Blake to the side>>>
Toby
"Well, we wouldn't have come home late if you had remembered!" Blake accused. I ducked my head, making my way up the stairs with a sigh. It was almost midnight, my surprise party had started at one in the afternoon. Blake and Jackson had gone all out, filling the playlist with all of my favourite bands, Shane and Evan had arranged for my friends from school to come - it turned out to just be whoever wandered by.
Blake's friends brought me gifts just for being related, people I'd never met but Blake knew brought gifts to try to kiss up and be in Blake's good books. As the school's starring quarterback and captain of the Varsity team, Blake was loved by everyone and getting close to him was basically being a celebrity in our small town.
"How do you know I forgot?" Mom shouted back. "I was planning a small party for tomor-"
"His birthday's today!" Blake shot back. "Excuse me for wanting to celebrate it!"
"We can't afford-"
"Mom, I got a bit of help, is all!" he said angrily. I sat at the top of the stairs, resting my chin on my knees and wrapping my arms around my shins as I listened. "Jackson and Katie didn't mind, Aunt Valerie-"
"It's not their job to pay for your parties!" Mom shouted. "All of this is making me wonder who's paying for your alcohol at your usual parties!"
"I have a job," Blake sounded a bit hurt. "I paid for most of it. Jackson just helped a bit with-"
"Again, they shouldn't be paying! Not everything needs to be so big, Blake! How much did you spend on that necklace? How much did you ask to borrow from Jackson?"
"Only a bit-"
"How much is a bit?" she demanded. "Because now we have to pay him back!"
"Only a hundred or so" Blake was growing angrier. I could see by Mom's shadow that she had her hands thrown up angrily, Blake probably had his mutinously in his pockets like usual. I bit on my lip, a bad habit I had picked up from Jenny when we were kids. She didn't anymore, but I couldn't break out of my habit. "Honestly, it's not that big a deal! When Shane's birthday comes around, I promised I'd do the same!"
"What if you don't have the money?" Mom demanded.
"We're not as poor as you think we are!" Blake finally shouted. "This isn't about money, this is about Toby! When you tell him, he's going to be upset, Mom! I just wanted to give him a good birthday before-"
I stood up and walked down the stairs quietly, walking into the kitchen. I stepped between them, looking at my mom. Her eyes were wide. "Toby, go upstairs." Blake said quietly.
"It's not like I can't hear you," I pointed out. "What are you telling me?"
"It can wait until tomorrow," Mom said softly. "Go to sleep, it's late."
"No," I lifted my chin, my eyes meeting hers. "What's going on?"
"You're too young-"
"I'm fourteen, Mom." I crossed my arms.
"Not that you would know," Blake murmured. Mom's eyes filled with tears and I sighed. "What's going on?" I repeated. "Tell me!"
Mom sat down on the counter, tears making little rivers on her cheeks. "Toby, I-"
"Mom!"
"I'm pregnant," she blurted out, starting to cry harder. I froze, Blake's arm tensed around my shoulders. She couldn't be pregnant. She didn't have a boyfriend, Dad was dead-
