A Broken Life

Chapter 12

"No you butt, that's mine!" I throw french fry at Tommy, and pout as he eats the one he stole along with the one I just threw at him. He smiles tauntingly at me and I just glare. It was only two days ago, he drove to my house and offered me help with my pregnancy, but we've seemed to have gotten closer since then. He's super funny, and surprisingly very smart.

"Don't you know it's not smart to steal food from a pregnant lady?" I scold him, and he just laughs and shrugs.

His phone beeps, and he checks it, "Shit, Iz, I gotta go. I'm sorry, I may or may not have neglected ALL of my chores this morning..." He grins and I just roll my eyes.

"Gah, you're such a lazy butt!"

"Hey! I wasn't the one blowing up my phone demanding McDonald's french fries." He shoots back defensively, and I just roll my eyes and blush a bit.

"Don't judge me..." I pout and he just laughs.

I look up at him, and I see a whole new person. He looks at me as he recovers from laughing at me and smiles. We sit there in a comforting silence, and I can't help but wonder about why he is even here right now. He's not the one who got into bed with me. He's not the one who claimed to love me. I can't help but to think: This should be Jackson. But as soon as that thought comes, it goes. Tommie puts his hand on my shoulder, and my body emits in flames.

He flips his hair out of his face, and grins, "Well, I should get going."

I snap out of my daze, and push off of my bed. "Uh, yeah. Let's go." I lead him to the doorway, and he hugs me goodbye.

I reach over to open the door, to see someone I never thought I'd ever see at my front porch again.

"Oh hey dude! How's it goin?" Tommie puts on his stupid, annoying, douche baggy accent he puts on for almost everybody but me, and I just stand there in shock.

Jackson awkwardly stands there with his hand up as if he were just about to knock, then slowly puts down his hand down as Tommie leaves. Tommie drives away, and I'm still stuck frozen at the door. Jackson coughs an awkward and quiet cough, and enters the house. I close the door, and I head over to my room. Maybe if I just pretend he isn't there he'll go away.

I awkwardly sit down and finish up my fries. I peek through my eyelashes to see Jackson in all his casual glory. His navy blue shirt has his sleeves rolled up, he's wearing dark, navy blue jeans, and I can't help but wonder how he can be wearing this in the summer.

He scans my body, and if this were a time before the party he would make a snarky comment how fabulous I look wearing my Big Bird PJ pants at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. He looks back at my face, and I can't find a read on how he must be feeling.

"Tommie?" That's all he says, and I almost feel disappointed at this. It's as if my heart wanted him to profess his love, my mind creating this image of him kissing me right on the spot and apologizing for leaving me for so long.

"Uh, yeah..." But this isn't a world that my heart and mind created, this is reality. And in reality, nobody will truly love me. Not even myself.

His right eyebrow arches up, "Why?"

I start to suffocate on the tension slowly filling the air. "I was hungry, and my aunt's gone so he brought me food."

He nods his head. "You never replied." Those simple words came out so coldly, but I could see the hurt in his eyes. I understood, then and there, the pain I put him through.

My eyes start to water, and I'm not even sure why. Stupid pregnant, emotional me! Why now?

I look down, "Yeah..." I choke out that one word, and stare at the blurry floor.

Warm, comforting arms embrace me in a hug, and my tears slowly slide down my face. "Shhh shhh shhh," That's all he says, as he slowly rocks me in place. He leads us both to my bed, and we sit down.

"I'm sorry." I whisper it so quietly it's barely audible. He just responds by quietly mumbling soothing, sweet nothings in my ear. I grip onto his shirt like a child, and try to control my pregnancy hormones.

My silent tears finally leave me in peace, but Jackson continues to hold me in his arms.

My eyes slowly start to droop, and the last thing I hear is my phone's ringtone alerting me of a text message.