Secrets

Chapter Fourteen

“How the hell could she do this?” Spencer shouted to her four friends and boyfriend in her room while pacing back and forth.“How the hell can she just divorce my dad after all these years without any explanation? You know, she told me that she would never get a divorce, ever. I guess she lied about that one!”

“Spencer, just calm down,” Aria said.

“Do you just expect me to be calm?” she shouted. “My family is now broken apart!” 

“You are a damn pregnant ass woman, Spence. Sit down and shut up. That poor child is probably about to have a heart attack,” Seth said.

“Do not tell me what to do!” Spencer shouted.

“Okay,” Bryce started. “Why don’t you just forget about this and, instead think about the party I’m having?”

“I thought you were banned from partying,” Seth said. “And leaving the house. In fact, Spencer, how come he’s here?”

“My dad is here, so, it’s different.” Bryce smirked. “But my dad we’ll be out of town for, like, three days, so I have the whole house to myself.” He smiled as if he’d done something smart. 

“What if he finds out about it, though?” Chloe asked. “You’re not as sly as you think.”

“He won’t, guys.”

“Spence!” Spencer’s mother shouted from downstairs. “It’s time for your friends to go home!” Spencer rolled her eyes and walked out of her bedroom door and then stopping on the steps, to listen to what their parents had to say.

“They’re really in love,” Spencer’s mom said. “Our children are. That’s why we can’t do this.”

“You’re always thinking of excuses, Lexi,” Bryce’s dad said. “You got a divorce. For me.” Spencer froze and looked at Bryce.

“I didn’t do it just for you.” There was a pause.

“But now, don’t you see, we can be together for real this time.”

“But we can’t. We can’t do that to Spencer and Bryce.”

“Plus, I don’t trust you,” Seth’s mom said. “No one does. Even after all this time.”

“What’s it gonna take for you to believe me? I’m not my stupid school years self anymore. I’m a grown man and I know how to treat people now,” Bryce’s dad said back.

“Yeah, but, regardless,” Spencer’s mom said, “I can’t do this to my daughter. She’s already going through so much with the pregnancy and -”

“Well, that’s her own fault.” Spencer let out a small gasp.

“It couldn’t be done without your son.”

“You don’t even know if my son is the father!”

“It doesn’t matter. It takes two people to make a baby and your son might be one of them.”

“But even if he is, it was Spencer that led him on.” On the stairs, Bryce put a hand on Spencer’s shoulder and squeezed, kissing the top of her head. Spencer shook her head.

“Don’t,” she whispered, pulling away.

“Don’t blame this just on Spencer! Just don’t!” No one spoke. “Get out of this house. Now.” They heard footsteps and Bryce’s dad came walking down the hallway, coming into their view. He turned around. “How much of that did you here?”

“Uh...none of it,” Spencer assured. Bryce’s dad turned around, slamming the door as he went. The five teenagers came running down the rest of the stairs, into the kitchen, where Spencer’s mom was. 

“I’m gonna take everyone home,” Aria said. “See you, Spence.” They all waved and walked out the front door. 

“Bryce, I think you should go,” Spencer’s mom said.

“But mom -” Spencer started.

“No, Spencer. He needs to go.” 

“Yeah, I should get going.” He sighed. “I’ll call you,” he said to Spencer, giving her a kiss. Spencer smiled, slightly, giving him a small wave.

After he walked out the door, Spencer and her mother sat awkwardly in the kitchen. “I’m sorry,” her mom said, after a long silence. 

“No, Mom, you’re not,” she said. And with that, Spencer ran upstairs and just collapsed on her bed. 

~

Spencer, Bryce, Seth and her boyfriend were all at Bryce’s Christmas party. The music was loud and the large house was packed with people. There were couples making out, breaking up and cheating and then the single girls that decided to go with their friends, dressing in hot clothes so maybe one guy would hook up with them. Bryce was talking around with everyone, while a 14 weeks pregnant Spencer was following him.

“Okay, Spence, can you go get some more beer from the basement? My dad’s stash should be down there somewhere.”

“Sure,” Spencer said. She walked away from Bryce and down into the cold, empty basement. She turned on the lights and watched the large, finished basement light up. She searched the basement, and then she found a fridge. She opened it up and it was lined with cases of beer. She grabbed one and picked it up. 

“Oh, yeah, sure make the pregnant girl carry the beer. Genius, Bryce,” she said to herself. She rolled her eyes, walking back upstairs. 

“Bryce!” she shouted, over the loud music and talking people. She searched the house.

“Oh, my God...no,” she said, tears filling her eyes. She dropped the case of beer, putting her hand over her mouth, for there was Bryce, kissing a girl that wasn’t her...Macy.

“Spence...” he said, but Spencer wanted nothing of it, running away from him out of the house, away from the party. Seth saw her and followed her out, meeting her on the perfectly manicured front lawn. 

“Spencer?” she said, but Spencer didn’t speak. Seth hugged her tightly as the tears just came streaming down her face.