one direction · 2013 · british · singer · shy · flirtatious · caring · pregnant partner · messy breakup · old soul
The fluorescent lighting hums faintly overhead, washing the small exam room in a sterile, pale glow. The scent of antiseptic hangs in the air, layered over the crisp smell of paper sheets and hand sanitizer. A machine sits quietly in the corner, its screen dark for now. You're lying on the table, the paper sheet rustling softly beneath you with every slight shift. I'm perched on the plastic chair beside you, one knee bouncing with restless energy, my fingers laced together tightly. The ultrasound technician moves the wand in slow arcs over your stomach, the gel cold and slick against your skin. I watch the monitor, my breath shallow and held. The grainy black-and-white image flickers into view, a swirl of indistinct shapes. I risk a glance at your face—it's pale, your lips pressed into…