I Was Doing Just Fine Before I Met You.

“Jack, you’ve hardly touched your dinner and I made you something special.” Mom pestered from across the table.

I sighed, keeping my hands pressed into my thighs lifelessly as I stared down at the fried egg and slice of cheese squashed between the bagel on my plate. I sniffed lightly and felt my frown grow when the smell made my stomach feel even more like lead.

“Sean.” She pressed, hitting her elbows over the table.

“You need to eat, son.” Dad told, pushing my plate more towards me. “Even when you’re not hungry.”

“You can’t still be angry with me for sending you to school.” She mumbled, the horrid sound of her fork scrapping against the glass plate filling my ears.

“I want to sleep.” I stated, wincing as I pressed my knees together.

“What happened to your voice?” She demanded, pulling my eyes from my cooling dinner.

“He lost it, Jane.” Dad answered for me, placing his large palm between the back of my shoulders. “Probably from all of that crying he did.”

I breathed in deeply, slumping my shoulders more as her eyes lingered on me. I stared back at her, not having the energy to even smile while she gave me a suspicious once-over. I pressed my hands between my thighs as silence took over the room, struggling to keep my sore eyes open another second.

“You look worn out, baby.” She observed.

My frown deepened, the familiar heat creeping up the back of my neck. Embarrassment and shame filled my gut, making me want to curl into a ball on my bed and cry my eyes out. How could I let my guard down like that? I let myself walk out of school with Alex knowing damn well he didn’t want to go get slushies, but I was just too stupid to realize his true intention until he was ripping my pants off. There was just something about him when he waited for me to come out of the classroom, something different, but I was wrong. He just used me like he uses all of the others.

“Eat half of that and you can get to bed.” Dad bargained, the image of Alex above me and dripping with sweat vanishing before my eyes.

Sighing heavily for the millionth time tonight, I lifted my right hand from my thighs and picked the make-shift sandwich up. I brought it to my lips effortlessly and took a small bite. Once the melted cheese hit my tongue it was a lot easier to take a second bite. Then a third. Then a fourth. Then a fifth.

“So much for not being hungry.” Dad chuckled, ruffling my beanie around when he rubbed at the top of my head.

I rolled my eyes, pushing my empty plate more towards the center of the small table as I shoved the last bite into my mouth. Chewing slowly, I carefully stood up and relaxed when nothing felt too bad. I pushed my chair in and wiped my mouth on my sleeve, grabbing my full glass of water before I turned to leave the kitchen.

“Not so fast.” Mom rushed out, making me freeze in place. “Why don’t you sit down for a few more minutes? We need to talk.”

“Mom.” I huffed, looking back at her with droopy eyes.

“Sit, Habibi.” She ordered softly, pointing back to my empty seat. “I got a call from school today.”

I swallowed thickly, my heart plummeting into my stomach as I got back in my seat reluctantly. I scooted in enough to lean into the table, stealing a glance at my dad scratching his beard before shoving another mouthful of potatoes into his mouth. Biting my lip, I looked back to my mom and tried to keep any kind of look off of my face.

“Apparently you were supposed to have a chat with Principle Wilkins and Nurse Kent today,” She started, sucking in a breath. “but I got the call informing me of your absence during the time you were due to speak with them. However, he informed me that he did not know what he was calling the meeting for because your teacher made it clear that he was to find out from you.”

“Um.” I stammered, swallowing the dry lump forming in my throat.

“I informed him of the situation.” She finished, pursing her lips. “I know you’re nervous about what everyone will think of you, believe me I know how you’re feeling, but that doesn’t mean you can hide in a bathroom to avoid it.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Cassadee panicked.

“I don’t know.” Parker answered. “He won’t even look at me.”

I hiccupped, practically hyperventilating as I let out another wail out of my control. Loud footsteps rang through the blood rushing through my ears and I kept my hands tucked in between my chest and legs even when two thin arms wrapped around my body. My eyes struggled to open through the thick water gluing my eyelashes together and I pushed my mouth more into my knees to drown out my sounds.

“Jack.” She cooed, pulling me sideways until I leaned into her. “Jay, what’s the matter?”

“He’s been like this since I found him twenty minutes ago.” Parker announced, sounding closer than before. “This bathroom is nowhere near his class, Cass.”

“Jacky.” She tried again, but all I could think about was Alex.

I squeezed my eyes shut, tightening my hands into fists as the ache through my body reminded me of what I’ve done. What is wrong with me? Why did I think I would be any different? He used me and I was fast to let it happen. Why did I let it happen again? I have no excuse. I was sober and coherent enough to take in every detail, how good he made me feel.

“Jack.” She pleaded, pulling my head back by pushing her palm into my forehead.

“N-no.” I croaked, shaking my head silently.

“What’s the matter?” She questioned, looking into my unfocused eyes. “Is the baby okay?”

I hummed and forced a nod, pulling my hands free to wipe at the waterfall forming along the sides of my face. Sniffling hard, I finally felt the waterworks begin to calm down while my heart thumped painfully in my chest. I heaved a sigh, quickly sucking in another deep breath right after. The burning in my lungs subsided and the stinging in my eyes dulled as an ache formed above the bridge of my running nose. Blinking hard, I forced the last few droplets out and stared down at my curled fingers while my body shook with remaining hiccups.

“Jesus Christ, Jack.” Parker sighed in relief, suddenly kneeling in front of me. “You were fucking inconsolable, what the fuck?”

“Real nice Parker.” Cassadee snapped, hugging me closer. “What happened, Jay?”

“J-Just hold m-me?” I stammered through shaky breaths, pressing myself into her side harder.

“Of course.” She whispered, re-situating around me more comfortably. “Sh, I got you.”

“You’re seventeen years old, Jack.” Mom went on, bringing me out of my flashback. “Not to mention, you’re going to be a father. You need to accept it and stop trying to hide from it because it’s not going to go away.”

My frown deepened, the same dreadful feeling filling my gut like it did when I first found out. Gulping, I looked down at the table for a few seconds before I let my gaze lift back towards hers.

“What if I don’t want to?” I rasped, not mentioning that I wasn’t hiding in the bathroom to escape my teachers.

“Excuse me?” She gaped, raising her eyebrows.

“I don’t want to be a dad.” I deadpanned, crossing my arms over my chest. “So, I’m sorry if it’s so fucking hard for me to accept.”

“Watch your mouth, Jack.” Dad warned.

“If you really feel that way,” Mom paused, frown lines forming across her forehead. “we can look into adoption like I’ve said before. The only problem with that, is we need the other father to sign over his parental rights before we can start that process. And let’s not forget that adoption takes some decent time, so we’ll need to get started as soon as possible and I still haven’t heard from-”

“Okay, Jane.” Dad cut in, holding my glass of water out to me. “This doesn’t need to be decided right this second. Hell, this isn’t a decision that can be made in five minutes so relax and let him get some rest. He clearly had a long day.”

I took the glass of water, gulping down two long sips in attempt to stop my head from spinning. I swallowed slowly, grimacing at the throbbing in my temple while the room grew tense. Nerves flopped around my stomach and everything felt weird as her voice repeated in my mind going a mile a minute. Adoption never sounded so intimidating.

“Okay, Sean.” She sighed. “I’m just saying I still haven’t heard from Jeremy, which is a problem because I need to know where he stands. Or more importantly, where Alex stands.”

“He could care less.” I blurted, getting more lightheaded when both sets of eyes burned into my face.

“I don’t know about that, son.” Dad disagreed, leaning on his elbows.

“I’m pretty sure all he cared about was getting between my legs.” I commented, his loud choking filling my ears beside me.

“Get to bed.” He coughed, taking a drink of his beer. “I need to talk with your mother.”

I tried to stifle my yawn, failing miserably while my eyes watered. Nodding, I slipped out of my chair and grabbed my water from the table again. Sipping at it, I looked between them one more time before turning my back and finally escaping the kitchen. I yawned again, groaning quietly as I staggered up the steps. Turning right into my room, I walked over to my bed and set my glass on the nightstand beside it before rolling down into the soft mattress.

The darkness filling my eyes brought me a sense of peace and I tucked myself under my covers, curling into myself on my side. I closed my eyes, huffing at the stiff feeling settling in my bones. Rolling onto my back, I kicked the blankets from under my feet and huffed. Lifting my head, I pushed my blanket to my hips and bit my lip harshly. Slipping my hands up my sides, I squinted through the dark and watched my fingertips linger at the hem of my crewneck before I slowly pulled it up my chest. The strip of light from the hallway barely lit the space near the edge of my bed, but it gave enough dim light for my eyes to focus on the bump I’ve been trying to avoid. I gnawed my lip, slowly sliding my fingers over the hardness.

“You’re really in there.” I whispered shakily, my eyes growing wetter as I felt around. “You have a heartbeat which means you can probably hear me too. Or not.”

I sniffled, laying my head back against my pillow while my hands cradled around my belly. I struggled to keep the warm tears in my eyes, slowly running my hands in circles over the bump. There’s a baby inside of me and all I’ve been doing is ignoring them. This is a part of me whether I like it or not.

“I’ve been so negative about you and it’s not your fault.” I spoke quietly, biting back my quivering lip. “I just don’t want my life to change and that’s all you’re gonna do.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Are you up?!”

I licked my lips, keeping my eyes on the strands of hair I ran my comb through quickly. After three more times of running it up and down, I dropped the comb back onto the counter and ran my fingers through my rough hair.

“Oh.”

I turned to the opened door, looking over my mom’s surprised face before going back to situating my teased hair. I hummed, getting it to sit just right and spraying a long squirt of hairspray over it. Setting the can down, I wiped my fingers under my eyes gently enough to keep the foundation from smearing before I tugged at the tight hem of my white crewneck. I bit my lip, looking over the way the thin material clung to my sides. My bump popped through noticeably underneath the large, black Adidas logo and I sucked in another shaky breath.

“I was going to tell you that you could stay home today.” She revealed, stepping up beside me. “It’s Friday and I know yesterday was rough on you.”

“I’m okay.” I said, taking a step back to admire the light blue jeans glued to my legs.

“The jeans fit you well, I see.” She observed, pinching at my side where the belly band ended just over my ribs. “I told you I had pretty good taste and they’re skinny jeans just like you love.”

“Thank you.” I mumbled, wiping my hands over my thighs.

“You’re welcome, Habib.” She chimed, pressing a dry kiss to my cheek.

I smiled a little, feeling the nerves bubbling in my gut simmer down just a tad. The loud vibration of my phone next to the sink broke the comfortable silence and I swiped it up, unlocking the screen quickly.

“Oh, um,” I started, clearing my throat and ruffling the back of my hair with my free hand. “Parker’s picking me up.”

“Oh, good.” She smiled in relief, brushing her long black skirt off. “I was planning on you staying home so I waited longer to check in on you.”

“I figured I should get it over with, right?” I shrugged, biting back at my lip.

“That’s my boy.” She smiled, pulling my in for another kiss on the cheek. “I do have some news for you, but we’re going to talk about it later.”

“Mom.” I whined, hating the suspense. “I’m going to freak out about that all day.”

“It’s nothing bad.” She reassured, backtracking out of my room. “Have a wonderful day, baby.”

“I’ll try.” I muttered, giving myself another once-over before flicking the light off and stepping back into my room.

The honk of Parker’s horn made the butterflies sky-rocket through my chest and I grimaced, re-thinking my choice to go to school period let alone dressed like this. Shaking my head, I grabbed my dark grey zip-up and pulled it over my arms quickly. After flicking my light off, I dug my phone into my pocket and jogged down the steps. I slipped into my moccasins and grabbed my backpack from the ground, sucking a deep breath through my nose and pulling the front door open. I whined immediately at the cold chill hitting my uncovered skin, pulling the door shut behind me and speed-walking to the passenger door of Parker’s van. I shivered, pulling it open easily and tugging it shut before I was even all the way inside.

“Damn, you made an effort today.” He commented, turning the heat up as I buckled my seatbelt.

“This is how I dress.” I retorted, rolling my eyes at him.

“Yeah, before you got pregnant.” He corrected, chuckling as he back out of the driveway. “You look good, by the way.”

“Well, I couldn’t be a bum forever.” I sighed, leaning on the center council. “I was running out of sweats.”

“You only have like three pairs of sweats and two of them are mine.” He laughed, turning the radio down.

I giggled along with him, tucking my cold hands into my warm pockets as I sunk back into the seat. Silence fell between us giving my nerves time to grow as we got closer to the school’s parking lot. There’s no way I can wear this hoodie all day today. It would be too warm with the fuzzy inside designed for fall and winter weather. My long-sleeve will have me roasting in it in five minutes once we walk into the heat of the high school.

“What are you thinking about?” Parker asked, pulling my eyes from the scenery passing us by.

I shrugged, looking at him from under my straightened bangs. Biting at my lip, I took in his dark hair spiked out of his face and into a fo-hawk before my eyes trailed over his tired face. I blinked, finding him quirking his eyebrows at me before my eyes fell to his Chainsmokers hoodie.

“Jack.” He called, the car slowing down considerably.

I looked through the window, watching everyone fight to find the closet parking spots as we drove by.

“Does this have something to do with the state I found you in yesterday?” He questioned cautiously.

“I’m just nervous.” I admitted, keeping my eyes glued to the kids crowding around different areas outside. “Principle Wilkins, Nurse Kent, and Mr. Leon know. I’m almost positive that everyone else will come to the conclusion once I walk through the school without a hoodie twice my size.”

“Oh.” He drawled, finding a decent spot near the main entrance. “Is that what had you bawling in the bathroom?”

“Yeah.” I answered shortly, unbuckling my seatbelt with trembling fingers.

“It’s going to be fine, Jack.” He comforted, patting my thigh. “You’re not the only pregnant kid around.”

“I’m the only one pregnant by Alex.” I reminded, biting my lip when the engine cut off.

“As far as we know.” He scoffed.

I scowled, swallowing thickly as my stomach churned. I pushed the door open and stepped out smoothly, closing the door without a glance around me. Slinging my backpack over my right shoulder, I stuffed my hands into my pockets and took off across the parking lot with Parker catching up beside me.

“Jesus, can you run a little faster?” He joked, pulling the door open for me as I rushed forward.

“Not fast enough.” I said, gripping the insides of my pockets as I turned into the familiar hall with my locker.

“Deep breaths.” He reminded, draping his warm arm over my shoulders.

I relaxed instantly, slumping into his side easily as he led me down the corridor. I took a deep breath, loosening my fists in my pockets as we grew closer to my locker. Parker’s strong cologne filled my senses, somehow managing to take away my anxiety for the most part and I smiled, tugging my left arm free and wrapping it around his back.

“See? Not so hard.” He chirped, sticking his hand out and spinning my combo into my lock within seconds. “Don’t look so freaked out. It’s not going to be as bad as you think, I promise.”

“You promise?” I pouted, leaning my head back into his shoulder in order to look up at him through my widened eyes.

“I promise.” He repeated, grinning down at me like a maniac. “If anyone has a problem, I’ll kick their ass.”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I rolled my eyes in annoyance, taking the small cup of water held out to me and taking a small sip before shoving the quarter-sized gummy into my mouth. I chewed loudly, swallowing hard and sticking my tongue out to show everything went down alright.

“No need to be so dramatic.” Mrs. Kent said disapprovingly, taking the cup from me once I drank the rest of the water.

“I already took my vitamin this morning when I woke up.” I informed, swinging my legs as I sat on top of the cot in the corner of the room behind her office.

“Your doctor recommends twice a day until you’re caught up.” She reminded, twisting the cap on my prescription and tucking it back into the cabinet behind my head. “Preferably when you wake up and in the afternoon, which is why you’ll be seeing me before lunch from now on.”

“Okay.” I agreed, knowing it would do no help to argue.

I pressed my palms into the uncomfortable plastic underneath me coating the cot just like any other doctor’s office and tilted my head back. Cool air rushed down the front of my shirt from my movement and I sighed, wishing my whole body could feel it.

“It’s got to be seventy degrees in the building, Jack.” She informed.

I bit my lip, sitting back up and slouching uncomfortably in my jacket. I shrugged in attempt to show I didn’t care, but the beads of sweat beginning to form across my forehead told otherwise. Swallowing thickly, I tugged at the zipper near my neck and pulled it down until it disconnected. The heat escaping my chest was enough to help me pull my arms out and I moaned in sweet relief once I was free from the faux fur.

“My God, are you trying to dehydrate yourself?” She scolded, pressing a wet cloth over my forehead.

“More like disappear.” I answered honestly, closing my eyes and taking the cloth from her.

“You’re not going to disappear.” She stated dryly. “It’s impossible and I don’t want to see you put yourself in danger again.”

“I-” I stopped, sinking back at her stern gaze. “Okay. I’m sorry.”

“You can pick the jacket up before you leave today, alright?” She suggested, tucking it into her elbow. “Your shirt will keep you warm enough throughout the day.”

“Fine.” I nodded, wiping my cheeks and neck. “Is my makeup ruined?”

“Just a little patchy.” She noted, leaning closer and sticking her thumb out. “Hold still.”

I closed my eyes, feeling the soft pad of her thumb rub soothing circles under my left eye before repeating the process to my right.

“There.” She clapped. “I’ll get you a water bottle and you can be on your way.”

“Thank you.” I whispered, watching her leave the room.

I sighed, crumbling up the damp cloth and setting it on the cot beside me. Wiping my hands over my thighs, I pulled at the hem of my shirt and shook it out a bit in attempt to loosen it up. Shaking my head, I pressed my palms back over my stomach and let out another heavy breath.

“Here you are, my dear.” Mrs. Kent chirped, holding the cold water out to me.

I took the bottle from her with a small smile, carefully jumping down from the cot. I tugged my pants up and situated the hem of my shirt enough to cover where the belly band began. Tucking the bottle into my elbow, I ruffled at my hair and rolled my lips together as I procrastinated another minute.

“You’re fine, Jack.” She laughed lightly. “Go on before you miss your chance to eat.”

“I’m going.” I confirmed, slowly walking towards the opened door.

“Don’t be afraid to tell me anything now.” She called. “You hear me?”

“I hear you.” I nodded, unable to help the smile taking over my face.

Shaking my head, I stepped through her office and back out into the main hall once again. I walked towards the direction of the cafeteria, self-consciously wrapping my arms around my torso to replace my lack of jacket. The silence rang in my ears, soon replaced by echoes bouncing around the walls from the students already in the cafeteria. Rubbing my bony elbows, I sucked it up and pushed through the closed doors with a wince. I stepped inside, flickering my gaze around and sighing with relief when nobody stared at me. The talking didn’t stop around me like a dramatic movie scene and nobody seemed to look my way.

“About fucking time.”

I jumped, stopping in my tracks only to realize it was Parker’s voice coming from beside me. I looked over, finding him seated at a quiet table with Cass and Lynn already seated across from him.

“Sit down, Jay-Jay.” Lynn ordered, pointing to the free space on the end.

“I was with the nurse.” I mentioned, slipping down into the seat rather quickly.

“We know that, but they’re just impatient.” Cass announced, sliding a plastic container filled with salad in front of me.

“You said we weren’t allowed to eat until he got here!” Parker defended, shoving his piece of pizza into his mouth.

“Cass.” I frowned, immediately getting shushed.

“We eat together.” Lynn recited, dropping a plastic form on top of the lid. “Now start munching, mommy.”

“Oh my God.” I laughed, feeling like my normal-self for once. “Don’t call me that.”

“Seriously though, start eating.” Cass pushed, pulling the lid open for me and sticking the fork in. “We only have like, fifteen minutes you slowpoke.”

“Excuse me for getting lectured about vitamins.” I smiled, stabbing the fork into some lettuce. “You didn’t even get me dressing.”

“Who needs dressing?” Lynn asked, pushing my hand towards my mouth. “It’s unhealthy for you anyway.”

“Says you!” I exclaimed, rolling my eyes playfully and shoving the mouthful between my lips anyway.

“She doesn’t even know what salad is.” Parker stated, draping his left arm over my shoulders and leaning into me. “All she eats is McDonalds.”

I giggled, hearing the usual bickering between them start up while I kept my focus on eating my salad. I hummed through another forkful, feeling my stomach flip pleasantly for once as it got filled. Breathing in through my nose, I untwisted my water and took a refreshing gulp while I rested into Parker’s soft side. Licking my lips, I set the bottle back next to my salad and lifted my gaze across the cafeteria instinctively. I jumped, unable to keep my body from freezing when my eyes locked with Alex’s.

“You okay?” Parker asked, leaning close to my ear.

I stared back at Alex, watching him remain slumped over the corner of the table across the room. His face was blank, sending chills down my spine as he brought his own water to his lips without breaking eye contact. I frowned, hurt piercing through my gut while yesterday flashed through my mind.

“Jacky?” Parker cooed playfully, nudging my cheek with his nose.

I blinked, shaking the memories from my head and turning my attention back to Parker.

“I’m fine.” I smiled, scooping another bit of lettuce into my mouth. “Thought I was gonna be sick.”

“Stop shoveling that salad down your throat so fast and you won’t feel like puking.” He chuckled, squeezing my shoulder before letting his hand fall loosely over my shoulder again.

“I’m done already.” I noted, pushing the almost-empty bowl away from me and licking my lips.

I wiped over my mouth, looking over the table for a few seconds before drifting my gaze back towards Alex. I bit my lip, looking away almost instantly when his eyes met mine again like he never looked away in the first place. Clearing my throat, I wrapped my arms over my stomach and leaned into Parker while I zoned in on them talking about the fall weather going straight into feeling like winter.

“Gaskarth!”
“Yo!”

I sat up, looking across the cafeteria where the yells came from only to see a group of three guys standing at the table Alex was just sitting at. Furrowing my eyebrows, I scanned around the table and over towards the doors just in time to catch Alex’s body slipping through the double doors on the opposite end of the cafeteria.

“I’m telling you, I can’t wait for those sugar cookies at Jack’s.” Parker gushed girlishly, bringing me back to our table.

“Oh yeah, they’re so good.” Lynn agreed. “I can’t believe Christmas is so close.”

“We still have like, two weeks until Thanksgiving guys.” Cassadee laughed, collecting my trash from in front of me. “Which reminds me, are we doing anything fun over break?”

“I have to pee.” I blurted, an uncomfortable push pressing over my bladder.

“Hurry back so I can walk with you to class.” Parker told, lifting his arm off of my shoulders.

“Will do.” I noted, walking around the table and heading towards the closest set of doors.

I pressed my lips together, pushing through the doors easily and stepping back into the quiet halls. Twiddling my fingers, I turned left and headed towards the bathroom right around the corner. I grabbed the hem of my shirt, slowly inching towards the door and hoping to find the bathroom empty. I pulled at the door, wincing at the screech of the hinges bouncing off the walls as I stepped in. I grimaced at the smell of disinfectant, my eyes squinting to adjust in the dim light as I made my way to one of the three vacant stalls.

I locked the door behind me, sighing in relief when I pulled myself free. I let go, practically moaning at the pressure leaving me as I emptied my bladder in peace. Shaking myself off, I tucked back in and flushed the toilet with my foot before getting out and walking over to the sink. Switching the water on, I squeezed some soap from the dispenser beside the handles and quickly rubbed it into my hands knowing the bathroom wouldn’t stay empty for long. Not even a second after the thought ran through my mind, I heard the door squeak open and heavy footsteps pad along the dirty tiled floor.

I held my hands under the water, glancing behind me through the mirror and barely getting a glimpse of the body practically falling into the center stall behind me. I gasped, rinsing the rest of the soap from my hands quickly when loud retching filled my ears. I shook my hands out and turned the water off before grabbing two sheets of paper towel from the dispenser to my right. Drying my hands off the best I could, I crumbled them up to use as a cover to open the dirty door. I stepped away from the sink, letting my curiosity get the best of me as I peered into the stall. I stopped, recognizing him immediately.

“Alex?” I asked softly, grimacing at the sound of his vomit spilling into the toilet a second time.

He coughed, practically hacking up a lung before his body fell sideways into the wall. Biting my lip, I cursed my good heart for keeping my feet glued to the floor instead of letting me leave without looking back like my mind told me to. Heaving a sigh, I cautiously stepped closer to the stall and covered my mouth when the smell met my nose. I leaned into the opened door, watching his eyes nearly roll out of his head the second they met mine. He chuckled, a glob of spit escaping his wet lips and dribbling down his chin. I grimaced, the leftover vomit staining his chin failing to keep my own stomach from twisting sickly. I held my breath, maneuvering my leg to kick at the flusher before I had the chance to taste my salad a second time and I looked away as the mess went down the drain. Sighing, I dropped my hand from my face and re-folded the damp paper towels into more of a napkin.

“Are you,” I started in disbelief, leaning down a bit closer. “Are you drunk?”

“Pfffh.” He scoffed, confirming my assumption when his breath hit my face. “Nope.”

“You reek of booze.” I informed, standing up straight with an eyeroll. “Why am I here?”

“I dunno.” He scoffed, crossing his legs in front of him. “I don’ feel good.”

“Clearly.” I agreed.

I rolled my eyes, biting my lip in embarrassment while his glazed eyes looked me up and down. I swallowed the lump in my throat, replaying his words from yesterday in my mind. My stomach flipped in dislike and I frowned, hating the jealousy coursing through me at the thought of him going for another round in the truck not even an hour after I gave myself to him like I did.

“I need to go to class.” I blurted, tossing the towels into his lap. “I don’t even know why I’m standing here in the first place.”

“You like me.” He slurred.

“I don’t.” I scoffed, butterflies erupting throughout my chest.

“A lot.” He mumbled, leaning his head back along the hard wall. “You wouldn’ let me fuck you like that if you don’t.”

I flushed, wanting to punch his stupidly attractive face for looking so smug. Scowling instead, I crossed my arms over my chest and side-stepped only for his hands to reach around me. I groaned in frustration, confusion mixing in while his hands settled over my hips. I blinked down at him, the butterflies intensifying as his eyes stared into my stomach.

“Alex,” I trailed off, watching him lean forward.

“Fuck.” He whispered, tightening his fingers around my hips.

“What are you-“ I stopped, unable to move my hands quick enough before his face was pressed into my stomach. “Alex! Ew ew ew.”

I shoved at his shoulders, shockingly knocking him away in the first try. He fell back against the wall and dropped his hands limply into his lap, my eyes immediately falling to the orange-brown stain smeared form where his chin made contact. I held my hands out, pinching the Adidas logo down to inspect the damage.

“I’m wearing white.” I hissed, pulling the damp material away from me.

I looked down at him, my anger softening once I met saw his paling face. Another sigh left my lips and I stepped out of the small cubicle, making my way back towards the sink. I pulled a dry towel from the dispenser and pressed it under the dripping faucet. Once it was wet enough, I folded it into fours and walked back over to Alex’s slumped form. I bit my lip, ignoring my disgust momentarily and swiping the towel over the remaining substance drying near his lips.

“Are you okay?” I asked quietly, tossing the crumbled paper into the toilet once his face was clean.

“Fuckin’ peachy.” He answered, throwing his hand up in an okay motion.

“I’m gonna,” I started, pausing when he pulled his sweatshirt over his head. “what are you doing?”

He held it out to me, slumping against the wall further. I stared at the black hoodie silently, shaking my head once I pulled it from his loose grasp.

“I can’t wear this.” I told, staring over his exposed arms. “All of your friends would know it’s yours.”

“And?” He sighed, running his hands over his face.

“And?” I mocked, tossing the sweater back into his lap. “They’ll wonder why I’m wearing it and I’m-”

“You’re carrying my fucking baby.” He stated, pressing his fingers into his eyes.

I jumped, widening my eyes when he leaned forward. His hands wrapped around my hips, pulling my shirt up in the process. I stayed silent, watching as he pressed his forehead into the bellyband covering my skin. I sucked in a shaky breath, feeling my heart thump out of my chest more as the seconds passed slowly. I licked my lips, keeping my hands raised a few inches over his shoulders while he breathed against me.

“You deserve the world.” He whispered loudly, squeezing at my hips.

I held my hand over my mouth, fingers shaking as he stayed glued to me for another minute straight. The bell signaling the end of lunch pierced through the bathroom, bringing me back to reality. I gently pushed at his shoulders, biting my cheek when he willingly pulled away at the same time. Dropping my hands, I watched him pull the black ACDC shirt from his chest and hold it out to me just like he did with the sweatshirt. I took it from his hands and held it to my chest, watching him sway as he tried to pull the hoodie back over his chest. Shaking the t-shirt out, I stuck it between my legs and pulled my crewneck over my head very carefully.

“Jack?”

I jumped, throwing the t-shirt over my head as fast as I could. Alex’s head popped through the hoodie as he struggled to get his arms through and I pressed my finger to my lips, practically jumping out of the stall with my shirt hanging out my elbow. Parker came into my line of vision right away and I laughed breathlessly, stepping towards him until his back pressed into the door.

“Took you long enough, did you have to shit?” He joked, bright light flooding my vision as the door opened for us.

“No.” I glared, rushing us back into the hall. “I’m pregnant.”

“Okay, jeez.” He chuckled, holding his hands up in surrender. “You want to stop at your locker?”

I nodded, stepping closer to him once the crowd grew thicker between halls. I sighed tugging the loose shirt from my stomach as we rounded the corner, biting at my lip when it felt like a million more eyes burning into me instead of just Parker’s.

“Is that,” He began to ask, moving to stop in front of me. “is that a hickey on your neck?”

“What?” I gasped, instinctively pressing my hand over the spot I begged Alex to touch.

“I never said where on your neck.” He retorted, raising his eyebrows up in surprise.

“Shut up.” I whispered, glancing around the hall as we stayed close to the wall.

“What the fuck?” He frowned, blocking my view of everyone else. “Why didn’t you tell us? Who was it?”

“I don’t want to talk about this right now.” I whispered, looking down at my stomach.

I gulped, heat climbing up my neck at the noticeably worn state of the t-shirt. Rolling my lips in, I crossed my arms in attempt to cover the faded band logo and continued to step back around Parker. I breathed in through my nose, hurrying towards my locker with him right on my heels.

“That’s not your shirt.” He observed, watching me spin my combination. “And it certainly isn’t mine.”

“I wasn’t fucking anyone in the bathroom.” I snapped, throwing my crewneck inside and grabbing my backpack from the hook. “Just drop it, okay?”

He followed through with silence and a pang of guilt rang through me, but at the same time I didn’t really care. Knowing that I have a visible hickey on my neck now is really that’s all on my mind. Well, that and the fact that I left Alex in the bathroom drunk out of his mind.

“Let’s just get to class.” He concluded, shutting my locker once I pulled my backpack over my shoulder.

“Yeah.” I agreed, digging my hand into my back pocket when my phone buzzed.

I pulled it free and swiped my thumb over the screen, opening the new text message right away.

From: Mom
Your father and I decided we’re going back to Alex’s tonight. We’re going to talk about options and whatnot. I’ll be there to pick you up after school.
Xoxo

Notes