Complicated

14. Oh Baby.

Abby sat against the sink, blankly staring at the pregnancy test. Without even realizing it, her eyes watered. "Is everything okay in there?" The nurse asked politely, knocking on the door. Abby broke out of her daze and got back into reality. "Um yea.. I'll be right out.." She wiped her eyes and looked into the mirror.

"What am I going to tell Courtlen? He wore a condom.. right? I didn't need any pills.. right? What about.. oh no," she thought to herself.

Abby let out a deep sigh and threw the stick into the trash. Leaving the bathroom, she rushed past the nurse and picked up her stuff. "I'm okay now so bye!" she shouted as she ran out her office. The nurse suspected something so she went into the bathroom to check for anything. Looking at the trash bin, Abby made it completely obvious that she took the test and got a frightful result. Looking at the positive sign, the nurse gasped. "Oh dear.. I hope she knows what she's gotten into.." Running back to class, Abby texted Courtlen on the way; "meet me afterschool. Its important."

Back at home, Chresanto either did chores all day or do the usual things he liked to do. While watching tv, Michelle came home from work early. "Hi Chres," she said, carrying groceries. "Hey.. want some help with those?" he replied, getting off the couch to help. "Please and thank you. I got off early to run some errands and to talk to you." Chresanto made a bummed look as he carried the bags to the kitchen. "The fight?"

"Yes. Come sit." They both walked to the living room and sat on the couch. "Ya know, I didn't know you had problems with Jake. You didn't have to beat him up for it."

"He's a bad guy and he started the fight with me."

"How so?"

"He sells and uses drugs. We fought because I wanted him to stay away from Kiloni with all that mess. He told me to stay out his business and all that then he got his ass whooped."

"Drugs? How do you know all that?"

"I've seen it for myself."

"How? Where?"

"I can't say where but that's all.."

"So you fought.. over Loni?"

"I guess so.."

"You must really li-"

"Yes. Yes I do." Michelle took a moment to think. "Let me make a deal with you.. instead of putting this on your record, I want you to go to the foster group therapy for me."

"The hell?"

"Yea. Other foster children just talking for an hour or so. It wouldn't kill you."

"..when is it?"

"I'll give details later. Are you going to do it or what?"

"I guess I am.."

"Great!" Michelle happily got up to get her keys and headed back out the house. "I got more errands to run so I'll see you later. By the way, this is your last warning. One more strike and you're leaving this house," she smiled and slammed the door behind her. Chresanto slumped back into the couch. He didn't want to go to therapy nor did he want to get kicked out so therapy was is last option.

At the end of the school day, Abby waited at Courtlen's car. 5 minutes after the bell, he showed up. "Miss me?" he smirked, unlocking his door. Abby didn't respond. He shrugged it off and got in the car. "What's so important that you had to tell me?"

"Can we go to like a park or something?"

"Um.. okay." Courtlen did as she pleased and went to a park. It pratically empty and in between the distance of their two homes. After parking the car, they made their way to a picnic table, sitting across from each other. "Well?" Courtlen asked. Abby began playing with her thumbs nervously. "It's about when we had sex.."

"Good times.. never knew you got down like that-"

"ANYWAYS. Did you wear a condom then?"

"I dunno. Why?"

"I wasn't on any pills and I didn't take any after and I'm pretty sure you didn't wear one and now I missed my period and I just realized it then I got sick and-"

"Whoa whoa whoa, what? Slow down."

"Courtlen, I'm pregnant."

Courtlen's eyes grew big. "Come again?"

"I'm pregnant. I've been with you and only you recently. It couldn't be anyone else."

"A-Are you sure?" Abby nodded. "I would actually like to go to the doctor to double check." Courtlen plopped his face into his hands. "What if you really are? What are you gonna do?"

"Keep it. I'm sorry but this would be my first kid. There's nothing in this world that would make me get rid of it, not even if I have to be a single parent on the streets."

"What about your family a-and your friends?"

"Hope for the best.. we made a mistake, might as well face the music."

Courtlen couldn't believe his ears. All the thoughts of having a kid came to his head. Food, diapers, taking care of it, the late nights, everything. He doesn't want to be the father to run off and not take responsibility but he doesn't want to be in this position to begin with. At this point, he has no choice but to deal with a problem he made. "C'mon.." he said in a low tone, standing up. "Where are we going?"

"The clinic. To see if we have a kid or not."

Night finally came and Michelle and Courtlen were fast asleep in their beds. As for Chresanto and Kiloni, not so much. The two haven't spoken since the roof incident from weeks ago. One was waiting for the other to be a bigger person to set things straight. The bigger person was Chresanto. Like their old late night conversations, Kiloni would come downstairs to the living room to talk for a while. This time, Chresanto quietly came upstairs and went to Kiloni's room. He peeked his head inside and saw her under her sheets on her phone. "Pssssst!" he whispered loudly. She glanced at him and went on with her business. Since she saw him, he took it as the green light to come in.

He closed the door behind him and walked over to her bed. "Hi.." he whispered. Kiloni still didn't answer. Chres sat on the bed next to her, "Are you still mad at me?" Kiloni shut her screen off and sat up to talk. "Why did you fight him?"

"For you."

"Bullshit."

"He didn't want me to tell you the truth about him. I told him I'll tell you whatever. Then it happened.."

"You're still no better. You do what he does at a lower rank. How do you seem? If you really want to get this message across, loud and clear, then stop."

"It's not that easy-"

"Why?"

"It's a monkey on my back. The rush, the money, everything. It's not that easy to give up. Alone, that is."

"You helped me stop so let me help you.. you've overcome too much to be throwing your life down the drain like that. Please." Kiloni put her hand on his and looked at Chres with sadness showing in her eyes. Looking back, he tucked his lips and nodded.

Kiloni genuinely smiled for the first time in a while. "Let's just put that roof stuff behind us. It sucks not talking.."

"Tru."

"So we're cool now?"

"Well, I dunno.. you called me an asshole the other day soooo.." he joked. "Get over it, you big baby," Kiloni laughed, pushing his muscular arm. "I'll try, haha. You know, I missed you punk, even though we live together and all that but you know."

"Yea I know. That means we gotta catch up! What I miss?" After that, they talked about what's been going on in their lives until the sun was about to rise but by then they both knocked out on Kiloni's bed. Things were sort of back to normal, yet still out of place.