Fall Apart

His Reputation - 4

(Autumn's POV)

"I know you're only young Autumn, and I'm not gonna ask you to marry me just yet, but promise me when we're older this finger will be free for me to put a more deserving ring." Mike opened the box and sitting there was a band ring covered in butterflies, on the inside were to inscriptions, the date we started dating and a strange radio wave.
...

"I know you love and connect with butterflies on a deep level because your a free spirit, I'm not trying to tame you, I just want you to promise that we will always fly free together." Mike reminded me.

"As long as I have you, that's all I want." I smile and place the ring on my left ring finger. "What's the radio wave mean." I asked curiously.

"I recorded myself saying I love you." Mike blushed.

"I love it, and I love you." I place my head back on his chest and we fall asleep in each others arms.
*Back to present*

"Autumn? Why would mum think your a bad influence? What could you have possibly done?"

"Do you rember that I stayed at Mike's place that night?" I started.

"Yeah, you hadn't seen him for a while because work had kept him so busy so you wanted to stay the night and have a date night, is it a crime for you to be in love now?" North crossed his arms.

"Mike and I... slept together that night."

"Well yeah,..." North gave me a duh look before continuing "...I didn't really expect him to let you sleep on the couch." North flicked my forehead.

"I mean't the other sleep together." I sighed.

"Did he force you? Were you hurt? Is that why you broke up?" North fired.

I jumped to answer "No!" I took a deep breath, "No, It's not that at all. It was totally my choice, he kept asking me if I was sure." I start digging my nails into my forearm anxiously.

North grabbed my hands stopping me from hurting myself in my anxiety attack.

"Autumn if you're gonna do this I will duck tape Charun's oven gloves to your hands." North threatened me.

"Well mum might have opened my mail and got the shock of her life." I bite my lip.

"Want me to put a ruler in your mouth too?" North huffed. "What did she see, Autumn?" North started panicking.

I stayed quite trying to find the right way to say the news gently I didn't want him to leave me, he's all I had left.

"Are you sick, Autumn? please tell you didn't get sick because of what you did, I'm not mad, your a grown woman now, I'm just worried." I must have taken too long because North was now crying.

"I'm not sick in the traditional sense, no, but I was for a couple weeks, I'm 6 weeks pregnant, North, and Mike's the father." I drop the bomb.

"Hold on, take a deep breath." North sothed me. "So, mum kicked you out because she found out you were pregnant and thought you were a bad influence on June?" North clarified.

"Yes." I start crying again.

North pulled me into a hug rubbing circles on my back and hushing me  like he used to do when we were children.

"I'm sorry but that's bullshit, mum is only 44 years old, she had me when she was just a 16-year-old girl"

"She's probably mad because she doesn't want my life to end up like her's. I just have to wait until she calms down a bit." I sighed.

"But her and dad seem happy enough to me... is this why you and Mike broke-up?" North confused me.

"What do you mean, is this why we broke-up?" I narrowed my brow.

"Did Mike break-up with you when you told him your pregnant?" North rolled his eyes.

"Actually I haven't told him, I broke-up with him without telling him about the baby because I couldn't let my carelessness ruin his life." By now my eyes stung from all the crying.

"He's in the public eye, which is toxic, I don't want Mike getting any hate or losing any job opportunities because he got a younger woman pregnant."

"So what? He studied Economics, he'll be fine. If anything Economics will offer him a more stable carer and a better work life balance." North reasoned.

"Our relationship wasn't public what if people think I'm just using him or I was just a one night stand gone wrong, not to mention our age gap, Mike might get in trouble."

"You care more about his reputation than your's?" North challanged.

"Yes, I still love and care for him deeply." I conffes.

"He loves and cares for you deeply too, he doesn't care about his reputation as long as he can be with you and make you happy." North sighed.

"How would you know?!" I snapped.

"Because he came to me!" North snapped back.
...