Hold Tight (Phan Adoption)

Thirty

Joey's POV

"What do you mean not by choice?" My voice raises a little. A frightened look washes over her instantly. I try to keep calm for her, my insides churn in fear.

"Its a long story.." Waverly prepares herself and wipes her eyes. I can tell she hasn't talked to anyone else about this. "About a month ago, I snuck out with Ali. We went to s-some party and I didn't know anyone. I got high and the next thing I know I'm in a bathroom with an older boy that cornered me. Ali took me home and I acted like nothing happened the next morning. I was so depressed, well I have been. They knew something was wrong but they didn't know what. I haven't talked to Ali since I basically told him to fuck off, that's why he didn't come to the wedding. I just feel so bad, what if they reverse my adoption? That's why I haven't told them!"

"Shhh.." I hold her wet face to my chest as she chokes on her own tears. A few escape my eyes as well. "They would never.. I'm so sorry Wavey. I love you so much and I am so sorry this has happened." My voice shakes as the tears spill continuously onto my cheeks. I rub her back in attempt to calm her down.

"Please don't tell them, please don't tell anyone! I'm gonna be in so much trouble, they don't know about any of it!" She pleads with red eyes.

"Waverly, I'm sorry but I have to tell them. I will keep any secret from anyone, you know that. But this could potentially effect your health, we don't know if the guy had an STD, you could be pregnant. I have to tell them." I don't what terrified her more, the fact that she could be pregnant for that I am telling Dan and Phil. Her hands cover her eyes and she sits there, probably trying to get herself together. I leave her be and a minute passes before she looks up, wiping her face with tears still gently parading down her cheeks.

"Pregnant? As in, a baby?" Waverly tries to wrap her mind around the concept. "I'm fourteen. I am in no position to raise a kid, I am hardly raised myself! All I do is stress Dan and Phil!" The stress in her voice is evident and I wipe her tears immediately.

"Hey hey hey.. Its okay, don't freak out. We don't know anything for sure yet, lets not worry until we have something to worry about. We get a test, chill out and see whats going on. I'm not saying anything to anybody until they come. And for all we know these are false symptoms." My temporary assurance is successful as we slip shoes on and go downstairs.

"Where are you guys going? Waverly are you feeling better?" Daniel says from the kitchen, his laptop is open but I can't see whats on the screen.

"Yeah I'm fine," she says shortly without making eye contact. Daniel tilts his head squints a little.

"Have you guys been crying?" Caught. He always knows when my mind is distant.

"No we haven't, do you want anything from Walmart?" I quickly revert and take the car keys from the hook. Before he answers or questions any further, Waverly and I are out the door and in the driveway.

"Its the temperature I remember the most. The floor was cold, the tile pressed into my skin..." Waverly's knees are to her chest and her eyes are focused on one spot. It'd been silent until she spoke up. She can be so poetic when she's emotional. She tells her story like its being read from a book. "My bare skin shivered and I thought to myself, 'Is this real? Am I really in the position my mother was in thirteen years ago?' I remember his last words in my ear before her actually went through with it. 'I dare you to scream, I will crush you. Bitch.' It was at that moment that I realized I wanted to be dead. Ali didn't come looking for me until afterwards, he found me in the floor that night. Helpless. The only sound was the music thudding just below me, in a room where people would chat amongst themselves not knowing what had just happened."

By the time Waverly snaps out of her trance we've arrived at Walmart. I'd shut the car off and waited on her to finish. Without letting me even say a single word, she opens the door and steps out of the car.

With a quick in and out trip, home feels almost magnetic as we make our way up the stairs again. Daniel is in the backyard working on some sort of DIY, that should buy us some time. I drag Waverly up the stairs and into my room. I lock the door and empty the plastic bag out onto the bed. I rip open the box of pregnancy tests and hand her three, just to be safe. My heart is racing.

Waverly's POV

My numb hands take the pregnancy test and instructions into the bathroom. I feel like this isn't reality, I have to be dreaming somehow. My hands shake while I calmly read the instructions. I follow as directed and pee on each stick Joey handed me.

Laying them out side by side on the counter, I start to think of each possibility to come. Pregnancy or no pregnancy, I am gonna have to tell them about sneaking out. Maybe I can get away without mentioning the drugs and alcohol, but I would certainly be grounded.

I open the door for Joey, allowing him to step in with me. I sit on the small bath rug and pull my knees to my chest, Joey rests on the sink. And now we just sit in silence.

I don't know how to handle myself right now, I can't imagine what could happen to me if those tests turn out positive. I refuse to abort a life and I refuse to even add orphanage into the equation. I remember my first and last memories of that horrid place. Being accused of stealing, being bullied an ignored. I do miss my blonde hair, I miss the innocence in my heart.

Though I cannot complain, I would take Daddy and Lion over blonde hair any day.

"Hey Wave, enough times have passed if you wanna.." Joey gestures to the tests on the counter. His face is sympathetic, it warms me a little to know I have his support no matter what.

"You look first, I can't.." I stand up and cross my arms. My stomach churns and my numb heart aches a little. I prepare myself for the worst yet I have a confident feeling for the best.

Joey looks over at the tests and picks them up. He fans them out in his hands and studies them with hopeful eyes. He displays no traces of relief nor disappointment. His calm tone echo's in the bathroom.

"They're.."

A/N

Yes, I'm leaving the book on a cliff hanger. Yes, there IS A SEQUAL IN THE WORKS AS YOU READ THIS. It will more than likely start up where this has left off. Thank you all so much for coming this far with me, this book is my everything. It is one of my outlets that keeps me going. I never dreamed this would come this far. I can't wait to continue this and allow you to read more in depths about the characters I've created and will be creating.

If you see any updates from this book (Hold Tight, not the sequel) it is more than likely editing. I will be fixing any errors starting on Chapter One and possibly adding depth to some chapters, feel free to #ReRead and don't forget to vote!

Love you little ducklings, see you in 'Letting Go'!

(if you like to catch me on Instagram my handles are  @keeley.aine and @keeleyainephotography !)

-Keeleyaine xxx