Static Dinosaurs and Unspoken Hearts |ShellVision|

Chapter 10

Vee could feel the weight of Cosmo's words, the heaviness in them. "We were worried," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. Cosmo didn't say anything at first, just gazed down at the floor, her hands resting lightly on her stomach. She looked like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, like the secret she had been keeping had finally become too much. "I'm pregnant," she finally whispered, the words falling from her lips as if she'd been holding them in for far too long. Vee didn't even flinch, though her heart twisted in her chest. She had suspected, but hearing it out loud made it real. She gently took Cosmo's hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "Cosmo," Vee said softly. "You're not alone in this. We're all here for you." Cosmo blinked, a tear slipping down her cheek. She took a shaky breath, as if trying to steady herself. "I know," she said quietly. "But I haven't told Sprout yet. I don't know how. I don't know if he's ready for this. I don't want to hurt him." Vee nodded, understanding more than she let on. The fear Cosmo felt—the fear of disappointing Sprout, of throwing everything off balance—was something Vee recognized deeply. She squeezed Cosmo's hand again, her voice firm with compassion. "When you're ready, we'll help you tell him. We'll figure it out together." At that moment, Cosmo swayed a little, as if suddenly feeling weak. Without hesitation, Vee stepped forward, lifting her in her arms in a fireman's hold. Cosmo let out a small, surprised gasp but didn't protest. The others gathered around, offering their silent support.

Shelly was the first to speak, her voice gentle but firm. "We're not going anywhere, Cosmo. You don't have to carry this on your own." Cosmo gave a small, trembling nod, the tears now falling freely as she leaned into Vee's embrace. The others didn't say anything, but their presence spoke volumes. Connie and Gigi exchanged looks, their concern evident, but neither of them spoke. They simply stood close, waiting for Cosmo to be ready to speak more. And yet, as Vee looked down at Cosmo, one thing weighed heavily on her mind. Sprout doesn't know. The thought lingered in the air. How would Sprout react when he found out? What if he wasn't ready to be a father? What if he didn't want this at all? But that was a question for another time. Right now, the most important thing was that Cosmo wasn't alone. The group would stand by her, no matter what came next. As the girls sat with Cosmo, trying to comfort her, Vee's thoughts returned to Sprout. There was no way to keep this secret forever. Soon, he would have to know. And that was something they would all have to face together. But for now, all Vee could do was hold Cosmo and reassure her that everything would be okay—even if it didn't feel that way just yet.

The air in the hallway grew thick with tension as Sprout's footsteps echoed in the distance. He had been walking around, looking for Cosmo, and it wasn't long before he reached the area where the girls were gathered. Cosmo, still cradled in Vee's arms, flinched slightly at the sound of his voice calling out. "Hey! Have any of you seen Cosmo?" His tone was light, casual—he didn't suspect anything was wrong, but the urgency in his voice betrayed his concern. Vee exchanged a quick glance with Shelly, who, sensing the rising tension, gave a subtle nod toward Cosmo. Cosmo's eyes widened slightly in panic. She pulled herself a little further back, her hand gently gripping Vee's arm. "No, don't tell him," Cosmo whispered, her voice almost frantic. "Please, not yet." Vee could feel the fear in Cosmo's grip, and though she hated keeping secrets from Sprout, she knew how much this moment weighed on her friend. Cosmo wasn't ready yet. And maybe, just maybe, it wasn't their place to push her into revealing something she wasn't prepared for. Shelly gave a slight nod, her eyes soft with understanding. "We won't," she whispered back. As Sprout approached, looking from one of the girls to the next with a furrowed brow, Vee tried to mask any hint of the unease that had settled in her chest. She put on her most casual expression, though her heart was beating faster with each passing second.

"I haven't seen her," Vee said, shrugging slightly, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of guilt. Connie, still seated, nodded as well, her expression one of neutral calm. "Nope, haven't seen Cosmo. She probably went off somewhere to think." Gigi, too, gave a quiet shake of her head. "Maybe she's in her room?" Sprout paused, a hint of uncertainty in his gaze. "Hmm... alright," he muttered, scratching the back of his head. "Well, if you see her, tell her I'm looking for her." The girls nodded, their faces as unreadable as possible. Sprout didn't seem to think twice about it; he simply turned and walked off, his footsteps fading as he wandered in search of Cosmo. As soon as Sprout was out of earshot, Cosmo let out a deep sigh of relief, her body relaxing against Vee's. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I wasn't ready to face him yet. I know I need to, but I... I don't know how. Not yet." Vee gently set Cosmo down on the nearby couch, making sure she was comfortable before sitting beside her. The rest of the group crowded around her, each of them offering their silent support. "We get it, Cosmo," Shelly said quietly, her tone soft but unwavering. "You don't have to do anything you're not ready for. But we're here for you, whenever you decide it's time to talk to him."