Between a Rock and a Hard Place // c.h.

40 - Fucked (Literally)

Luke's POV
***

   Her eyes read over the stick, then it dropped to the floor, falling quickly from her hands. Cara's eyes went blank, her already slow movement coming to a sudden, complete stop. Her jaw dropped and all the remaining color drained out of her face. My stomach sank as I slowly grasped the reality of what was happening.

   "I-I'm..." She barely managed the words, dropping to her knees where she stood. I grabbed her, helping to support her small, frail body. Her figure fell into me, shriveling up into a small ball of the girl I'd fallen so desperately in love with. She gasped, drawing in a strangled breath. Then the tears started. Cara cried into my chest, and I held her, refusing to show emotion. A horrible, nauseous feeling took hold of me, spreading from my stomach throughout my entire body, numbing my limbs one by one. She didn't even have to finish the sentence. I knew what it meant. Which meant that there was a chance that I was a father. While the idea would've been exciting in any other context, the particular situation made the announcement sound like more of a death sentence, and that's exactly how it felt. The world was being ripped out from under me, trapping in something I wasn't prepared to handle.

"It'll be ok." I held her in my arms, lifting my chin so that her eyes met mine. Her crystal eyes were red, bloodshot and swollen. The red in her eyes was pronounced even more against the pale whiteness of her drained skin. Honestly, I wasn't convinced that everything would go right, I was worried about everything that seemed to be unfolding so quickly in front of me. I wasn't even one-hundred percent confirmed as the father, and I was terrified. I couldn't have imagined how hopeless, how trapped, Cara was feeling, but all I wanted to do was help her.

Cara's POV
***

I was pregnant. I couldn't be pregnant. I'd read so many times about girls who'd gotten pregnant out of wedlock, or who had gotten pregnant as teenagers. Almost none of the stories ended well. The girls' lives had fallen apart like shattered glass. I couldn't let my life fall apart. But here I was, pregnant at eighteen with a chance of two possible fathers. Luke and Calum. I didn't know which one was the father of the baby I was now carrying, only that it was one of them and that I could only find out after I'd had the baby. The baby. I was having a baby. All I could do was cry, cry for the future that I was now being forced to live through. I wasn't ready for a marriage, let alone a child. Would I have to get married? Who would I get married to? The more j thought, the harder the tears came, crashing like the world around me. Luke held me as tears fell from my eyes and streamed down my cheeks one after another, the flow not stopping.

   "What am I supposed to do Luke?" I whimpered, burying my face into his chest. His arms held me, supporting my frail body. It felt like I was flying through space, unable to stop or breathe or really do anything other than float deeper into the hell-filled depths of oblivion. With Luke there I felt somewhat better, like there was a small force of gravity in my otherwise unraveling universe. His breath in my ear and his heartbeat under my head brought a small feeling of calm to my restless soul. While he helped me calm somewhat, thoughts still filled my head, making me sick, depressed, anxious, terrified, and panicked all at once.

   "I don't know. But I promise I'm here for you." He ran his hand through my hair, swirling the strands gently between his long fingers. "I said I loved you Cara, and I meant it." He hugged me to him. I realized I had stopped crying. I wasn't sure if it was because I'd cried out all my tears or because Luke helped me feel better, being with him and knowing he was supportive despite the fact that we were in the shittiest situation that could've possibly taken place. I loved Luke, but I couldn't stop the murmur that kept repeating softly in the back of my head. 'Calum. I've got to tell Calum.' Could I even face Cal after what I'd done to him? After our fight? The fact that I was still with Luke only made the idea more mortifying. He probably wouldn't want to see me. Who would want to see someone who'd done something as bad as that to them? Everything was so confusing, so painful, all I wanted was for things to go back to the way they were a month ago, when it was just Cal and I, happy and in love without so many problems. Luke seemed to sense exactly what I was thinking about. "Life has highs and lows," he breathed in my ear, "they all come to an end at some point. But I promise it'll all work out." He kissed my cheek, then my forehead. His lips whispering against my skin lightly. Deep down I knew he was right, and I loved him for helping me. He made me feel better about my situation... And about life in general if I was being honest with myself.

   I knew the only other thing I could do was tell Cal. If he were the father, he would want to know. The only problem would be explaining that Luke was also a possible 'sperm donor' as Abby would've said. Luke had taken the news well, but I couldn't predict Cal's reaction, despite my most desperate attempts. He only way to see his reaction would be to tell him myself, in person. I had to tell him soon.

   My stomach lurched for the millionth time that night as the line rang, dialing the other love of my life.