Lost Cause (Tyler Carter)

Chapter 33

These nine months ahead of me are going to be hell. I'm a sucker dry of life and it will remain that way until my new sibling is here.

This baby will be my life, my love, my happiness, and above all my priorities. And my number one priority will be to make sure this kid is happy and healthy.

Their life won't be completely normal considering there won't be a mother and a father around, but besides that factor, they will be a normal kid with a normal life.

I may not even go to college for this kid. How am I supposed to make sure he or she is okay if I'm not even there? I can't keep them safe if I'm miles away at school. By the time the baby is here, and if I go to college, I'll only have about two years before I leave and that isn't enough.

"What would you say if I told you I don't want to go to college?" I asked, breaking the awkward car ride silence.

"Well, what would you do if you don't go?"

"Stay here with you and the baby." I said.

"I don't know about that, Tyler." She said. "That would be throwing your whole future away."

"Not really." I said. "A lot of people don't go to college and end up perfectly fine."

"Why don't you want to?" She asked.

"I don't know." I said. "It just doesn't seem right for me."

"Well, you still have a couple years to decide." She said.

I nodded. Two years seem long, but it'll fly by.

"Another question about school," I said. "would it be too much of a problem if I transferred to Westlake?"

"Westlake is forty minutes away." She said.

"I know, but think about it. I'm getting my license soon. I can drive myself there in the mornings." I said. "It'll be a big change, but it's better than staying at Decatur."

"What's wrong with Decatur?" She asked.

"I don't know. Everything from the students knowing Rachel to the teachers knowing my dad." I said. "I want a fresh start, mom. And I don't know about you, but I need one right now."

"I know." She said.

We pulled into the parking lot of the school and parked. Today are parent/teacher conferences.

"Remind me again why we had to come." I said.

"I want to speak with this Mr. Jansen. That's it." She said.

"Why, though? He's a waste of time." I said.

"Because I want to know what it is he has against my son." She said.

"He's going to come up with excuses for himself, you know that, right?" I said.

"Well, now I know not to fall for his excuses, right?" She asked.

We walked into the building and she followed me to my English classroom.

When we reached the classroom, someone was already in there, so we stood outside the door and waited.

After a few minutes, they left the classroom and we went inside.

"Tyler, good to see you coming to conferences." Mr. Jansen said. I couldn't tell if he was trying to seem nice, or if he was being sarcastic.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Jansen. I'm Sharon." Mom said.

"You, too." He said.

We all sat down at desks and Mr. Jansen pulled my progress report from his folder.