She's mine

60

I was sitting at lunch when the baby kicked for the first time. As soon as I felt the kick I jumped almost spilling my water bottle.

"You okay Nat?" Eddie asked me as everyone looked at me. I didn't say anything I just nodded my head as I got up from the table going to the bathroom. The second I was in the bathroom locked into a stall I started crying.

I was crying hysterically when I heard Amy's voice "Nat are you okay?"

I couldn't stop crying "leave me alone amy." I said between my cries. It didn't take very long for her to show back up with Eddie.

"Sweetheart what's wrong?"

I opened the stall door walking out looking at Eddie. Tears heavily streaming down my face.

"Nat what's wrong?" Eddie asked in a serious concerned voice. Amy, Laura and Gareth were all looking at me confused.

"The baby kicked."

Eddie smiled a wide smile at me "then why are you crying? Isn't that a good thing?"

I looked at Eddie nodding my head "it's just Billy isn't her Eddie. He can't experience any of this stuff for the first time with me. I shoulda went to California with him. I shouldn't have stayed here. I should've just went and redid the entire year over."

Eddie looked at me and wiped my tears. It didn't really help because I was still crying though.

"If you did that then you would be a high school mom. You wouldn't be able to have the baby and be with it if your in school. Sure it sucks that Billy isn't here right now but in a few weeks you and Billy will be together again. It'll make it all worth it. Your just upset because of your hormones. Everything is fine I promise."

Eddie hugged me and I buried my face into his chest still crying.

"I'm sorry. Your shirt is all wet."

Eddie looked at me and laughed "it's okay. It's just a shirt."

The next few weeks went by excruciatingly fucking slow. I went to my last doctor appointment I would have in Hawkins, kept up with my vitamins. Eddie, Nancy, Amy and me spent every day studying Getting ready for finals.

"Good luck guys."

We all wished each other luck and we headed to our spots. When the clock 8am we all started our exams. By four pm the exams were over. We had two hours for each exam and there were 4. We all turned them in and cleaned our lockers out leaving school.

We had to wait two days before we got an email telling us if we passed and the next steps for possible graduation.

"So how do you think you did?"

I groaned at Billy's question. Which made him laugh.

"That good huh?"

I couldn't help but giggle "I studied non stop for months Billy. I put my all into these exams but I missed a lot of school. I think I did good but I don't know."

I could hear Billy shift and move in bed "well you put in the work princess. Yeah you missed a lot of school but if the principle thought you couldn't do it he wouldn't have set you up for failure. You put in the work and you did your best. Whatever the results are I'm proud of you regardless."

I couldn't help but smile at his words.

"Thanks babe. That's means a lot. I don't know maybe I'm just nervous. If I fail then that's gonna set me back a whole year on college. I should get an email by tomorrow afternoon though. Eddie is nervous too. Nancy and Amy not so much. They're smart. They know they passed."

Billy laughed "baby your smart. Give yourself some credit. You really need to start believing in yourself more."

Eddie, me, Nancy, Amy, and Steve all hung out at my house all day on Saturday. We were all impatiently waiting on our results. When it hit 3pm we all took a deep breath and checked our emails.

Amy and Nancy of course passed. Neither one of them were nervous like Eddie and me.

"On the count of three sweetheart."

I looked at Eddie and sighed nodding my head. Amy, Steve and Nancy were completely silent waiting.

"3...2...1" Eddie and I both counted down together. We hit the emails and started reading. As soon as we both seen the big bold congratulations we jumped up screaming.

"WE FUCKING DID IT!!!"

Eddie grabbed me hugging me and we all hugged each other.

"Thank you Nancy. Seriously. We wouldn't have passed without your help."

Nancy smiled at me and hugged me and Eddie both "I'm happy to help."

I went back to the email sending it to Billy and read the rest of the email.

"Congratulations Natalie Harrington. You have successfully passed your hawking high school final exams. Graduation will be held on the Hawkins high school football field on Wednesday the 20th at 1pm. Please go to the Hawkins high school main office before then to pay and pick up your cap and gown."

We all made our way to the school paying for our cap and gown and heading back to my house. Steve ordered Chinese as a congratulations.

"I'm really proud of you Nat. You've been through hell and you've never once given up. You've always found your way back and going for what you want. Your mom would be really proud of you."

I looked at Steve with tears in my eyes hugging him "thanks Steve. Honestly I don't know what would've happened to me of it wasn't for you. Technically I owe you everything."

Steve smiled hugging me again "so me and Nancy decided to apply to schools in California."

I looked at Steve and then to Nancy. She was smiling at me.

"Steve didn't want to watch his niece or nephew grow up via pictures, and I have heard California is nice. Besides by going to California we will be closer to Hawkins so I can visit mom and Mike and you and Steve will still have a relationship. Plus we don't wanna miss out on the baby's life."

I couldn't help but cry as I hugged Nancy "thank you."

Nancy smiled at me nodding her head "I know you haven't always like me because of what I did to Steve but I'm glad we could start over."

"I am too."

When Billy got out of class and seen my email he immediately called me.

"Baby you passed! See I told you. I fucking told you so. I'm so proud of you."

I couldn't help but smile and laugh "thanks babe. Oh guess what Steve and Nancy got into California schools."

As soon as I heard the chuckle I knew Billy knew this whole time.

"You didn't tell me and you knew?"
"I couldn't. They wouldn't let me baby."

I couldn't help but laugh at him. "I'm just really happy that I'm graduating. I should start packing honestly. I'll be in California in a few days from now."

*everything was going to be okay. I just knew it.