Baby Steps (PREVIEW)

Chapter 4

"What am I going to tell Mom and Dad?" I asked Micah, still sobbing.

I'd been crying so much since we knew my eyes actually started to burn. "I don-I don't know," he stammered, placing his arm my shoulders.

"Who's going to even help me, Micah? All I have is a lousy part-time job." I started to cry even more at the realization. My life is over. I'm seventeen and already my life is over!"

"I'll help you, okay. We'll figure it out." Micah's voice was so soft, so comforting. It was almost like he was talking to a scared child. Trying to convince them the clowns aren't scary.

"Everybody at school is going to laugh at me," I cried, burying my face into his chest.

"It's okay, Aria," he sighed. "You don't have to worry about this right now, we will figure it out." My eyes weren't open but I could hear it, I could hear the door open. Someone came in, but I couldn't stop crying.

"What's wrong with her?" Iris asked, shutting the door back.

"Nothing," he lied. "She just has a really bad stomach pain."

"Well she better keep quiet before Mom hears," she replies, then comes and sit next to me. "And don't lie to me, what's the matter, Aria?" She asked me instead of him this time.

"I..." I opened my eyes to look at her, my vision blurry. "I can't..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Seriously, Micah!" Iris yelled, sounding almost angry. "What's wrong with her?"

"Do you want me to tell her?" He asks me. I just shrug. She gave him a shocked look, almost like she was offended that he had to ask first. "She's pregnant."

"WHAT?!" She shouted, standing to her feet.

"Keep your voice down!" He whispered through gritted teeth.

"Is this is joke?"

"Am I laughing?"

"Who's the father?" She asked wide eyed.

"Do you want me to tell her?" He asked me, and this time she smacked him.

"Ask her that again!"

"Ow!" He complained.

"You know what," Iris started. "It doesn't even matter. We will take care of this!" She started smiling from ear to ear, then cupped my face in her hands. "I'll take you down to the clinic, and boom. Problem solved." She started to wipe my tears away, and I immediately stopped crying.

"What?" I asked, my voice hoarse.

"That is not an option!" Micah shouted, enraged. "We are not going there."

"Do you have a better idea?" She asked him.

"She is not just going to kill this baby!"

"Would you rather her spend out the rest of her life in exile? These nine months in school are going to be HELL! And you aren't gonna have the heat she is."

"We are not killing this baby." His voice was stern and final, and I just remember watching her narrow her eyes at him.

"Yeah? And then what? We all just raise the baby together huh? One big happy family!"

"First of all, you're about to go to college so you don't have to worry about anything!"

"Where's it gonna sleep? ON THE ROOF?! Or are you forgetting that this house is crowded enough."

"It'll take your room!" They were face to face now, and I couldn't even get a word in. I just watched them go word for word, attracting more attention, causing more problems.