Summer Nights (RE-WRITTEN)

8

A:N This story includes themes of mental health and eating disorders, please only read if you feel ready too, you are beautiful always x

I offer a nervous smile as I pull out my bright yellow yoga mat and place it next to the place where Rocky is doing his rehabilitation exercises.

He grunts out as he stops to look at me, "What are you doing?"

"I thought we could do it as a team!" I chirp, "I thought it might make it go quicker if you had company."

He falters as his expression shifts, "You're strange Summers."

I raise an eyebrow, "You've known me since we were six and you're only just figuring this out now."

"I've known it nearly my whole life just haven't comment on it till now."

I laugh as I clap my hands together, "Okay, what exercise do we need to do next?"

"You're being serious?"

"Of course, I am. In-case you haven't realised, we're going to be a family in nearly seven months times which means by default we are team."

He sighs loudly, "Just copy my stretch then."

"And you're sure it's safe for you?"

"No my doctor decided to give me exercises that make my injury worse." He drawls out sarcastically.

"You're so sassy." I comment as I begin to mirror his stretching.

"You've known me since we were six and you're just figuring this out now?" He mocks lowly.

My heart feels giddy, I adore when I get these snippets of Rocky when he's teasing or acting playful. It actually makes me feel as if I'm in heaven.

"You seem to be getting stronger on your crutches."

"Yeah but the progress isn't happening quick enough."

"I think you're doing a hell of a lot better then most people would in your situation, I think your determination is really admirable."

His cheeks tinge with a slight pink colour before he coughs, "We need to move onto our next stretch now."

"I'm feeling a little nervous for my class this afternoon." I say softly as I continue to mirror him.

His eyebrows knit together, "Why?"

"Because no matter where I go in the globe or how old I get, I'm still that weird kid who no one wants to talk too." I admit.

I'm able to admit this freely in-front of him because he's been there through all of my awkward stages where I've been relentlessly teased.

"You know some people are just dicks right, it isn't a reflection of you?"

I sigh, "I'm starting to think it is a reflection of me. Surely, it can't be this hard to fit in."

"Scarlett, you've got a group of friends back home, who would do anything for you."

"I know, I'm just being selfish by wanting more people to like me."

"Stop that."

My eyebrows knit together, "Stop, what?"

"Getting lost in your head. It's okay to want more people to like you."

I hum to myself, "You often seem to be my voice of reason."

"No, I just say the shit that everyone else is afraid to tell you."

"Does that mean you're going to tell me when I get too fat for my clothes?"

His expression hardens, "Not a funny joke. I refuse to comment on your body."

"Why because of my issues?"

"No because it's not my job as a man to comment on a woman's body, that's fucked up."

"You've grown into quite the gentlemen Robert."

He blanches, "Don't call me that."

I laugh loudly, "It's your name."

"I don't care, I can't stand it."

"I have a question."

"Oh god." He mutters.

I roll my eyes warmly, "I'm being serious. Why didn't you say anything about your dad?"

He pauses, "Because it's my shit to deal with, everyone else has their own stuff going on."

"That's pretty hypocritical, don't you think?"

"What?"

"You're always telling everyone that they can share their problems with you, why do you have to face everything on your own?"

He shrugs, "That's just the way I'm programmed."

I shrug innocently, "Or it's because of the environment you grew up in?"

He scoffs loudly, "I thought you went to art school, not psych school."

I hold my hands up, "Okay, I'll stop trying to break down your walls. For now at least, I'll try again another day."

"I'd rather you didn't."

"And I have no self-control, so I won't be able to stop myself."

"Don't I know that. You heard from your dad yet?"

I wince, it had been three days since the awkward phone call where I announced my unplanned pregnancy, Brooke, Lucas and Autumn have flooded with me with supportive messages. My dad on the other hand has been radio silent.

"No, not a peep."

"He'll come round."

"I hope so. Are you telling your parents?"

"Nope."

I knew that Rocky's family life was a sore subject, the only family member he spoke to was his younger brother, Harry. I didn't know exact details but I'll always recall, the winter break when we were eight years old and he came round with a bruise forming on his cheek. From that door forward, Brooke always ensured to welcome him with open arms, she even helped him to design our spare room, so it would feel like his.

"You going to tell Harry though?"

"Already told him, he was really excited but then he started to ask questions about where babies came from, so I pretended to lose signal and hung up."

Loud laughter tumbles out of my lips, "I take it, I'll be the one to do the birds and the bees talk."

"Unless we have a daughter, then she's never having that talk."

My stomach erupts in butterflies at the thought of us actually having our own child together. My head still couldn't quite comprehend it.

"But then she may end up having un-safe sex?"

"You're going to give me a heart-attack and the kid isn't even born yet."

I couldn't help but gush over him acting like an over-protective father already, it was utterly charming and suited him exactly.

"It is going to be a girl by the way I comment as I let out a loud breath as we move onto an even more complex stretch.

"You can't possibly know that, we've not even had the first scan yet."

"But I had a very vivid dream out it."

He snorts loudly, "No offence but I'm not going to take your dreams as gospel."

"I'm being serious, it was so vivid, it almost felt creepy. I literally woke up searching for the baby."

"Still, I'll wait until the doctor tells us."

I blink, "You want to find out the gender?"

"Do you not?"

"Yeah of course, I do. I don't know why but for some reason, I expected you to want to wait, so it was a surprise."

He gives me a look, "I'd rather have the time to prepare myself, so I know what I'm in for."