Timeless || All Stories

2 || Expecting

"JACK ROBERT AVERY!" Aurora screeches, bursting through his bedroom door and pelting him with Cheez-its, effectively waking the boy up from his nap. "We need to talk."

"About what?" He questions groggily, covering his face with the blanket. "Would you stop throwing those!"

Aurora smirks triumphantly, plopping herself down next to him. "I suggest you sit up, because the sooner you listen, the sooner I'll walk out and leave you alone."

Jack immediately bolts upright, eager for the girl to leave so he could finish his nap. "What is so important that it couldn't wait un-"

"Propose to Callie," she cuts him off, watching amusedly as his eyes widen comically.

"Wait, what?" He finally splutters after opening and closing his mouth several times.

"Propose. To. Callie," Aurora enunciates slower and louder, acting as though he was hard of hearing.

"But-"

"I've already got it all planned out. As soon as her and Adrian get back from Walmart, you can run out to the driveway and propose. But don't pop the question until my camera is set up. I want pictures!"

"Aurora," Jack stops her rambling. "What am I supposed to propose with? I don't even have a ring!"

"Then, let's go buy one," she exclaims excitedly, jumping up and tugging on his arm. "Or you could ask today and buy her one later. After all, you don't necessarily have to have a ring to propose."

"I'm not proposing today," the boy declares, tugging his arm free as Aurora falls back onto the bed dejectedly.

"But, why not?" The girl pleads. "She'll say yes!"

"Do you really think so?" A hopeful grin crosses his face.

"I know so," she decides. "But you, on the other hand, won't know for sure until you grow a pair and ask her yourself!"

Aurora stretches her hand out, fully prepared to smack Jack upside the head but he dodges her attempt with a pillow.

"I'm not proposing today," he reiterates. "But, if you really think she'll say yes, I promise I'll propose before the end of this month."

His eyes widen comically as Aurora's lower lip begins to tremble and genuine tears begin to well up, glossing her eyes over.

"And you can help me pick out the ring!" He quickly tacks on, hoping to stop the waterworks before they start.

Jack had only witnessed Aurora cry a couple times, and both of those times involved Carmen. Frankly, it worried him that there were no other witnesses in the room.

Aurora sprawls herself across the length of the bed in response, letting out a dramatic wail as well as a few tears.

"Fine," he sighs exasperatedly. "I'll propose before the end of the week. Is that better?"

The girl stops wailing and looks at him warily, not sitting up but holding out her hand as she continues to sniffle.

"Pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise," he agrees, entwining their pinkies with an amused grin.

In a blur of movement, Jack finds himself nearly rolling off of the bed as Aurora tackles him into a hug.

"Um, Aurora," he starts warily when she doesn't release her vise like grip on him after a few moments. "Are you okay?"

The only time the two were ever willingly this close to each other was when they were brawling over Cheez-its, and Jack wasn't sure if he found this sudden change in their friendship terrifying or comforting.

"I've never been better," she hums, using his moment of distraction to swipe the box of Cheez-its off of his bedside table. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," the curly headed teen attempts to hide the suspicious look on his face as she pulls away. "You just seem to be more. . . emotional than usual today."

"Don't worry about that," Aurora dismisses his concerns nonchalantly, heading back towards the bedroom door. "I'm just three weeks pregnant."

"Oh, ok- Wait, YOU'RE WHAT?!" He screeches, tumbling out of the bed to go after her.

She merely laughs, rushing down the stairs and into the kitchen where the others - minus Adrian and Callie - are.

"AURORA MARAIS," Jack trails in after her. "You can't avoid me! I NEED ANSWERS, WOMAN!"

Aurora scrambles behind Corbyn, poking her head over his shoulder to stick her tongue out at the distraught boy.

"Now what are you two arguing about?" Zach groans exasperatedly.

"Hey," Carmen defends, nudging him in the ribs. "At least they're not biting each other. It's an improvement."

"I honestly have no idea what Jack is yelling about," Aurora bats her eyelashes innocently, continuing to use Corbyn as a shield as Jack attempts to corner her.

Jack groans, falling to the kitchen floor dramatically, just as Aurora had done in his bedroom moments prior, mumbling about how he'd find out if he had heard her correctly sooner or later.

****

"Which one of you broke Jack while I was gone?" Callie raises an eyebrow, scanning the living room warily.

She and Adrian had just gotten back home, nearly an after Aurora's and Jack's yelling match had occurred, and Jack was still lying on the floor.

"Your Poodle broke himself," Aurora claims through a mouthful of Cheez-its. "He tried to think for himself, which isn't a very pretty sight. Not that he was one to begin with."

"That's your fourth box of Cheez-its today," Daniel comments absentmindedly before anyone can reprimand her remark, "and it's only two in the afternoon."

"Are you calling me fat?" She glares accusingly, crossing her arms. "For your information, Seavey, it's perfectly acceptable to eat a lot when you are eating for two."

Daniel's jaw drops as Jack comes sprinting into the room, tripping over the recliner but, nevertheless, with a victorious smile on his face.

"So, I did hear you right the first time!" He exclaims, curls bouncing. "I knew I wasn't going crazy!"

"Did you know about this?" Zach asks, glancing over at Carmen, who seems to be the only one, aside from the newly proud parents, not in a state of shock. "And you didn't think to warn me about the fact that the world is now going to have two Auroras in it?"

"You can't place all of the blame on me," Aurora defends herself, leaning back into Jonah's side. "Jonah helped."

She can't help but giggle as Jonah's eyes widen, looking like a deer caught in headlights, as all heads turn towards him.

"I don't care who did or didn't help," Corbyn begins, breaking the silence. "I just want to be godfather."