Rice, Rice, baby

Chapter 23

Declan's pov

❃ An hour after Liv told him he was going to be a dad (chapter 19)

"Dec, bro. You won't believe what I just heard downstairs" Mason says, storming into our room at St. George's Park. "It's about Liv."

"What happened?"

"Declan... she is pregnant."

"I know."

"You know? Did Harry tell you?"

"She did" I smile.

"She... what?" Mason says, sitting down in his bed.

"Yep."

"When did that happen?"

"Like an hour ago."

"Oh... I see. Did she also tell you who the father is?"

"Yep."

"Then why are you smiling like that? The girl you love is having a baby with another guy."

"She isn't, Mason."

"Of course she is! Harry said Alex is the father! Though they don't seem to be together, it must have been a one time thing or some kind of rebound after you... Well, you very well know what you did."

"I know, yes. But Alex isn't the father. I am" I grin.

"What?" he laughs. "Wait, you are being serious."

"I have never been more serious in my entire life. I am the father of Liv's baby, Mase."

"You... holy shit" Mason says while looking at me as if I have grown another head. "But if you are the father, why are they saying it is Alex?"

"It is a long story, but apparently, he is trying to protect her" I say, rolling my eyes.

"Protect her? From what?"

"Her dad. If he finds out an Arsenal player got his daughter pregnant..."

"Yikes."

"Exactly" I sigh.

"But wait, there is something I still don't understand" he says after a few seconds in silence. "How did you get Liv pregnant?"

"I think you are pretty familiar with how babies are made, Mase" I chuckle, making him roll his eyes.

"I mean how did you two ended up sleeping together if you haven't seen each other or talked since the summer. Or have you?"

"Well..."

"Did you lie to me, Declan? To your best friend?"

"Not really."

"Not really? What does that mean?"

"Remember that during the previous international break I was going to talk with her before going home to recover from my injury?"

"I do, yes" Mason nods. "But you said you didn't manage to do it, that you didn't get the chance to tell her everything you felt for her."

"And I didn't, but not because she didn't want to talk with me. I mean, she didn't want to, she made it very clear when she saw me and tried to slap me again. But we didn't talk because when that happened and I stopped her hand, we were so close and I was feeling so many things that I couldn't help myself and I kissed her. And then... You know" I shrug.

"Yeah, I know what happened next, I don't need the details" Mason says. "Actually... No. I do need one detail. Where?"

"What?" I laugh.

"Where did you... you know. Because I didn't see you come back inside. Or her."

"Mason, I'm not going to tell you where we conceived our baby" I laugh again.

"Why not?"

"Because that's private and Liv would kill me if I told you."

"But she already wants to kill you for breaking her heart, doesn't she?" he shrugs. "Or has that changed since she found out she's pregnant?"

"I don't know."

"You don't? Didn't you talk about it earlier?"

"Mason, she had just told me we were going to have a baby. We had more important things to worry about."

"I guess, yes... But because you are going to have a baby together, which I still can't believe is true..."

"Neither do I" I chuckle.

"Don't you think you should talk about your feelings for each other? About what happened last summer and how that is going to affect you both and the baby? And preferably before they come. Because this is serious, you can't fuck things up this time. You just can't" Mason says.

"I know. And I won't."

I won't.

Life is giving me a second chance, one that I probably don't deserve, and this time I'm going to do things right. Because this isn't just about me and Liv anymore. Now there is a third little person involved, and they are the most important one. They deserve a mum and a dad that even if they aren't together as a couple, will be there for them and love them no matter what. Though if Liv said yes to this, to doing this together... Maybe she hates me a bit less. Maybe part of her still loves me. Or maybe that's just what I want to think.

Because if she hated me and didn't want to see me again, why would she let me be there for them? She could have told me the baby was mine and leave it there, tell me that she was planning on raising them on her own. But she didn't want to. She didn't want to be alone, and she said yes to me helping her and supporting her. She said yes to doing it together.

"And you also have to talk with your girlfriend the singer" Mason adds. "I fear she won't be taking the news very well."

"She... urgh" I groan. I had completely forgotten about her. Most times I actually forget we are dating, to be honest.

With her work schedule and mine, we barely see each other, and when we do it, it basically is always the same. We go out somewhere, we get papped, she takes some photos to post later on Instagram and have everyone say we are couple goals, and then she leaves. I actually suspect she is seeing someone in New York and that that's why she flies there all the time and lives glued to her phone more than usual.

"You should break up with her, Dec. And the sooner, the better" Mason says.

"I should and I'm going to, yes" I say. "That relationship isn't going anywhere. We are wasting our time, and if we keep forcing it, we are gonna end up hurting each other."

"If I'm honest, I think she's never loved you. I think she just likes the idea of you, Declan Rice, football star. And you've never loved her either."

"I haven't, no. I thought she could help me forget about Liv, but..."

"She's the one you love."

"She is" I nod.

"And now you are going to have a baby together. Like, you are going to be a dad. You, Declan. You!" Mason laughs. "I still can't believe it!"

"Neither do I, I already told you" I smile. "But it is happening, Mase. I'm going to be a dad, and I'm gonna love that baby with everything in me. The days of being a coward and being afraid of my feelings are gone, that's over. Because I can't do that to them. I can't."

To them, and especially to Liv.

"You're going to be an amazing dad. I'm sure of it" he says, moving on the bed to sit next to me and hug me. "Congratulations, bro."

"Thank you, Mason" I reply, hugging him back.

"Do you think Liv would say yes to me being the Godfather?"

"We'll see" I chuckle, hugging him a bit tighter. We'll see.