Yes, No, Maybe So [34]

*34*

“Pregnant?”

I chewed nervously on my lip as I told the rest of my friends all at the same time.

Hammy warily looked at Jeff’s hand holding mine.  Roxas looked about like he was about ready to die.  Oscar looked completely shocked.  Mac put his hands into his pockets and glared up at Jeffrey from under his hair.  Hammy hadn’t put on emotion on his face since we came into the room together.  Cindy was going absolutely ballistic about this.

“Jeff,” Mac said in a low voice.  Jeff only shook his head as he squeezed my hand.

“Pregnant?” Cindy repeated, but more hysterically.

I winced.  “Stop, Cindy.”

“But you’re--!”

“Cindy,” Hammy said sternly.

She exhaled loudly and ran up to me to give me a hug.  “Oh, A!  So that’s what you were trying to tell me.”

I nodded tightly.  I don’t think I could breathe.  At least the other hard part is over.

She pulled back, her hands still on my shoulders, and looked at me seriously.  “I promise I’m going to do everything I can to help you get through this, A.”

I sighed of relief and smiled gratefully at her.  “Thank you.”

In a few weeks, Cindy has helped me tremendously.  By going with me to the doctor, and helping me eat the right foods, and everything.  It was going to be a long road ahead of us, but I was sure we were all going to survive.

Jeff’s been a huge supporter, helping me get through this, also.  Along with all the rest of my friends.  But Hammy’s been the quietest of them all since the day I told them I was pregnant.  But something tells me it wasn’t because of that.

“What’s wrong with Hammy?” I asked Cindy a couple of weeks later.  “He seems … well, not himself.”

We were shopping for food as she dragged me to go with her.  She didn’t like to go shopping by herself, especially grocery shopping, because she says it gets boring without a person.

She grabbed lettuce and examined it carefully.  “Oh, Hammy?” she asked.  “He’s just jealous, he’ll get over it soon enough like he did with Roy.”

I blinked at her as she moved on with the cart, leaving the lettuce behind her to look at some cucumbers.  “What do you mean?” I asked.

She looked at me and rolled her eyes.  “Like you haven’t noticed that my brother’s in love with you,” she said, drawling out the word in.  I gave her a bemused look.  She stopped the cart and placed her hands on her hips.  “Oh, my goodness, you haven’t?  Athena, open your eyes!  It wasn’t just Jeff fighting over you with Roy, but Hammy and Jeff used to fight over you a lot.”  She grabbed onto the cart again and walked on.  “Jeez.  Like it wasn’t obvious enough they both liked you.”  Cindy shook her head in disbelief.

“It wasn’t,” I said, absentmindedly putting a bag of tomatoes in the cart.  Cindy kept going.

“I mean, Hammy is head over heels for you, and Jeff … Well, I guess he was, too, but not as bad as Hammy.  I kind of feel sorry for him, you know?”

“Hammy?”

She nodded.  “Yeah.  He’s liked you for a very long time, A.  I, uh, don’t know what to say to that.”

“Me either,” I replied.  School wasn’t any easier.

I’ve been getting morning sickness for the past couple of weeks, and it is just horrible.

The doctor said that it was normal.  It’ll wear off in about, oh, a couple more weeks.  Great, I thought lamely in my head after I flushed the toilet, wiping a hand over my mouth.

I got out and found Minnie standing there, looking innocent.

Her eyes looked incredulous and I froze, not knowing what to say or do.  Was she there the whole time I was puking?  How gross if she was, but she wasn’t stupid.  She must know, right?  No, maybe she just thinks I’m sick.

“He got you pregnant,” she whispered in disbelief.

My eyes widened and I shook my head.  “No, no, I’m just sick!” I said in a rush.

Her eyes narrowed.  “You are not sick, Athena.  I know when you’re lying.  We used to be best friends, remember?”

I remembered all right.  I glared at her and went past her.  I washed my hands.  “I’m going home.  I’m sick.”

“Whatever,” she muttered darkly.  “Just to let you know, I know!  Slut.”
 I could feel my eyes burn as the tears were on the verge of coming out.  Oh, no, not now.  I wiped them away as I went around the corner and pressed my back against the wall to regain myself.

Minnie knows, and just to get back at me I’m pretty sure she’s going to tell the whole school and call me a slut.  This was so not good.  God, she’s such a bitch!

And I was right.  By the next day rumors were flying, and Jeffrey always kept me close as if trying to protect me from them as he scowled.

“God,” Cindy said as she sat down next to me during lunch.  She glowered at the people staring at us--at me.  “You didn’t even do anything, Athena.  Minnie’s the slut, not you.  I mean, you were forced to--”

“Shut up, Cindy,” I quickly shushed her, pulling her down to sit her butt on the chair.

She muttered, “Sorry.  But it’s true.”

“You think they’ll believe me if I lie?” I asked, staring blankly out the huge window in front of cafeteria.

There was a moment of silence.  “No,” Cindy and I said in unison, looking down sadly at our food.

♥ ♥ ♥

Ah … Summer.  It was bliss.

“Athena!”  I turned around and smiled.  Jeffrey came up to me and gave me a kiss.

“Hey,” I murmured against his lips as his hands found their way down to my stomach, almost holding it.

“How’s the little buddy?” he asked, leaning back and looking at the bump.  It’s been four months, and I was showing just a little bit.  A round bump.  It was like--bam!--it was there.  My father was trying to get over that he was about to be a grandfather.

My own mother was still mourning over how she was getting old.

I just knew that my future was going to be different.  Will I even be able to finish high school?  Yes, I was sure of that.  But college?  I think I’m going to have to pass on that, or find a way.

Take online college courses?  I think that’s what I was going to have to do in the end.

“Fine,” I said, laughing a bit.  I was hoping it would be a baby boy.  I rubbed my hands over the bump and Jeff caught my hands.  He brought them up to his face and kissed my knuckles one by one.

“Okay, so here’s the deal,” he said, wrapping his arm around my shoulders while we start walking towards his car.  “The guys and Cindy want to have game night at Oscar’s place, but I disagree.  It should be at my house, right?”  He grinned at me.

I giggled.  I shook my head.  “Oscar’s place, Jeffy.  You know better.”
 Jeffrey sighed and shook his head.  “Yeah.  But it was worth a shot.”

It’s been okay these past few months.  Summer was finally here, so I could escape school for now.  I could focus on my baby and hope for the best.  I’ve learned to love this baby already.  It was mother’s instinct, huh?  I just wanted what’s best for it and for it to be healthy.  And gosh darn it, it’s going to have the best family it could ever have.

With my friends by my side, and supportive family, I think I could manage that part.

Tally freaked out when I told her and said, “Oh, my goodness, Athena!  How--”

Gerald was the one who said, “Congrats.  Hope it’s a boy.”

Some people were speechless and didn’t know what to say when I told them I was pregnant, but I learned how to deal with that crap.  Like they thought I was a whore or something, but I knew I wasn’t and neither did my friends.

I haven’t even seen or spoken to Roy since that night he raped me, and frankly, I’m glad.  I never wanted to see his ugly face again.

Maybe he did deserve to get thrown in jail or beaten senseless for what he’s done, but I knew he was capable of getting himself out of trouble, and hurting my friends.  I couldn’t be able to handle that.

I didn’t want my friends to get into trouble at all.

Now I was here, surrounded by my friends, asking how I was and the baby, too, and I was happy.  Truly happy.

If only I’d seen what was coming next.  If only.

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*IMPORTANT MESSAGE!!* I put a song down there.  No, I can't listen to it, but I don't care about that.  What I care is that you guys are able to listen to it.  It's really important and I gotta know D= this is only a "test" song, and if i can't hear it, i'm only wondering if the rest of you guys can't hear it or what lmao. so plz tell me when u comment if u can play the song cuz i sure can't XD

Oh em gee!! so please do tell me what u think is gonna happen. =) n yes, i am finished with Yes, No, Maybe So. a few more chapters n it's officially over for u guys, also =( yes i know, how sad, but a story always has to end. anyways, hopefully u guys like my new story that's coming out *crosses fingers* i really like it, so i hope u guys like it too =D lmao. don't forget to COMMENT, RATE & SUBSCRIBE plz =D u guys r amazing as always!!!!!!!! lots of love, Fred Loving Hobo ;]