𝚃𝚘𝚛𝚗- ᑕ0ᗰᑭᒪᗴ丅ᗴ

ch 38: sunny

"Sunny... Babygirl, you've gotta get up. You have school today."

I flipped my covers back and saw the sympathetic look on my mom's face that I've been getting from her and my dad ever since that night.

"Mommy, I don't wanna go."

She sat at the foot of my bed and gently began patting my butt.

"Babe, we gave you a week. You can't afford to miss any more school."

"Can't I just be homeschooled until graduation? I can get a tutor and get all my work done from here."

My mom sighed and as I pleaded with her, she shook her head and gave me a hopeful smile, although it was still slightly sympathetic.

"Can you just try for today? Your father and I will talk and we can discuss it when you get home from school."

With a huff and slight nod, I wiped my tears before rolling out of bed, trying my best to find the motivation to keep my feet in motion.

✨

I parked in my spot once I pulled up to the school and was immediately met by Gia, who held onto my hand and gave it a squeeze.

She looked at me with a questioning look and I nodded back, letting her know I was ready.

The moment we stepped inside, all eyes were on me. I ignored the whispers and sideways glances as I made my way to my locker, stopping in the hall when I saw the makeshift memorial set up in front of Nate's locker.

Gia squeezed my hand again, but this time I couldn't take it.

It was too much, too soon.

I shook my head, feeling tears pool into my eyes before yanking my hand out of Gia's grasp, and running towards the nearest girl's restroom.

I washed my face in the sink, trying my best to stop the tears that had been building up all week.

I heard a toilet flush and looked up in the mirror to see an upset-looking Mariah exiting one of the stalls.

She rolled her eyes the moment she saw me and scoffed as she approached the sinks.

"Mariah, I--"

"He loved me, okay? He told me so at the dance."

I thought back to how Nate barely left my side once we got to the dance and I figured this was just her way of grieving over the boy who was in love with me, not her.

I had just opened my mouth to respond but stopped when she began smirking and pulled something out of her back pocket.

"And now, I guess I'll always have a piece of him around."

I stared at the positive pregnancy test in her hands for a moment before looking back into her eyes, noticing the grin on her face.

"So I was thinking 'Nate Jr.' if it's a boy. But if it's a girl... doesn't 'Natalia' sound pretty."

I had to get out of there.

I couldn't stand there anymore, watching her gloat in my misery.

After running out of the building and hopping into my car, I sped out of the parking lot, ignoring the campus security guard that was trying to stop me.

I raced home and the moment I flung myself onto my bed, the tears began again.

I don't know how long I was crying, but after a while, my dad walked into my room, sitting on the same spot at the foot of my bed that my mom was seated in this morning.

"So, I got a call from the school..."

I shook my head, not caring about the fact that my pillow and shirt were completely soaked with my tears.

"I can't do it anymore, Daddy... not without Nate."

I reached under my pillow for one of Nate's old shirts that I kept there. It was from football camp a few years ago, and as I clutched it against my face, breathing in his scent, all I wanted to do was be with him.

My dad sighed and nodded before patting my butt and standing from his seat on my bed.

"I'll talk to Mom. Get some rest, kiddo."

He left my room a moment later and the second he did, I rolled over on my back, crying into Nate's shirt.

"Nate... can you-- can you hear me? I... I miss you."

🖤