Mr. Iero

Chapter 13

*Ashley's POV*

When I got back to school after New Year's, I didn't see much a point in trying to hide my bump in big baggy sweaters anymore. It wasn't like I was planning to show it off to everybody, but I wasn't going to act like it wasn't there. Getting past my parents was really my only obstacle and I didn't have that many friends to lose over this, anyways.

So on the first day back I walked into the school, made my way to homeroom, and, as usual, sat down in the last empty seat available. The room went silent. Everyone was looking at me. And I wasn't exactly confident about it. I was hunched over my desk with my left hand lying across and my right hand covering my face as I played with my hair. I heard a few people whispering to each other and muttering a few words including, "Ashley," "Pregnant," and once or twice I heard, "Father."

And it wasn't even like I was wearing a tight shirt to make it obvious or anything. I was wearing a normal shirt that just looked a bit tighter because of all of the extra space I was taking up inside of it.

The bell rang after homeroom and I made my way to Spanish. This girl who I had never spoken a word to before came up to me as I was walking and started talking to me. "So how long have you been pregnant?" she asked, not seeming to hesitate at all to getting to what she wanted to know.

My cheeks felt hot and I tucked some of my hair behind my ear. "Um, almost 18 weeks." I felt kind of uncomfortable talking to this girl - I didn't even know her name. All I knew was that she was one of those people you'd find with a group of kids in the back of the cafeteria, but you wouldn't want to go back there out of the fear that one of them would pull a knife on you.

The girl nodded. "Before break my friend Jackie said she thought you were pregnant, but I didn't believe her because you didn't put on any other weight and I couldn't see under your baggy shirts." I just nodded. I didn't know how to respond to any of this, I didn't even know who Jackie was.

We walked past the library and Frank was walking out and pushing a rack of books with him. He turned and was walking in the opposite direction of us, but was staring at the floor.

"Hey, Mr. I," the girl called to him.

He looked up and smiled at her, "Hi, Margot." Then his eyes seemed to go straight to my bump, which was obviously sticking out. He went wide-eyed and stayed focused on it as he walked past me, which made my cheeks go red again.

"What was that about?" Margot asked.

I looked at her, "What?"

"The way he seemed terrified by seeing that you're pregnant. That's none of his business; he doesn't have to act like a dick about it."

I shook my head, "I don't really care." I saw my classroom in the corner of my eye. "I have to go this way to get to my class."

"A'ight," she said, walking in the other direction. "I'll see you around."

With that I walked into Spanish, but I never did end up seeing Margot again.

Later at lunch I did my usual sitting alone, but since it was winter I had to stay inside and just sit alone at the end of a table that was filled with kids at the other end. This was normal for me, but it was different because I knew that this time everyone was looking at me. I hated this attention. But I'd rather have it now than when it was insanely obvious.

I managed to make it through the rest of my day. Now I had history.

When I walked into the classroom Frank was in the hallway greeting all of his students just like he did every day. "How are you, Ashley?" he asked with a smile. Normally I would've smiled back and said 'Good, how are you?' But I was still mad at him about Christmas day, so I glared at him and then walked into the classroom.