birds // hs

3. Now Showing *

"Stop it," I sighed as I slapped Harry's hand away from my stomach for the millionth time. "I'm barely showing and that doesn't give you an excuse to feel me up every five seconds."

His big sad eyes met mine. "That's my baby too. I want to feel him kicking around in there."

"He kicked this morning and tired himself out," I laughed, hitting Harry in the shins with our shopping cart as he searched the racks for his coffee brand. "Usually he kicks after dinner."

He grinned and I finally let him sneak his hands under my shirt and rest them on my round little belly for just a few moments. It was nice, but we were still in a public place and there were groceries to be bought.

"People give me weird looks when we're together," I stated sadly as we made our way through the rest of the store.

"That's just because you look young, baby. Don't worry about it."

"People judge me, I know they do."

He looked at me as he dropped the milk into the basket. "Darling, they don't have any right to judge you. They aren't your parents, alright? And they don't know you. So fuck them."

"That's easy for you to say," I huffed. "You're known as the cool guy who's dating some hot young thing. I'm known as the weird chick with daddy issues and an old man for a boyfriend."

"What daddy issues? I'm doing just fine."

I slapped him. "Shut up."

He just laughed and wrapped his arms around my swollen belly, his nose nuzzling into my neck as I tried to reach the top shelf to get my favorite kind of chocolate.

"Har," I whined, stretching on my tiptoes. "I can't reach."

"You're adorable," he chuckled as he easily reached the bag and added it to the pile of food already accumulated in the cart. "And in reference to what you said earlier, it really doesn't matter what other people think. I mean you're happy, aren't you?"

"Yes," I smiled up at him. "Very."

"So what's the problem?"

"I don't know," I exhaled forcefully. "I guess nothing."

"I think there's a way we can get around the rule against teacher-student relationships."

"How's that?"

"Well I've been looking at other schools in the same area and-"

I spun around and almost ran into him. "You can't leave your school!"

"What? Why not?"

"Because. You would be giving into The Man."

He looked very confused. "The Man?"

"Yes."

We finished unloading the groceries onto the belt and the older woman behind the register gave me a look I was quite used to: disgust. She kept looking at my stomach and then at Harry's hand on my back, then up at my face. She never said a single word to us and I was very happy to be back in the safety of Harry's car.

"There's an all-boys high school like five minutes from my house," he continued once we were on our way back home. "They're looking for a senior-level English teacher and the pay is much better than at the college. Baby, it would be such an easy move."

"But I won't see you in class anymore," I mumbled as I fiddled nervously with my fingers. "How am I supposed to make it through the day?"

He took my hand in his and kissed the back softly, his eyes never leaving the road. "You'll be fine, I know you will. And did I mention that this job comes with amazing healthcare and time off after the baby comes? Darling, it's a dream job."