The Pickup Line

Chapter Five

"People will stare. Make it worth their while,"

- Harry Winston

-Sawyer-

"I'm pregnant," Tess said as tears dropped onto her checks. Nobody spoke, nobody moved, hell I'm sure we all stopped breathing. I sat there stunned as one of my best friends told us that she was pregnant. That a baby was growing inside her. I always loved babies no matter what. They brought me joy and kept me happy, and I know that I would be devastated if Tess decided to abort her child. "And I'm keeping it," she said, full on sobbing now. I let out a quick sigh of relief as Brayden squeezed my thigh in comfort.

"What is Andrew going to do about it?" Hannah asked, either ignoring or not noticing her parents disappointed glare.

"I haven't told him yet. I need you guys more than I need him," she said as she held on tightly to Gracie's hand. Andrew and Tess had a been together off and on for years. They met long ago at, surprisingly enough, the DMV her freshman year. They had broken up plenty of times due to fights but they never stayed away from each other for longer than a week or two at most. Since Andrew had been two grades older than us, it deemed a little difficult for a while.

"It's his decision too, Tess," Gracie told her. The parents at the table were stunned. After being friends since high school, our parents knew us well enough to know that this was a shock. Tess, out of all of us, was the first to be pregnant. We all thought it would be Gracie for sure.

"I wanted your support before I told him. I doubt he even wants a child right now, his football career is so hectic right now," Andrew was the quarterback of the schools football team and so far he had many NFL team offers.

"Where is Andrew?" I asked her. Andrew was a senior and had graduated today as well. It's strange that Tess and Andrew aren't together for this.

"He's with his parents right now. He's coming over later, and that's when I plan on telling him," she said, not looking as stressed as she was when she started.

"How far along are you?" Hannah asked her.

"Just six weeks," she said, grabbing a napkin and rubbing her nose. She moved her other hand away from Gracie's and placed it on her stomach soothingly. I felt Brayden's hand leave my thigh and place one of my hands between two of his. His warmth was so calming it was kind of nerve racking.

"Have you told your parents yet?" I asked as I carelessly rubbed my thumb along his hand.

"No, I wanted to tell you guys, then Andrew, then them," she said. I can see where she was coming from, but I would have told my baby daddy or mom before I tell my friends. It just didn't seem logical to me.

Our waiter came to the table then, interrupting any more of our conversation. My mom looked at Brayden and I's entwined hands and patting my knee, sending my a soft smile.  She always was a cool mom, always let me go to parties and stay out as late as I wanted, even if I never did it.  If I would have come home pregnant one day, she would just scream and be happy for me. Tess's parents on the other hand,  will probably disown her.