Predator

Chapter Twenty-Four

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It's official. I can no longer fit into any of my regular clothes.

Well, at least anything with a zipper or tight fabric. Lately I've been milking the sweatpants-sweatshirt combo a bit too often for my liking. But at 21 weeks along, I think I've held out for a respectable amount of time without maternity clothes. Quinn promised to take me shopping tomorrow after school.

That is, if Will lets me go.

Over the past two weeks, he's been starting to become possessive of me. At first he didn't want me talking to Finn, then it was all boys in general, and now I'm getting the feeling that he gets jealous of Quinn whenever I tell him we're hanging out. What is with him? I can understand him being jealous of my attention going to other boys, but my best friend? I don't know. I've never had a real boyfriend before so I guess this is just how it is.

I knock on his door, like I have dozens of times before. I've been spending all of my time with him, and it's been going really well. What possibly can he be jealous about?

The door swings open. "Hey," he grins. "Happy Valentine's Day."

Will takes my hand and pulls me into the apartment, subsequently into the crook of his arm. "Happy Valentine's Day," I answer.

We walk into the living room and sit on the couch. "Dinner's almost done," he says. "Vegan penne pasta with an olive oil sauce, and Cesar salad. I'm waiting on the garlic bread to finish. Oh. And here."

Will gets up momentarily to go into the hallway and he comes back with a bouquet of flowers and an impish smile.

"Will!" I protest. "You're spoiling me. And now I feel bad because all I got you was a jumbo bag of Skittles with hearts instead of the 'S's."

He returns to his seat on the couch, wrapping an arm around my middle. "You know Skittles are my favorite. And I want to spoil you. You're my other favorite."

I light-heartedly roll my eyes and snuggle into his chest. "I didn't know you could cook," I muse.

"Well I didn't know you could either," he returns mischievously. "I recall a certain venison casserole that-"

I smack him playfully before he finishes that sentence. "Let's not discuss that particular time, thank you. All I did was act like a crazy stalker."

"An adorable crazy stalker," he chuckles. "It's no wonder I-"

Will pauses. I look up at him, wary of his next words, and he knows it.

"-fell in love with you." Smoothly, he changes the subject. "So how are you feeling today?"

"Wonderful," I answer. "This morning I thought I felt her kick, but I think I was just gassy."

His hand shifts to trace my abdomen and he is strangely quiet. "Aren't you going to say anything?" I ask him.

He suddenly smiles, shakes his head. "I'm just..." he trails off. "The last time..."

"Oh."

Will is still being quiet so I tilt my head up to look at him. I see him swallow hard.

"Hey," I calmly say. "I'm not her. You don't have to worry about-"

"That's not what I was going to say," he laughs gently. "I was gonna  say...I love you. And I know it's too early for me to tell you, but I don't care. I love you."

My face flushes. Oh, wow.

"You don't have to-"

"No," I interrupt softly. "I love you too, Will."