Victoria whipped her head around, thinking she must have misheard. "You… what did you do?"
Cerys shrank under Victoria's gaze and repeated in a tiny voice, "I slept with a guy."
Victoria's temples throbbed. It took her a long moment to process what Cerys had just said. "Who was this guy?"
Cerys just stared at her expectantly, saying nothing.
A humorless smile touched Victoria's lips as she used her full name. "Cerys, don't tell me you don't even know who you slept with."
"We just slept together. Who it was doesn't matter… right?"
"Great. You've really gotten bold," Victoria said, nodding with a chilling smile. "So you get drunk, have a one-night stand, and lose your virginity, but you don't even know who took it."
Victoria's smile sent a shiver down Cerys's spine, and her head sank lower and lower.
Victoria got off the sofa, walked over to the dining area, and opened the refrigerator.
"Victoria, are you mad at me?" Cerys looked up, her eyes following Victoria. "I really didn't know that new drink was so strong. I only had one glass… Victoria, I'm sorry."
Victoria opened a bottle of juice and stared at Cerys for a few silent seconds before finally relenting. She returned to her friend's side and said seriously, "Cerys, I'm not mad at you. I just…" Victoria paused. Even though they had grown up together, this was Cerys's choice, and she had no right to interfere. "I just think you were a little too impulsive. I'm worried you'll get hurt."
People talked about equality between men and women these days, but when something like this happened, it was usually the woman who came out of it feeling more vulnerable.
"I know what you mean. Don't worry, I won't let myself get hurt," Cerys said, well aware of Victoria's concerns. She looped her arm through Victoria's. "Besides, it's better that I don't know who he is. I wasn't planning on having any kind of relationship with him anyway. I was just pissed off when I woke up and saw the guy bolting the second he got his pants on."
Victoria thought of something else. "Did you… did you guys use protection?"
Cerys froze.
Seeing her friend's blank expression, Victoria knew the answer. Her brow furrowed as she asked tentatively, "And you didn't take a morning-after pill?"
"I… I was drunk, so I didn't even think about it. And afterward… afterward, my whole body ached, and I was so angry that I…" Cerys's lip trembled. "I completely forgot."
Victoria raised a hand to her throbbing temple.
Cerys bit her lip. "It should be fine, right? I thought about it, and it was my safe period."
Victoria wanted to retort that there was no such thing as a truly safe period, but when she met Cerys's helpless and innocent gaze, the words died on her lips. In the end, she just mumbled, "Let's hope so."

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