𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 (𝐀 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜)

Chapter Twenty-One: In the Eye of the Tornado

For four weeks it went on like this. I felt like a child of divorced parents once again. I would stay with donny in the afternoon and i would see dave during the day, although more recently donny was keeping me home more and more.

"Can't you just skip today?" dave asked me impatiently as we stood on the lawn of the school. His hands were in my hair and he looked very displeased

"No" i laughed "i have a big test today" i smiled at him

"I mean, it can't be that important, right?" he asked and frowned. We'd been just trying to forget about this entire thing. Although, my stomach was showing just the slightest bit. But nobody knew except for dave, junior, and gar.

"Yeah, come home, dave's going to make me rehearse and you can talk him out of it" junior hissed in my ear and i giggled. He came with us this morning because dave had been sleeping on our couch for the last week; his girlfriend had kicked him out and that's where he was living. This also meant that the puppy from donny's was staying with us as well. Junior fell in love with her, so i convinced a reluctant dave to let them stay. He wasn't happy, but me and junior both knew dave secretly loved her.

"Yes, it's very important" i said to both of them "it's almost fall break jeez, you'll both be fine for a few hours" "fine" they said in unison and i laughed softly, but dave smirked like he had an idea

"Hey junior," he said, turning to him. David looked up curiously "want to go to school with jackie?" david nodded "good, you'll go in and pretend your a new student, okay? Keep an eye on my girl" he said and the bell rang. Dave kissed my cheek and stalked off before david could agree ot not. I smiled at him. He looked a little scared as we walked in.

"I've been assigned to show this student around. He's new- his name is david" i said to my teacher, mr. prin.

"Mhm" he said not even looking up from the essays he was methodically grading "sit down and wait for class to begin" i walked to the back of the class to two empty seats, and david followed. There was a sudden sharp pain in my stomach. I winced and david looked over- worried.

"Are you alright?" he asked, leaning over. I nodded quickly- this kept happening. But I was convinced it was all a part of pregnancy.

"Of course" i smiled, and then the pain stopped.

At lunch it happened again. It'd never happened twice in one day before...

"Jackie, if you die on my watch dave will kill me" he joked. I waved it off

"I'm fine, it's normal" i said, even thought i wasn't confident about that- i'd never been this pregnant before, but i'd heard it was hell.

Shortly after dave came and hung out with us.

"How's juniors first day going?" he mused and messed up david's hair. David rolled his eyes and huffed

"Good" i said "but he tripped in front of the entire class" i snickered "then, in second period some kids tried to be friends with him, it was cute" i smiled innocently at him and he looked miserable. Then my stomach started up again. I stood up and kissed the top of dave's head

"I'll be right back" i said "i have to go see a teacher about something" i said and left them talking about some band i'd never heard of. It was true i was going to see a teacher- i needed to ask him a question but i also wanted to get into the hallway so dave wouldn't see me hurting. After the wave of pain had passed i walked into the classroom, and there he was, grading papers just like when i came into school that morning with david. I cleared my throat and he looked up

"Hey, jack" he said "need something?" he was really nice and funny; one of my favorite teachers. I nodded

"I wanted to see if..." i said wondering how to phrase it in the most discrete way possible "if there was any way i could finish this year early?" he cocked an eyebrow and motioned for me to sit in front of his desk.

"Well i'm sure, but may i ask why?" he asked. I hesitated

"Well some... things have come up, and i don't want to drop out, i'd rather just finish up this year and get my diploma, you know?" i asked and rubbed the back of my neck, feeling sort of warm.

"Right, right" he said "well i could give you a test after school if you feel ready- you know, to get the diploma" he suggested. I looked at the little clock on the wall and shook my head

"No. no, not today... i, uh, have to be somewhere by three every day" he frowned

"Is everything alright, jackie? You can tell me things, you know" he said and smiled warmly. Then it came to me. I could tell him things. I could tell him everything and he could do something about it. But only if i told him the right things. I couldn't let him know i was living with dave- or that donny killed the baby. Then dave would find out that it was donny's baby and i wasn't willing to risk that. I needed to leave the guys out of it as best i could. So i did.

"Well, promise you'll believe me?" i asked. He nodded and told me i could tell him anything and he would help. "I've been... kidnapped in some way" i started and his eyes widened "don't worry, i'm alright right now, but i don't think i will be for much longer... basically this man has been keeping me, and- abusing me for months. He told me if i left then he'd hurt my friends and family" i was tearing up and took a moment to look at the ceiling, trying to stop the tears "things- changed, though, i got more freedom" i said "i won't say, i want to keep people out of this... but i'm pregnant" i tried to make it seem like i got pregnant with someone else's kid while i was out somewhere "he's not hurting me right now- but i'm scared he will once the baby is born... i need out but there's complications"

He sat there, shocked for a while; processing what i had just said. He straightened the papers on his desk and cleared his throat.

"Well" he sighed "first of all, i believe you, jackie, okay? I do, but i'm not sure anyone else will..." i was confused

"What?" i asked. Was he being serious? Was he going to sit and deny my pain?

"Look" he said. He seemed upset that he couldn't do anything to help me "i'll do everything i can, but im just saying don't expect anything special. You're a teenage girl making pretty severe accusations about an adult" he shrugged "it's your word against his" i stared at him, teary-eyed.

"Well" i sighed and stood up "i'll see you in class tomorrow" i choked and left before he could say anything. Shit. right after i got out i stood against the wall and sat on the ground, crying.

"Tell me what's wrong" junior asked, somehow finding me and kneeling on the ground in front of me. I uncovered my face, but didn't look up at him; i was too embarrassed.

"Everything" i whispered "i'll never get out, david. I'm going to be stuck like this forever- a slave. Dave doesn't deserve a whore like me" i sniffed.

"You're not a whore, jackie... it's not your fault"

"I kissed james the night i left" i said "i went with donny on purpose. I wanted to cheat on dave because i was so mad- i thought he'd cheated but that doesn't excuse it. It's not even his baby and i don't have the guts to tell him that. He deserves a stable person with him..." i didn't hear a response, so i looked up, making sure he was still there. Dave was with him.... Oh. shit.