Mom and I walked into the diner and found an empty table for two.“I didn’t think we’d get time for it right now?” I admitted.Mom smiled at me. “Things have been hard for both of us recently. I think we both need this.”I wasn’t going to argue, even though she didn’t know just how hard things were going to get yet. The scent in the diner had my mouth watering, and I hadn't realized I’d been craving pie before we walked in here.A waitress stopped by our table and took our order. It was the same thing we always got when we came out, a slice of pie. Mom’s jobs didn’t pay a lot of money, and we couldn’t afford to eat out with all the bills, but Mom could at least splurge to get us both a mug of hot chocolate and apple pie once every month. We’d turned it into something we did for fun as a family of two. I wasn’t feeling it this month, but I wouldn’t say no to apple pie.“You look like you haven’t eaten in ages,” Mom laughed, watching me dig into my pie.I shot her a smile, wondering whe
School had let out, and for the first time in a long while, since I was in middle school probably, I headed straight home right after.I’d just arrived when I got a message. My phone was in my pocket, and I felt it vibrate as I got out of the car. I paused with the door open and pulled the phone out to see who was texting me. The name that came up on my screen surprised me.Hayley?I frowned and tried to think of who Hayley was. It took me a minute, but I did remember, and I straightened my back out, opening the text to read it.“Hey, Evan. Are you free?” “This is weird,” I muttered, frowning at my phone. I sent a quick text back.“What’s up?”“Can you come to my place?”Her reply was just as quick and left me shocked for a second time.Why would Hayley be texting me at all? I didn’t remember when I even gave her my number, though she could just as easily have gotten it from someone else. I’d seen her in parties before, so I vaguely knew her. Now, though, I also knew she was a friend
I paced around in Hayley’s room, occasionally biting my lips, then biting at my nails.Hayley sighed. “Would you stop that? You’re wearing a hole in my carpet, Anita. Just relax.”I pouted. “What’s taking him so long, though? He should have arrived by now, even if he was home already when you texted him.”“Maybe something came up,” she shrugged. “He could just be a little late. Wait a bit more before you start worrying.”“It’s been more than thirty minutes, though, and he has a car! We walked here from school, and it only took ten minutes.”“Maybe he decided to walk,” she suggested. “His home is a little further from the school, right?”That gave me pause. If he did decide to walk, then it could take thirty minutes. Even though I had no idea why he would, I thought of it as a possibility and calmed down a bit.“What am I even going to say to him when he gets here?”“Everything,” Hayley said. “About the party, about getting pregnant, all of it. I get why he’s mad at you because of your
I opened my eyes, and for a moment, I was confused about where I was. My room was never this big, and the window faced into an alley, so while light came in, it was never bright enough to have me squinting my eyes. Even the bed I was laying on was different.Then I remembered. I wasn’t home, I was in Minnesota, staying at my grandma’s.I slowly got out of bed, wincing when I felt an ache in my back. I’d been a little too enthusiastic with chores yesterday. I felt sorry for my grandma who had to put me up because I was avoiding my own graduation. I’d finally told Mom about the pregnancy and we’d both decided it would be best if I hid before I got too big.My stomach had finally started to bump out a little bit. I was only in my third month still, so I wasn’t too big, but at least my family knew about me. Mom had helped with the school, though I was still worried about high school and if I’d have to repeat the year.As I walked into the bathroom, I grumbled to myself about my cowardice.
The house was noisy, but it was a different noise from before. This time, I preferred it to the quiet. I walked downstairs to find Dad hurrying around.“What’s up?” I called as he rushed by me, and I headed for the fridge to pull out a carton of milk and take a few gulps.Dad stopped at the kitchen’s entrance. “I’m meeting Brenda and the wedding planner in a while and I can't find my car keys. Have you seen them?”I shrugged. “Did you check your clothes from last night?”He paused, then ran off to check. I just sighed and shook my head, then looked around for breakfast. The cupboards were getting empty and there wasn’t much left in the fridge, but I found an almost empty box of cereal and decided to have that with milk.“Don’t forget the groceries!” I shouted at Dad.I got a muffled sound to confirm he heard me, and it just made me laugh as I sat at the dining table.We’d come a long way from just a few weeks ago. Mom had moved out of the house, having agreed to the divorce and she an
Even though I’d practically waited until last minute to make the decision, in the end, I did turn up for the wedding. Because it was happening by the beach in LA, I had a bit of a drive ahead of me all the way from Minnesota. I knew where I was going, though, and I had a car. It was Mom’s big day, and I didn’t intend to miss it.When I was close to where we were supposed to meet, I parked against the curb to call Mom to confirm. I was supposed to be meeting her at a hotel, but this was my first time in LA and I needed directions.“Anita! Where are you?”I sighed. “I’m close, at least. Can you tell me the name of the hotel and how to get there?”“Sure. Where are you now?”I looked outside and tried to describe to her where I was. After she figured out the street I was on, she gave me the instructions.“Hurry up and get over here,” she said with a happy laugh. “I have a dress waiting for you. It stretches, so I think it’ll fit you, but I can't say it will be comfortable.”“That’s fine,
I arrived with Chanel just in time to get seated before the music came on and the ceremony started. Because we were a little late, we found seats closer to the back. I could have looked for seats closer to the front seeing as I was the son of the groom, and Chanel seemed to want me to do so, but I hung back instead, and I was glad that I did. If I hadn't, I might have missed seeing Anita hurry in to look for her own seat.“Is that Anita?”Chanel’s voice was incredulous, having noticed Anita as well. I didn’t have any intention of moving, everyone had already settled down, but she still clutched at my arm as if I was ready to fly to Anita’s side. I couldn’t follow her, I was left a little stunned because I wasn’t sure if she would make it in time for the wedding, but I did stare at her until she sat down, and I couldn’t see her as clearly. The wedding started then, so there was no way for me to move over to talk to her.“Whatever it is you’re thinking, don’t even dare!” Chanel hissed.
“Everything must be so amazing, there,” Grandma sighed. “I wished I could have come with you. My own daughter’s wedding and I can't even be there.”“Mom understands why, Grandma. Don’t beat yourself up over it. Anyway, I sent you a bunch of photos and videos, and Mom will send you plenty more, okay?”“So, did you meet him there?”I took a little longer to reply this time.When I’d been hesitating about coming to the wedding, Grandma figured out there was more I wasn’t telling her and encouraged me to get everything off my chest. Even if she couldn’t be fit enough to make the trip down, she was determined that at least one of us would be there for Mom on her big day. So, I told her the truth about Evan, and it was her insistence on me talking to him, and going to the wedding regardless for Mom’s sake, that got me off my ass and on the road here.Now that I was here, though, I couldn’t help thinking I’d made a mistake. It was nice seeing Mom all happy, but I was so nervous about Evan th
I stood in my bedroom staring at my door. I was ready to leave, had been for the past five minutes, but I couldn’t bring myself to open that door and leave just yet.Somehow, four years had passed already, and I was graduating with a university degree. I was so nervous that I was sweating, and I hadn't even put on the robe yet. I would be putting it on once I got to the school.Time to get moving everyone is waiting.I took a deep breath, and with that thought, reached for the door and pulled it open.Evan and I had our place, but today, I was at Mom and his dad’s house so they could help with looking after Sandra since I’d be busy today. It was a big day for all of us and now that Evan had graduated from USC, we would have more time together as a family. Mom was still happy for me, and she wanted to make a big deal out of it because she was proud of me.“Anita, are you ready?” I heard Mom call through the door.“Yeah, Mom! Is Sandra with you?” I called back, my heart a nervous thump
“How are you feeling?” Evan asked worriedly.I smiled. “I’m doing just fine. Both of us are okay.”“You should be close now, though, right?”“Really close,” I agreed, looking down and rubbing a hand over my stomach.After a few hospital visits, I managed to get an estimate of when the baby would be coming out, and it was any day now. I looked back up at the computer screen to find Evan watching me intently. He was at school now but came down every weekend and whenever he could. When he couldn’t be around, he made sure to send me a Skype call every day.“When will you be going to the hospital?”I hummed. “If nothing happens in a couple days, Mom said we’d have me admitted early.”There was some noise in the background, and he looked away before turning back to me with a sigh.“I need to go for now, but I’ll call you tonight before you go to sleep, okay?”I nodded, smiling happily. Before we could say our goodbyes and cut the call, though, I felt something strange, and my expression twi
Since I’d taken a lot of my stuff when I went to stay with Grandma, I still had to go back. Mom and Carl headed for their honeymoon, and Evan went with me back to Minnesota.Evan made plans for someone to head back in my car, then drove me to Grandma’s in his own car. It was easier having someone with me, so I didn’t complain.Grandma wanted us to stay for a few days, but Evan didn’t bring a change of clothes, so we couldn’t stay for that long. He bought a few outfits just, so he could change out of the clothes he’d worn during the long two day drive. We stayed in different rooms, and she kept a close eye on us, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.“Let’s leave tomorrow morning,” Evan said as he helped me pack my stuff up and move them to the car. “I talked to your grandmother already, and she said it was okay.”“You talked to her?” I said, alarmed. “When? I thought she left early.”When I brought him home, Grandma would have figured out that he was my new stepbrother and t
I had a feeling Evan would have kept me locked in the hotel room all day, if we didn’t get a call from his dad that they hadn't left yet and were waiting to see the two of us first. I felt guilty as we showered and got dressed. Evan knew now, but there were still both our parents to tell. I talked myself into postponing it, because they were about to leave for their honeymoon.When I brought it up to Evan, though, he shook his head immediately.“No,” he said. “Absolutely no way. Putting this off isn’t helping anybody. We’re telling them today.”I gaped at his back as he hurried out, and I followed quickly. He waited outside until I closed the door, then he took my hand and led me to the elevator.“We’re going to tell them,” he continued. “I plan to go to college, it’s important to me, but I’ll look for a place close by because I want to be in both your lives. If our parents don’t understand our decisions, then I’ll talk to them, but we have to tell them before they leave.”His voice w
The first thing I was aware of was how warm I felt. Next, was the soft body in my arms. I blinked my eyes open and stared at Anita’s face just a few inches from mine.We’d fallen asleep with the lights still on, but I could tell it was daytime already. A part of me wondered what the hell I was doing. She was holding me just as tight, and I could feel the press of her stomach against mine. She was pregnant, and she’d kept it from me for six months. She approached me at that party, knowing who I was, but I couldn’t blame her for that, because I was the one to initiate it, and I didn’t think about contraception when I chose to fuck a stranger in someone else’s closet.She had lied to me, kept things from me, but right then, all I could feel was relieved that she was there with me, because I’d missed her so badly. I pulled one arm from around her to brush her hair away from her chest, freezing when she flinched a little.“Mm.”I watched as her eyes fluttered, her body squirming in my hol
I looked around. Quite a few people had already left, so while the partying wasn’t entirely over yet, it was winding down. Dad and my new stepmom hadn't left yet, but they were happily lost in each other. No one would miss us if we left now.“Come with me.”I took her hand in mine and pulled her behind me as I headed for the hotel. “Wait, Evan!” She yelped, trying to fight against my hold. “Where are we going? They’ll get worried if we just disappear—”“They’re busy,” I cut in. “Just stop fighting me, Anita. You should have come to me on your own, like hell I’m going to let you just run away.”She struggled a minute longer, before resigning to go along with me. We stopped by the reception desk, so I could get us a room.“I-I already h-have one…” Anita said quietly.“I’ll take care of it in the morning.”I got us the room using my credit card, then I led her upstairs. She must have meant the room her mom was using, or it was one her mom booked for her, and I didn’t want us to be distu
“Everything must be so amazing, there,” Grandma sighed. “I wished I could have come with you. My own daughter’s wedding and I can't even be there.”“Mom understands why, Grandma. Don’t beat yourself up over it. Anyway, I sent you a bunch of photos and videos, and Mom will send you plenty more, okay?”“So, did you meet him there?”I took a little longer to reply this time.When I’d been hesitating about coming to the wedding, Grandma figured out there was more I wasn’t telling her and encouraged me to get everything off my chest. Even if she couldn’t be fit enough to make the trip down, she was determined that at least one of us would be there for Mom on her big day. So, I told her the truth about Evan, and it was her insistence on me talking to him, and going to the wedding regardless for Mom’s sake, that got me off my ass and on the road here.Now that I was here, though, I couldn’t help thinking I’d made a mistake. It was nice seeing Mom all happy, but I was so nervous about Evan th
I arrived with Chanel just in time to get seated before the music came on and the ceremony started. Because we were a little late, we found seats closer to the back. I could have looked for seats closer to the front seeing as I was the son of the groom, and Chanel seemed to want me to do so, but I hung back instead, and I was glad that I did. If I hadn't, I might have missed seeing Anita hurry in to look for her own seat.“Is that Anita?”Chanel’s voice was incredulous, having noticed Anita as well. I didn’t have any intention of moving, everyone had already settled down, but she still clutched at my arm as if I was ready to fly to Anita’s side. I couldn’t follow her, I was left a little stunned because I wasn’t sure if she would make it in time for the wedding, but I did stare at her until she sat down, and I couldn’t see her as clearly. The wedding started then, so there was no way for me to move over to talk to her.“Whatever it is you’re thinking, don’t even dare!” Chanel hissed.
Even though I’d practically waited until last minute to make the decision, in the end, I did turn up for the wedding. Because it was happening by the beach in LA, I had a bit of a drive ahead of me all the way from Minnesota. I knew where I was going, though, and I had a car. It was Mom’s big day, and I didn’t intend to miss it.When I was close to where we were supposed to meet, I parked against the curb to call Mom to confirm. I was supposed to be meeting her at a hotel, but this was my first time in LA and I needed directions.“Anita! Where are you?”I sighed. “I’m close, at least. Can you tell me the name of the hotel and how to get there?”“Sure. Where are you now?”I looked outside and tried to describe to her where I was. After she figured out the street I was on, she gave me the instructions.“Hurry up and get over here,” she said with a happy laugh. “I have a dress waiting for you. It stretches, so I think it’ll fit you, but I can't say it will be comfortable.”“That’s fine,