Pretty Little Liars: 16 & Pregnant

The C-Word

Aria's Pov

"Uno!" Mike screams, holding his card in the air. I chuckle lightly, eyeing the wad of cards that I still have left in my hand. I never really was good at this game.

"We can't let Mike win again!" Ezra says "He already won the last two."

"Don't worry, his winning streak is not going to continue." My mom reassures him with a laugh. I realize that it's my turn, and decide to play a pick-up-four card on Ezra, who's right after me.

"Change it to...green!" I declare, hoping that Mike's last card isn't green.

"Seriously?!" Ezra whines "That's the only colour I don't have!" I chuckle as he picks up a new card from the pile. I count the cards in Ezra's hand, then the ones in my own. Nine for me, eleven for him.

"We're beating daddy, Piper!" I say to my stomach "You must be my good luck charm!" As if in response to me, Piper kicks almost immediately after I speak.

"Woah, I saw that!" Mike exclaims excitedly "Piper must like this game!"

I chuckle, resting my hand on my stomach "It must run in the family."

Even though I'm having lots of fun playing Uno, I still can't help but think about my dad. How he's refusing to see me, to accept that I'm starting a family of my own. But what he doesn't realize is that I'm happy with my new life, happier than I've ever been before. I'm so deeply in love with Ezra, and the fact that we're having a daughter together makes things a million times better. I have friends and family that support us, and that means so much to me. I just wish my dad could be apart of everything that's happening.

"Babe, it's your turn." Ezra says, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Oh, I wasn't really paying attention." I admit.

He chuckles "It seemed that way." I look at Mike, who now has two cards in his hand instead of one.

"You had to pick up a card!" I tease him. He just stares at me for a moment, his eyebrows slightly pinched.

"And you must've been in la-la land. Don't you remember me having to pick up? Mom changed it to blue and I didn't have a blue card." He tells me.

"Oh," I stammer "I-I guess I wasn't focusing on the game. I was just thinking about...about...dad." I look down at the floor, trying to focus on something else. Everyone goes silent, making it harder not to concentrate on my thoughts. Ezra takes my hand under the table, giving it a comforting squeeze. It doesn't really help.

"Don't think about your father, sweetie." My mom says "It won't help anything, not right now anyway."

"I know." I whisper, keeping my eyes locked on the floor. Even though I want to take my mind off of my dad, it seems to be the only thing I can focus on. He still doesn't want anything to do with me, and all I want to do is try and figure out why. Is he still angry about the day I told him I was pregnant? How long can he hold a grudge against Ezra and I? I'm his daughter, doesn't he miss me like I miss him?

~~~

"Bye mom." I say, hugging her.

"Bye sweetie." She replies, placing her hands on my pregnant belly "Bye Piper." I smile at her words, looking down at her hands caressing my bump. Just before she pulls her hands back, Piper kicks, causing my mom to gasp in astonishment.

"I'll never get over feeling Piper do that." My mom says, looking at me excitedly.

"Neither will I." I admit "It's magical feeling her kick. There's a living, breathing little baby in here, and when she moves, it makes it all so real." I place my hand on my stomach, picturing the tiny human being inside. My little girl.