Locked in school with my crush

The aftermath

A month later

"Ethan's been asking about you?" Lilly tells me while looking down at the ground.

I stay quiet. We were sitting on my front porch while my mom cleaned the house.

"He really misses you." Lilly speaks again.

"I don't know what to say to him." I sigh.

Lilly looks up and looks me in the eyes for the first time today.

"Megan, you of all people know I know how you feel. When I lost my mom I sat in a depression for months. I cut off all my friends and locked myself away in my room and do you know who the first person was to get me to finally let someone in?"

"No." I mumble.

"You. You came up to me after school one day and you told me that this isn't what my mom would've wanted and Megan, this isn't what your dad would've wanted. He would've wanted you to remember all the good times you had with him and he would've wanted you to focus on your baby. I know it seems like shutting down is the best option, it's the easiest, but you have to think about your baby now. You have to think about how Ethan feels. Has he even seen you since your dad died?"

I sigh.

A month earlier

"Ethan, he's gone." I choke out the words through the phone.

"Megan, what's going on? Who's gone?" He seemed panicked over the phone.

My dad passed away three days ago and I hadn't bothered to talk to him until now.

"My dad."

The line went quiet for a moment before Ethan spoke again. "What happened."

I blink my eyes trying to refrain from more tears falling from them. I had been crying since the hospital and I didn't know how one person could cry that much. I must've cried my weight in tears.

"He was driving home when some guy cut him off and his car swerved off the road and into a tree. He died in the hospital an hour later."

I could tell Ethan hadn't known how to respond. One word and he could make it all worse. He was scared.

"I'm coming over." He finally said.

My heart raced in excitement but I couldn't help but feel guilty from the excitement.

"No!" I quickly say. "I need sometime to myself for awhile."

"However long it takes Megan. I'll-"

"Please don't come breaking into my house or calling me. Just give me time." And with that, I hung up the phone.

I hadn't spoken to Ethan ever since.

Present time

"Have you gone to the doctors since the accident?" Lilly asks.

I shake my head.

"All this stress can't be good for the baby. Speaking of which, Ethan hasn't even seen how much you've grown."

I knew it was true. I was doing my very hardest to avoid Ethan. I wasn't ready to see him yet. I had grown though. The barely noticeable baby bump turned into a noticeable baby bump even with clothes on. It still wasn't insanely huge, but it was there.

"Lilly, my dad-"

"Died." Lilly finishes. "And he was an amazing man. He raised you to be smart and successful and he always taught you to always put your family first. This baby and Ethan are your family now."