me.

Little virgin me thought I was special when he smiled my way.

I was, but not in the way I wanted.

Laurent Smith chose me as his victim that night. That guy…broke me. Whenever I think about what he did,I just cry. Every night when it crosses my mind, I want to die. I should probably seek help, but I’m convinced not even a therapist would believe me if I told them what Laurent did.

So, I keep my mouth shut and try not to dwell on it. I'm not wealthy enough to afford therapy anyway and I’m fine. I can handle this. There's worse stuff happening in the world.

I should just be happy that I'm not pregnant—I checked.

And my fear of men is just a phase that will pass.

Despite the chaos inside my head, I continue tapping away on my laptop in the library. Since it's the first year of college, our professor wants us to bond and make new friends. He paired us up for a presentation, but my partner wasn't there.

I actually consider myself lucky because I was supposed to work with a guy named Maddoc Daniels and even though all the girls squealed when they heard his name, I hadn't been as excited. I don’t want to be paired with a guy.

Maddoc Daniels sounds like an intimidating name. The girls whispered words like hot, sexy and popular. One girl even practically fought the professor to switch partners with me; what was that all about? Girls are weird…

Yawning, I take a deep breath and stand up from my chair. I'm getting hungry and should leave the library. I live with two other girls in a tiny apartment. They usually help themselves to my food, but maybe there's something left for me today.

I roll my shoulders and reach for my laptop. But before I can grab it and leave, a loud voice cuts into my thoughts.

"Hey, you!"

I slowly turn around and freeze.

Holy shit.

Who is that?

Anxiety coils in my stomach. A ridiculously colossal guy is headed in my direction. His grey hoodie clings to his muscular arms in a way that makes me blush, forcing me to raise my jaw to meet his irritated eyes instead.

Big mistake.

His sullen lips makes him even scarier and judging by his ripped physique, he must be into sports—football, wrestling, maybe a lineman. He must be at least six-foot-five, maybe six-foot-six. Big. Huge. Intimidating. Handsome enough to make me forget how to function. I stand there like a fool while my brain goes blank.

Is he a movie star?

I'm pretty sure I'm gaping like a goldfish when broody guy folds his arms over his mighty chest. "You're Ellie Henriksson, right?" he asks in a deep, authoritative voice.

I gulp and whisper, "Yes."

His relentless gaze will be the later inspiration for my nightmares. We’re inches apart and the fabric of his hoodie is almost brushing against me. He clearly doesn't respect personal space. Scary. I'd get away from him if not for the table behind me; I'm trapped like prey.

"To think I found you in the library. It must be my lucky day or something..." he mutters.

I can’t stop staring at him. Does this guy live at the gym or something?

"Are you listening to me?"

No, I'm checking you out. "Y-yes..." I stammer.

He sighs. "The professor said he gave you my number. Why didn't you text or call me? We're supposed to work on this together."

"Uhhh...?"

"What was that?" he looms over me, boxing me into the table. Having him so near makes my heart pound wildly. "Wait. Are you challenged or something?"

I open my mouth to speak, but my tongue has turned into a thick, useless worm inside my mouth. No sound comes out.

The intimidating guy leans closer, scrutinizing my eyes. Is he going to hurt me? I freeze while he glares, too nervous to move. Too damned scared of him.

"Are you on drugs?" he demands.

I shake my head.

"Then why haven't you called?"

"C-Called?" I stutter.

He raises his voice. "Yes, Ellie?! We're supposed to work together! Explain yourself! Why didn't you text or call me? Talk, for fuck's sake!"

Work together?

"I'm..."

"Speak up like a normal person! No one's going to hear you if you mumble like that..."

I gulp, tears prickling behind my eyelids while my tongue nervously licks my lips. Is he mistaking me for someone else?

"I'm... sorry… but who are you?" I manage to ask.

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