(One year later)

Ever since the Halloween party last year you have been thinking about only one thing - what happened? There were rumors going around in school that Chelsie had gotten pregnant with some guy but they were just rumors. Chelsie approached you one day saying that she had taken the pill the same evening and that she was not expecting but even she had no idea where Romina was so she told you first. You had never really seen her in school either but now she was nowhere to be found. You and Chels became something like low-key friends after that and you were able to convince Natasha to not ask for sex every day since it had gotten embarrassing for you after a while. Especially after your friend took note.

You are still friends with Pearl but you never had the guts to tell her what happened. She has started getting more and more attached to you and last summer she asked you out which you of course agreed upon, making you two official. You have had sex a few times with her since then and it has been so much more your style than what happened a year ago. Pearl wants you to wear condoms and you are always careful when you are with her. It is the day of halloween again and there was seemingly another party only this time you were not invited. It was apparently close friends only. You were never that close with Chels anyways so it's not far fetched to think you were not invited - not that you would've went, you got enough from last year.

It's school the next day, you into the college you wanted and you are majoring in biochemistry. Pearl kind of followed you there but she's insisting that she really is interested in marine biology and that some studies about biochemistry could only be useful for her. You help her of course and get to hug her in bed every night, that is good enough for you most days.

Now, you are leaving from school and when you get home you find someone walking towards your porch. The girl has black hair and looks rather slim. She wears nothing too striking, just some jacket and long boots, it could be anyone. You think about Chels but honestly her figure is much more defined. You hurry to them and see that it's no one other than Romina. Her pale cheeks are red as it's a little chilly outside: "H-hey there... mind if I come in? I know... I am intruding and..." She says troubled and you are happy to let her in. You rented a bigger house just recently with Pearl. It is in the better side of town where Chelsie and Natasha live too, only a lot cheaper. You get along well there - you even pay your rent to the Darlingtons nowadays, it's a bit weird. That's also why you assumed it was your landlord at first.

"So... it has been a year now and... I'm so sorry for not showing up sooner, it has been a rough year for me..." Romina explains as she sits down on the couch. She is wearing more casual clothes than what you were used to - she doesn't look as intimidating. Her real eye color seems to be green, and her hair seems to be either dyed black or natural - you can't tell, either way, no white stripes. "That's sad to hear. Did you have to ask somebody where I live? It's a bit jarring to see you here like this." You ask, she blushes a little and plays with her hands: "Well... I was at the party last night... I was kinda hoping you'd be there too, but yeah... I dressed up accordingly too... geez..." She says and looks away.

You have no idea what's going on - you assume Romina and Chels met up recently, last year they were separated. There are not too many friends of Chels in the same school as you so you have kinda fallen off the loop. "I-I don't know what's going on at all... w-well, what did you dress up as?" She smiles and takes something from her pocket and puts it in your palm: "I-I dressed up in an apron, put my hair up and wore those kinds of embarrassing slippers... it was supposed to be like... like a mother costume. I wanted... I wanted to surprise you..." Your eyes go wide. You look at the paper in your hand, there's a very young baby in the photo with Romina with her striped hair still. "N-no..." You look at her and she gets closer and takes your hand: "I-it's yours! I got pregnant, March! I named her after you! Margaret Kosovar, that's her name. Look, she has your beautiful blue eyes, and... she's like us, you can't tell here but..." You can't help but scream: "AAAAH! This can't be happening! No! Romina! What is this, what?!" You get up and look at her as she looks a little hurt: "March... it's our child, she's three months old now. We can go to my place right now, to see her." She gets up and looks into your eyes reaching for your hand - you take a step back and cover your mouth.

"I... I am her... I can't... Romina, I am with somebody! I can't do this! You have to go." You know that Pearl is coming home in just a bit, if she finds out she might leave you forever, you love her too much for that. "No, March, listen! I have had it really bad this last year! I stopped going to school, I got kicked out from my parents place when I refused to tell them who the fath... eh... mother was... I am living in this shitty apartment with a kid I don't know what to do with! I need you, March! Please? I fucking need you, she is our child for god's sake!" You almost feel like there's a choice to be made. You hate it, it's unfair. You never had a say in any of this and now you are put in a situation like this? You must make up your mind.