Stepbrother

Chapter 77

Jeremy rolled over next to me, breathing heavily. He seemed nervous.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"What if it's a girl..?"

"Jeremy-"

"You know how I feel about that."

"Jeremy, you realize that if it's a girl, I'll take care of the girl stuff."

"I guess I never really thought about it... I'm being dumb, aren't I?"

"Yes." I laughed, rolling over and kissing his cheek.

"Do you think we'll regret having a baby so early?"

"No.." I shook my head. "It's half you, it can't be bad."

-

I woke up and looked to my side. Jeremy wasn't there. I figured now that he'd finished the EP he would be sleeping in later, but apparently I was wrong.

I got up and slowly opened the door. I peeked out and heard Jeremy suck in air through his teeth. Neil was looking at Jeremy as Jeremy hit Neil's arm. "Nah man, have a good time." Jeremy nodded, walking off.

Neil smiled softly. He looked over and noticed me. "Oh... uh. How much of that did you hear?"

"Just what Jeremy just said. What did he mean?" I asked.

"Well.. ya know.. we can talk about this later, okay?"

"Umm.."

"Get dressed, I'm driving you today," he said.

"Why?" I asked, heading back into the bedroom.

"Jeremy asked me to," Neil replied, throwing himself at the bed.

"Who invited you in here?" I asked, digging through the closet.

"Lendzie, we lived together for three years. I know you're just changing pants."

"Shut up, Neil." I sighed, kicking off my shorts and pulling on a pair of jeans.

"Unless you stopped sleeping with your bra on. Hey, I read somewhere that that's bad for you."

"Neil, why were you reading about that?" I laid in the bed next to him.

"I dunno." He shrugged. "We need to leave," he sighed. I groaned and rolled out of the bed.

-

"I'm eighteen, can I leave yet?" Neil sighed, walking up into the detention room with me.

"I wish." I sighed, rolling my eyes.

"Shut it," the teacher snapped. Neil and I sat down in the back. Neil passed me a piece of paper with his messy handwriting and no punctuation.

Hey we need to talk

About what?

I don't want to write it
It would make me feel... idk disrespectful or something

Whatever.

-

Lunch finally rolled around, which other than seventh and eighth period math, was the only 'class' I had with Neil.

Neil sat down next to me slowly. "You wanted to talk?" I asked.

"Yeah.. uhh." He paused and looked away. "Will.. uhhh." He choked up.

"What?" I asked. Neil sighed.

"Will you go to prom with me?" he asked.

I paused. I had gone with Jeremy his senior year, but this year I just planned on not going. I technically went, just not the year I was supposed to go.

"Um, yeah, sure," I nodded. Neil broke into a smile.

"I already asked Jeremy, he said it was cool." Neil nodded. "Come here." Neil stood up and pulled me up into a hug. I wrapped my arms around him. "I just didn't want to sit at home alone." He laughed into my neck.

We let go and sat back down. "What was that about?" Alex asked, sitting down.

"We're going to prom," Neil said.

"Oh, cool." He nodded. "I'm not going. Me and my friends are gonna go do hoodrat stuff and shit." Alex nodded. Neil rolled his eyes.

-

"I don't think I ever really apologized..." Josh sighed. "Kevin, Jeremy, Neil, Lendzie..." He looked at each of us as he said our names. "I'm sorry I was such a dick in my sophomore year."

"I thought we were over that, dude?" Jeremy asked.

"Well.. I kinda felt bad. I know we all just kinda got over it, but.. I still feel like a dick," Josh said.

"You should," Neil said as he took a sip of his Coke. Josh sighed softly.

"Are we gonna play some shit or not?" Kevin asked angrily. Alex started out and they all fell into line after him.

It was normal now for me to be at their practices. I recently learned that Jeremy actually snuck out a few nights while he was in his junior year and practiced with the band. I didn't mind, he's gotten a lot better at singing and screaming.

Jeremy had written a few songs that he said he wanted to save for future albums, though I didn't know why.

The song they were playing now, he said he didn't want it to go out for a while. He wanted to tweak and play with it. He called it "All Signs Point To Lauderdale."

"I hate this town, it's so washed up! And all my friends don't give a fuck!" Jeremy sang, "Don't tell me that it's just bad luck. When will I find where I fit in?"

It was by far my favorite of the many they had written. They already had nine songs picked out for a new album, if they ever get to make one. Josh says he's working on an intro for it as well. The idea everyone thought was stupid a while back actually made the listing. They ended up naming it "Sound the Alarm."

"Good job." I stuck my hand out after the song and Kevin slapped it.

- ~2 weeks later-

"Jeremy..." I poked his ribcage rapidly.

"It's Saturday, go to sle-"

"No, Jeremy, this is important!" I shook him violently.

"What?" he sighed, looking at me sleepily.

"Jeremy, I think I'm pregnant."