LOVE is DEAD [RARL]

15

"A girl?" Enid asked, jumping up as Lydia grinned back at her with an enthusiastic nod. They lunged at each other in a desperate hug, and Ron gazed onwards, rubbing his sweaty palms on his jeans as he smiled nervously.

He's invited into the hug.

Obviously. He is the father after all, Carl thought bitterly, left to the sidelines with Mikey, who was just happy to be involved at all.

...

It's completely selfish, but Carl refused to acknowledge it as he tips a plastic garbage bid over with a well aimed kick, allowing it to spill its contents onto the sidewalk.

He was being irrational by blaming the situation on the baby-- no, he refused to call it a baby. The fetus-- that just so happened to be one part Lydia and another part Ron.

Carl stared begrudgingly down at the garbage before him. Coffee grounds, glass from a broken dish, wrappers of every color, fruit peels, used paper plates... it's all trash, and smells horrible.

Carl spends 15 minutes cleaning up the mess he'd made in a fit of anger.

...

Carl stoodbbeside Ron on the street corner, hood pulled up against the chilly night air.

"Do you ever wonder what it's like to be hit by a car?" Ron asked, watching the traffic as he lipped around his cigarette, hands in his pockets, clutching at his drug money, undoubtedly.

"Sometimes," Carl replied.

...

"When school starts, we're fucked," Mikey said, eyes following the ceiling fan of Carl's room spin round and round.

With a shrug, Carl continued to sketch.

"I'm serious. Ron's dropping out and Lydia can't go because she's pregnant." Carl bit his tongue, jaw set, but Mikey plowed on.
"Something bad's going to happen. I feel it."

___

(school has started up and i need something to do in my study hall and bus rides, so i might as well get shit done)