My "little" secret is out. (COMPLETED!)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three:

I stare at the circle of friends in front of me.

One of them being my love interest, the other my use-to-be hater and two of them were classified as "robots" not so long ago.

It's amazing how far we've came together, yet how little I have known about them.

I could be mad at them and ignore them forever, but I can't do that either.

They're my only friends...

"Julia?" I look up at Hunter who sits down in front of me.

He looks at me with kind eyes, kind hazel eyes.

The eyes that scared me the very first time I saw them.

"If you don't want to join the gang, you know you don't have to. We never even wanted you to know about it, because we know that Aiden wanted to force you in to his," Hunter smiles softly at me, "We are here to protect you, and to keep you happy." I feel myself smiling at him as well, then I look to my left where Steph is seated.

"How far along are you in your pregnancy?" I ask, curiously, and a huge smile appears on her features.

"Six weeks," She beams, "I know it isn't long, but it will almost be two months. The principal doesn't know yet, and I will let her know, just not now." She explains and I nod in agreement.

"And how are you going to take care of it?" I ask slowly, my own parents coming to mind.

She smiles softly, placing her hand over her tummy.

"My parents weren't complete assholes, they lend me some money when I told them," She smiles.

I feel relieve about that, at least her, or his, teenage parents are in love.

I feel that tug on my heart again when I think about it.

I haven't seen my parents when I left for the carnival.

"Steph...promise me you guys won't let this baby change your feelings, hopes and dreams in any way," I ask, and her eyes softens, "Please?" I know that she doesn't know the whole truth, but with what Ashley and Maggie had spilled, she knows that my parents were their age when they had me.

"Of course, Julie. I promise, and Tyler does too, we won't hurt this baby in any way." She smiles and I squeeze her hand.

I feel a bit more at ease with her promise and the weight on my shoulders feels lighter.

________________________________

The TV is playing softly, the screen lightnings up each of my friends' faces.

The blue-white flashing light glides over their sleeping bodies.

I am still awake.

I am tired, yes, but I can't sleep.

There is still this heavy weigh resting on my shoulders.

After finding out about the gang, the baby and missing my parents, I feel beaten.

Steph and Tyler are fast asleep on the many pillows we dragged down from the thousands of rooms in Hunter's mansion.

There were so many pillows and covers we practically made a huge mattress on the floor.

I feel something touching my inner thigh and jump a little.

"Whoa, chillax Julia." Hunter's voice calms my nerves and I look down at him.

His face is dark in the dimly lit room.

I scoot down so that I am lying next to him.

"You're not sleeping?" He asks softly and I shake my head, crawling with him under the blanket that he holds open for me.

He circles his arm over my side, and I feel the heat of his hand on my bare skin.

His hand rests on my stomach, under my shirt.

Goosebumps forms all over my skin.

"Hunter..." I whisper and he hums in response, "Thank you for holding me when I feel broken." It's all I could say, since explaining my feelings are so much harder than it seems.

And I fell asleep before I could hear what he has to say.

(Edited.)