Teen Dad

One

I woke up to the sound of my alarm ringing in my ears. I hit the snooze button and fell back asleep. Five minutes later and it was doing it again. That time I turned the alarm off. I got out of bed, stretched my arms out, yawned and ran my fingers through my messy brown hair. I got up and went into the bathroom where I did my usual morning routine. I took a shower, brushed my teeth, combed my hair with my hands, and threw on a white shirt and some jeans. Most guys at my school don't usually wear jeans, but I do.

After I was done in the bathroom I went into the kitchen. I began making blueberry pancakes and some sausage. When they were about done, I went into the other room next to the bathroom and slowly opened it. There, lying in a pink bed, was my little Annabelle. Raising a kid is hard, I'll tell you that, but it's worth it in my opinion. I sat on the edge of her bed, moved her bangs out of her face, and softly kissed her forehead. "Morning princess," I whispered.

Her eyes fluttered open and a small grin appeared on her face. "Hi daddy," she said. She sat up and stretched, yawning in the process.

"How did you sleep?" I asked.

"Good," she said. "Daddy, do you have to work again tonight?"

"Yeah I do, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she said, the brief sound of disappointment in her voice.

"You know what, I'll take the day off tomorrow and spend it with you," I said. She smiled, immediately wrapping her small arms around me. "Now come on, lets go eat."

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I pulled into the school parking lot, ready to get the day over with. School has never been my best subjective, and its even harder now that I have to help Annabelle. I mean, how can I help her when I can barley do my own work. She's 6-years-old, starting 1st grade, and she has a 19-year-old dad who can't do anything with his life. I know she deserves better, but I can't leave her. I've raised her since she was a baby, and thinking about leaving her makes my heart break. She may be the only one I will ever have...

I left my car, eyes staring at me, people whispering and laughing. It was a typical thing that happened everyday, but I just ignore them. Ask was walking towards the front doors of the school, I noticed a girl talking with a few other girls. She definitely wasn't from here. Must be new, I thought.

I walked into the school and went straight into my first class. I sat in the middle of the room all alone. Ever since I adopted Annabelle people have been labeling me as a rapist. They think I forcefully got a girl pregnant, even though I have shown people the adoption papers. Luckily nobody is bothering Anna at her school, yet. I'm sure as she gets older people with bother her about it, and I've had this talk to her many times before. She knows if anything happens to talk to me and I'll set things straight. I may not be the strongest or the smartest, but I know how to protect my little girl.

"Okay class, everyone take your seats," the teacher said, walking into the room three minutes late. "Now today, before we start our assignment, I would like to introduce our newest student. Everyone please give a polite welcome to Abigail Fisher." A girl walked into the room, the same girl in the parking lot. Short brown hair, green eyes, pale skin, short, slim body, and perky. "Abigail why don't you go take a seat next to Michael over there," the teacher said, pointing at me. Abigail walked over here and sat in the seat next to me. She smiled at me before grabbing her materials from her backpack. "Okay class, now today we are going to-"

The teacher began, but I wasn't paying much attention, and neither were a lot of other people. I was to busy looking through my phone, looking at the pictures of me and Annabelle. There were pictures of her playing, of her swimming, of her dancing, and a few of her on her birthday. I smiled at them before I felt breathing down the back of my neck. "Who's that?" a female voice asked.

I looked up and to my surprise saw Abigail looking over my shoulder at the phone. "Her names Annabelle."

"Is she your sister?" she asked. I shook my head. "Cousin?"

"Daughter."

"How old is she?"

"She recently turned 6," I said.

"Who's her mother?"

"Ahem," the teacher coughed, making us both look up. We both said our apologies and she continued with the lesson.

"She doesn't have one," I whispered to Abigail.

"But isn't she your daughter?" I nodded. "Then how does she not have a mother?"

"I adopted her. Found her on the streets so I took her in."

"Oh," she said.

"Well if you two like talking so much I'll see you both in detention tomorrow night," the teacher said in our direction. I heaved an angry sigh and leaned back in my chair, as Abigail sighed and put her head in her hand. The teacher then, once again, continued her lesson.

"I'm Abby by the way," Abigail said.

"Michael."