We Are Stars | OLD DRAFT

Chapter Fourteen: Holes

Two Years Ago...

After helping me into his house earlier today, Noah had sat me down on the sofa to relax. The fear and confusion in his eyes were as clear as day. He didn't ask any questions until after he had gathered a few things for me: a large bowl, a blanket, and some medications. I refused the medication due to the fact that I have no idea what medicines are safe for me to take during my pregnancy.

Noah paces about his living room, his hands shuffling through his hair every few moments or so. I had stopped throwing up a little while ago and took a short nap. When I woke up, I had some explaining to do, and I know that.

"Will you sit down already? God, your pacing really isn't helping," I say, my voice croaking.

"What do you expect me to do?" He snaps. I draw back into the sofa and curl my legs up to my chest, my meek little self clearly illustrated. His face calms as he releases a quick yet deep sigh. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

I wrap my arms around my legs, tucking them in closet. "You don't have anything to be sorry for," I say as my eyes turn away. "But I'm sorry about your porch."

He lets out a light chuckle. "Don't worry about it. The porch is the least of my worries."

"Maybe for you. God, I feel so embarrassed." I let my head fall into my arms as my body shapes into a ball on the couch.

I soon feel a cold hand touch my arm, followed by a calming voice. "Trust me, Nyc. You have nothing to feel embarrassed about. Believe me, I've hurled in places much worse," he jokes.

I lift my head up to eye him. "I just puked all over my neighbor's porch. There might be a record in play here." Trying to smile, I shoot up and grab the bowl Noah had fetched for me. My eyes squeeze shut as I prepare for another round of bile. Noah holds back my hair as his other hand dances in circles on my back. Luckily, it's a false alarm, and I lean my body backwards and into the pillow on the couch.

Noah goes to sit at the other end of the couch, my bare toes touching his leg. "Do you want me to call your parents?"

I warily shake my head. "No. No, they can't know what's going on."

"Okay, what about your brothers?" He asks.

"No. No one can know."

His eyes turn stern and that comforting smile dissipates from his face as quickly as smoke. My hands go numb. "Rowen, what is going on?" He awaits me answer but I don't speak. "And don't you dare say nothing, because we both know that it's something."

I slowly sit up, my stomach groaning with exhaustion and hunger, and I look Noah in the eye. "What I'm about to tell you can never get out. No one else knows, and it needs to stay that way."

"Nyc, you can trust me. Whatever it is that you're hiding, it will never leave my mouth."

My breathing deepens and I turn my head away from him. When he hears this, I won't be able to look him in the eye. The shame is enough for me to bare, but not the disappointment that will light in his eyes. With a heavy heart, I breathe, "I'm pregnant."

Even though I can't see his face, I hear his breathing practically stop.

~~~~~

Monday arrives sooner than I want it too. When I woke up this morning, both of my brothers were furious. I've never been out so late before and I didn't return any of their texts so I couldn't really hold them accountable. I had to come up with some excuse as to why my car wasn't parked in the driveway and I told them that Sam had borrowed it for a night out. Both Caleb and Dylan interrogated me, but I'm pretty confident with my story. Obviously, I didn't tell them about the little adventure to the school last night. They'd take me to jail themselves.