A Lab Rat for His Love

I've been chasing after Howard Chapman for 20 years. A week before our graduation ceremony, we slept together every night, burning through ten boxes of condoms in just as many days.

When I bring him our 11th box of condoms, he turns me away as he's working on his thesis. Worried about his health, I buy him some supplements instead. But as I stand outside his door, about to hand them over, I catch him poking holes in the condoms.

His friend chuckles and says, "You're still sneaking Selena Reed birth control pills, huh? You're the only one who'd cook up such a scheme. Selena doesn't know she's already swallowed ten of them, does she? If she did, she'd throw a huge tantrum."

Howard snorts. "I wouldn't even touch her if I didn't need her to try the pills and help me figure out which one causes the fewest side effects.

"Lizzy's got a weak immune system. She's not as tough as Selena, so I have to be more careful with her. Besides, Selena and I are engaged. There'll be plenty of time to nurse her back to health after the wedding. I won't owe her anything."

His friends cackle at his response.

"You're not wrong. Selena's been pursuing you for 20 years. She's probably over the moon to marry you. She'd probably hand you her uterus if you asked for it—birth control pills are nothing to her."

Howard had just proposed to me yesterday, in front of the whole college.

My tears spatter onto the supplement box as I turn to leave. Howard has made his choice, and it's only right that I honor it.

I'd been in love with Howard Chapman for 20 years. In the week leading up to our graduation, we slept together every night and went through ten boxes of condoms in seven days.

After he turned me away when I offered him the 11th box, I bought him some supplements instead. As I stood outside, waiting to hand them over, I saw him poking holes in his condoms while his friends looked on, cackling.

Listening as he explained how he'd only slept with me so that I could test out birth control pills for his "Lizzy"—full name Melissa Lane—I cried. After all, he'd just proposed to me in front of the entire college yesterday.

Inside the room, Howard continued speaking. Eight hours ago, he'd gone down on one knee and promised to love me forever. Now, less than a day later, I felt as though his mocking words were stabbing me. Goosebumps rose all over my body.

His friends clinked glasses with him and said, "Rehearsing your proposal in front of the whole college is something only you could come up with. That scene today was so grand. If I were a woman, I would've married you for sure!"

"Selena has liked you for a long time, hasn't she? She's probably crying tears of joy right now, too preoccupied to think about your relationship