"Casey, just go to your room. Your father and I need some time to talk." My mother says, quite calmly for someone who had just been informed of their soon-to-be grandchild. I nod and race up the stairs, not wanting to piss them off anymore that I already have. I reach my pink bedroom and flop down on my bed. The flower pattern on the comforter just making the room look even more feminine. My room was last decorated when I was five. . .get over it.
A licking sensation on my arm makes me lean over and pick up the little bundle of energy off the floor and lay him down beside me on the course, being the cuddly critter he is, he doesn't stay beside me on the bed. He climbs up on top of me and licks my face excitedly. I laugh and wipe the puppy slobber off of my face while trying my best to glare at the three month old ball of energy. One look into his eyes and I'm cuddling him close to me again. I'm still in the process of smothering the unfortunate creature when my mom opens the door and walks in. Gee. . .not ever a knock first.
"Casey, your father and I have come up with two options for you." Which means that she decided it for herself while my dad sat there and nodded. I nod for her to continue. "Since you're only two months along, abortion is your first option. However, if you want to keep this baby, the you're going to go stay with Megan and her family in Texas until after the birth." She sits there, silently, waiting for me to say something.
"I-I want to keep my baby." I say softly. She sits down on the edge of the bed and pulls me into a hug.
"Sweetie, you're only seventeen. Are you absolutely sure this is what you want?" She asks uncertainly as she pulls away to look me in the eye. Honestly, I'm not really sure of anything anymore. All I know is that this life growing inside me deserves a chance to actually have a life. Which is exactly what I tell her. She nods her understanding and then says, "I'll call Megan and find out when the next flight there is." And then she exits, leaving me to my own thoughts. Munchkin, completely unaware of the drama unfolding around him, plops down in my lap with a contented sigh. Well, that is if dogs can sigh.
"Casey, you can't be serious." Yeah, this from my best friend. I turn to see my other friends' reactions. Amanda, the quietest one in the group, just stands there staring at me.
"Mandy. . .say something." I order as I wave my hand in front of her face to get her attention. She just continues staring. "Andrew?" I turn to one of the two males in the group. Andrew is one of those people that everyone feels comfortable around. Some, like the air-headed slut that's holding onto his arm at the moment, a little too comfortable. And Andrew, being the kind soul his is, let's her.
"Hey guys, sorry I'm late. Had to drop Aaron off at the daycare center." A brunette with crystal blue eyes, also known as Carly, says as she comes to stand beside Andrew. Andrew gently pries Ms. Barbie-wannabe off of his arm and wraps them around Carly's middle instead.
"He left his pacifier in my truck yesterday." Andrew explains as he pulls the pacifier out of his jeans pocket and hands it to her.
"Thanks." She says with a smile as she takes the pacifier and puts it into her own pocket. "We were looking everywhere for it yesterday. Glad you found it." She explains to him. Just by watching the two you can tell how deeply in love they are. There's a light in Andrew's green eyes that only appears whenever Carly's around. Carly finally notices how quiet the entire group is and turns to her boyfriend questioningly. He leans over and whispers something to her, completely ignoring the blonde currently tapping his shoulder. Carly's eyes grow wide and she reaches out and pulls me into a tight hug.
"Are you alright?" She asks as she finally releases me and pulls back to study me.
"I'm okay. Could be better though." I answer, managing a weak smile.
"Who died?" Adam, the other guy in our group, asks as he walks up behind Amanda and kisses her softly on the cheek. She smiles and turns to face him.
"No one yet." She answers and then follows Andrew's example and whispers something to him after he gives her a quizical look.
"Casey, I'm so sorry. You want me to kill him for you, sweetheart?" He asks, all laughter gone from his expression. The him he's refering to is Tyler, my ex-boyfriend and also the father of this kid. If you can even call him that.
"No, Adam. That won't be neccasary. I'm going to Texas the day after tommorow anyway." I tell him, accepting the warm embrace he offers after my answer.
"They're just sending you away?" Carly asks in concern, moving back into Andrew's strong arms.
"Well, in a way I guess they are. Megan, the woman they're sending me to live with, is an old friend of my mom's from high school." I explain, not that it matters much since I don't know Megan. Or her family, for that matter.
"Where exactly in Texas is she sending you?" Adam asks curiously as he wraps an arm around Amanda's shoulders. She, of course, snuggles back into his chest.
"Mom said their ranch is about forty-five minutes south of San Antonio." I answer, trying (and failing) to not be envious of the two happy couples in front of me. Just a week ago I was in a happy relationship. I actually thought Tyler loved me. Obviously, I was wrong. Now no one will ever love me. I mean come on, what guy in his right mind would ever consider dating a seventeen year old with a baby? So much for high school romance.
"She's sending you to live on a ranch?" Andrew asks, bringing me out of my depressive thoughts and back to my even more depressive life.
"Yep." I answer, leaning back against the side of the school building. Andrew let's go of his beloved girlfriend just long enough to reach over and give me a reasuring hug.
"Everything's going to be alright, Casey." He says with a small smile as he pulls away from me.
"I really hope so." I reply, tears welling up in my deep blue eyes. How am I ever going to get through this without my best friends?
"Cas, don't cry. We're always here for you." Amanda says as she untangles herself from Adam's arms and comes to give me a tight hug.
"I know. I'm going to miss all of you so much." I say, my voice practically a whisper.
"We'll miss you too, Cas, but we can still email one another and talk on the phone occasionally." Morgan, the afore mentioned best friend, says with a bright smile, and, although it never reaches her eyes, it still cheers me up somewhat. I smile back slightly, mostly just to reasure my friends that I'm okay.
"So. . .how's Aaron, Carly?" I ask, not wanting to talk about my current situation anymore.
"He's great." Carly answers with a smile, "We even got him to call Andrew 'da' the other day." At this, Andrew smiles widely. Yes, Andrew is little Aaron's daddy, if you haven't already figured this out. And he's a very good one, at least in my opinion. He's even won over Carly's parents with his utter tenderness for his eleven month old son. And winning over your girlfriend's parents after you've impregnated her, isn't exactly an easy thing to accomplish. The first bell, signaling the students to enter the building, rings before I get the chance to comment on the couple's achievement.
"I'm not staying. I just came to tell you guys what's going on." I tell the group as the bell rings once again.
"Alright. I'm glad you did, Cas. We have to go, but we'll Instant Message you later, okay?" Carly says as she gives me another hug. I nod and bid my friends goodbye as I turn and slowly walk back to my car parked in the school's parking lot.
"Just take the things you wear the most often. In a couple months you can start shopping for maternity clothes." My mother advises from the doorway as I finish stuffing a pair of jeans into my already overstuffed suitcase. I look from my clost to the already stuffed suitcase by the door, and then back to the suitcase laying open on my bed. When did I get so many clothes?
"Looks like I'm not even going to have room for even those." I tell her sadly as I fall back onto my bed and stare up at the ceiling. It's really a very boring ceiling, plain white with small grooves painted in it. The only thing special about it is the glow-in-the-dark stares glued to it. When we were six, Andrew and I had spent an entire afternoon climbing up and down ladders to glue the dozens of plastic decorations up. In fact, that was the one and only time Andrew has ever broken anything, and it was all my fault. He had been gluing up the last of the stars, the one directly above my head now, and I had accidently knocked his ladder over in excitement. That was the only time I have ever seen him cry. He didn't even cry when when his mother passed away after a two-year battle against cancer when he was ten. He just completely ignored anything and everything having to do with her. He wouldn't even talk about her for awhile. About a year after her death, he finally started talking about her again. But, even today, after seven years, he still doesn't like to mention her. His dad is the same way.
"Cas, whatcha' thinking so deeply about?" A deep voice asks from the doorway. I jump about a mile off the bed in surprise before running to the tall form in the door and hugging him tightly.
"What the heck are YOU doing here?" I demand as I pull away from him. He smirks before walking into the room and plopping down on my bed.
"That's a nice way to welcome someone who's just driven three hours after finishing finals to see you." He says, trying to look hurt, but grinning all the same.
"I'm so sorry, sir." I reply in mock seriousness.
"Apology accepted, my lady." He responds just as seriously. He waits a couple moments before continuing. "Now, what's this I hear about me becoming an uncle?" He asks, patting the mattress beside him for me to sit down.
"Guess they already told you then." I reply, smiling ruefully as I sit down on the bed beside him.
"Mom told me a couple minutes ago when I got here. Did Andrew do this? 'Cause I swear if he did-"I cut him off right there.
"What the hell makes you think Andrew had anything to do with this?" I demand angrily. This is just too much.
"That's who Mom thinks is the father." He responds calmly, despite my dangerous tone of voice.
"Do you honestly believe that Andrew would get me pregnant and then leave me to deal with it?" I demand, getting more upset by the second. I mean come on. This is my best friend since PRESCHOOL we're talking about here.
"Honestly? I don't think Andrew would do that to any girl, much less his best friend." I nod, content with his answer. "Cas, if Andrew isn't the father, who IS?" He asks gently, staring at me through chocolate-brown eyes.
"T-tyler." I stammer, shutting my eyes tightly so as not to let any tears escape down my cheeks. He takes a deep breath and then pulls me to him. I finally let go, my anguished sobs muffled by his shoulder.
"That's what I thought. I won't tell Mom and Dad though, okay?" He says softly, rubbing my back soothingly.
"Michael, you're the best." I mumble as I pull away from him and wipe my eyes.
"I know," He says, smiling down at me. " I'm going to go get something to eat and let you get some sleep." He says as he gets up and walks over to the door. Still smiling, he turns back to me and says, " Goodnight, pumpkin." before walking out into the hall and closing my door behind him. I remove the suitcase from my bed and quickly change into my pajamas. I lay down and smile slightly before closing my eyes and drifting off into a much-needed sleep. Texas, here I come.