Chapter 14: And You Are...

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"'Cause you make me strong..."

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Chapter 14

I groaned and slowly opened my eyes to the sunlight streaming into my bedroom. I sat up and yawned, stretching my arms up and over my head. Memories of the previous night came to me in a blur, and I sighed hugely. God, what a day.

“Oh good, you’re up,” snarled Avery, thundering into my room. She was dressed as lazy as she ever got, with her hair in a sleek ponytail, tight leggings, and an oversized sweater. For the first time I allowed myself to wonder what she’d look like with a baby bump.

“Good morning to you, too,” I said, arching my back. Avery ignored me, instead taking a seat at the foot of my bed and fixing me with a pointed glare. That was when I knew that she was pissed. Though about what, I was struggling to remember at the moment.

“Are you fucking serious?” she bellowed. My eyes widened. “You go out clubbing with your boyfriend and run into the father of my child and decide to tell him I’m pregnant? Are you out of your damn mind?”

Her words made me remember what I’d done, and I almost felt bad until I thought of Austin, looking so confused on the ground. And how he’d wanted to be there for Avery, if only for a second. Clearly he’d called her.

“In my defense-”

“You have no defense! How could you do this to me?”

“So he called you?” I asked, trying to divert her from attacking me.

“Yes, he called me. Now he’s trying to play superhero and he’s spewing all this crap about being here for me and shit, but it’s not going to work.”

“Avery, let him in. Maybe he can help you.”

“I don’t want his help!”

“You may not want it, but you may need it! Avery, he has rights, too!”

Rights? Rights? Seriously, Lexi? I’m just barely pregnant and you’re rambling on about his damn rights?” she bellowed. I shrank against my pillows.

“I’m sorry, but it’s not fair to you to think that you have to do this on your own!” She closed her eyes in frustration, groaning loudly.

“I don’t need him! Or you! Or anyone!”

“Avery,” I said, trying to make her look at me. Her gaze stayed fixedly pointed at her lap. “It’s okay to have help. You’re going to need it.”

She looked as if she wanted to argue more, but a loud rumbling emanated from her stomach. I almost laughed, but the murderous expression she gave me quelled any that might’ve come.

“We will continue this later,” she snapped, standing up and storming out of my room. I sighed, and after a moment followed her.

Avery had gone downstairs and taken her seat at the table. My father was seated reading emails on his phone, drinking coffee, and eating a piece of toast. Avery pounced on the food in the center of the table much to Gale’s surprise, who exchanged a raised eyebrow look with me. Avery normally drank a cup of coffee and ate some fruit, if she ate at all. I took a seat warily across from her and poured my tea.

“Good, you’re both here,” my father said. He set down his phone and folded his hands on top of the table. Avery paused in shoveling eggs into her mouth and narrowed her eyes at him. He hardly ever spoke to us at meals, especially breakfast.

“What’s up, Daddy?” I asked. He made an attempt at a smile.

“We’re going out to dinner tonight, so don’t make plans with anybody else.”

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