She's Having My Baby

Hideaway

18 weeks pregnant

It was the middle of December, leading up to Christmas. Maya was feeling extremely lonely without Riley and the Matthews. She hadn't spoken to Riley for so long, it was starting to interfere with her sleep. She would lie awake at night with her phone in her hand, Riley's number dialed and ready to press call, wondering what she could say to get Riley to forgive her. Sometimes she'd call Lucas, but there was only so much he could say.

Maya and Lucas had also been trying to find jobs, albeit without much luck. They were also looking into adoptive couples, but it wasn't as straightforward as they'd expected. They were meeting a couple this week and a couple next week. Maya was trying to put it out of her head for now. Right now she needed to job-hunt and make up with her best friend.

It was Monday morning and Maya was on her way to class alone. She was almost used to everyone staring at her and her belly, but not quite. She arrived at her history classroom and sat in her new seat at the back. She switched the day after she told Riley.

Mr. Matthews walked in shortly after Maya did and started the lesson. Maya doodled on the back of her notebook the whole time. Towards the end of the class, she decided she couldn't take it anymore. She was going to ask if she could come over to Riley's tonight.

The bell rang and Maya took a deep breath as she stood up and darted to Riley's seat at the front of the class. She almost froze, but kept walking and forced the words out.

"Riley, I need to talk to you. Can I come over tonight?" Maya asked quickly.

Riley opened her mouth to say no, but then seemed to reconsider.

"Fine," she said. It was less angry than Maya had expected, but even so Riley took off immediately after.

"Are you gonna try to make up with her tonight?" Cory asked Maya as she tried to leave the room. She stepped back inside the door.

"That's the plan. Any advice?" Maya asked.

"Just let her know you're sorry," Cory replied.

Maya headed to her next class and bumped into Lucas on her way.

"I'm gonna talk to Riley tonight," Maya told him.

"That's great, Maya. Listen, would you be up for cutting class with me, like, now?" Lucas said quietly.

"Lucas The Good cutting class? Likely story," Maya laughed.

"Are you coming or not?" Lucas hissed. Maya realised he was serious.

"Sure, why not? I'm already in enough trouble," Maya laughed again, a hand on her belly.

She follwed closely behind Lucas as they made their way to the exit.

They got out pretty easily, and once they were out of sight Maya finally piped up from behind Lucas.

"So, where are we headed? Coney Island? Mexico? The moon?" Maya asked.

"Anywhere," Lucas answered firmly.

Maya could tell he wasn't skipping school to screw around; something was bothering him.

"Okay. Well, considering I know a great deal more about skipping school than you, why don't I lead the way?" Maya suggested.

"Sure," Lucas said, slowing down to allow Maya to catch up.

Maya scooted ahead of him and tried to think of a private place to take him. They walked and walked and Maya had no ideas. Suddenly, Maya remebered the day Farkle found out about the baby. He pulled her into an alley so they could talk. Maya hept an eye out for one and pulled Lucas down the first one they passed.

"Maya, what are we-" Lucas began.

"Shh," Maya answered.

They continued to walk down the alley until finally Maya decided to stop. She opened up hre backpack and whipped out a small blanket. She laid it down on the ground and sat down. She offered and hand to Lucas and he sat too.

"I'm pretty confused," Lucas stated.

"We need a place to talk. I mean, we probably could go to my place but that's no fun and besides, look what happened last time we did that. This is quiet and dark and a tiny bit scary, which will make it easier for you to tell me your problems. Just trust me, it will," Maya explained.

"Why do you have a blanket in your backpack?" Lucas questioned.

"I like to sleep. Plus ever since the night in the drugstore I learned to be prepared for any sleeping coniditions," Maya smiled. "Anyway, that's not the point. What could possibly be weighing so heavily on Huckleberry's mind that he decides to cut class?"

"It's nothing, really. I just couldn't be in school today. It was too much," Lucas said.

"Come on, just spit it out. Gimme your spiel. I'm ready, I swear," Maya said.

"My dad left this morning. He went back to Texas. Said he couldn't deal with everything. Now my Mom's mad at me because it's my fault he didn't stay longer. She also keeps telling me how all my realtives back home are dissapointed and ashamed. She'll hit the roof if we keep this baby, seriously. And then there's all the stares and comments at school. It's just all too much, Maya. Don't you feel like that?" Lucas asked.

Maya could make out the outline of his face in the shade and could see he was upset.

"I guess I just don't overthink it. The people at school are idiots. That's all. That's why they whisper and stare and point. It's that simple," Maya said.

"Well, you have it worse than me," Lucas mumbled.

"Yeah you're right. So if I can take it, so can you. That sucks about your family though," Maya admitted.

"They'll get over it. I hope they'll get over it. Do you think we can keep the baby?" Lucas asked.

"I think if we can figure out jobs and daycare and money and all the other crap we need to figure out then we can absolutely keep the baby," Maya said.

Lucas sighed and Maya crawled over to his side of the wall. She tilted her head onto his shoulder and he took her hand.

"We'll be fine," he whispered.

"We'll be fine," Maya repeated. She wasn't sure if it was more for him or for her.
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A/N: I wrote this on the most annoying word processor on the planet, so sorry if the spelling is bad or it's formatted weird. Enjoy 👍🏻