Make it Stop ⇼ Luke Hemmings

Eight.

“I-I’m pregnant.” Kaylee spoke, her voice shaking.

"What?" I asked, being sure I heard her correctly. She stood, collapsing me in a hug and crying into my shoulder. I motioned for Ella and Steph to follow me as I guided Kaylee inside, sitting her on her bed and attempting to soothe her.

"What am I going to do?" She sobbed. Today has been the longest day I've had in years.

"Are you going to keep it?" Steph asked, the question we were all thinking but didn't want to ask. Is she going to abort it? It's a permanent decision either way. One way, she'd be a mother—a teen mother, still in school. But the other way she'd be killing a part of herself, too—a part of her and Ashton.

"I-I don't know." She stuttered, burying her face in her hands and ruining her makeup. "I don't know what to do!" She cried.

"What did Ash say?" I wasn't sure whether the other girls knew and I had missed it when I was with Luke. When my best friend needed me and I was busy sneaking kisses and having a secret affair, and for what? To come back and find my best friend sobbing her eyes out? I’m a terrible friend, I do not deserve to be comforting her.

"H-He said whatever I do is my decision but he'll be here with me. Romy what am I going to do? What will mum say? What will everyone at school say? Oh my god! I’m such a slut!" She mumbled to herself, something about how she needed to stop crying and that she’s an idiot, standing up as she angrily wiped her face and excused herself to the bathroom to collect herself.

 

I’ve always admired the way Kaylee kept everything bottled up so well. She cried at movies, she cried about Ashton, and she cried for her friends, but she rarely cried about her own problems, which were enough to send me insane. It was a rare moment when I see her breakdown in the full, but even then, it only lasts a few minutes. She came out of the bathroom, her breathing still shaky, but her makeup intact as she flicked her perfectly curled, black hair out of her eyes.

“I’m going to get rid of it.” She decided for herself, her posture straight. I knew it killed her to think that she was going to get rid of something her and Ashton created in love. “Romy? Will you come with me after school on Monday?” She asked, close to tears and attempting to blink them away.

“Of course.” I mumbled.

“No one has to know.” She assured herself.

 

We made our way back outside to see the boys had got the fire started and were now sitting around it in silence. There was musc quietly playing, and Ashton had disappeared, most likely to clear his head. Kaylee immediately went off on her own to find Ash, while Ella sat on Mikey’s lap, having their own conversation. Steph and Cal were in their own little world, paying no mind to anyone else. The sun had finally went down and I was exhausted from all the crying, comforting, fighting, and stress of the day. I wanted to collapse in bed, hopefully curled up next to Luke. But I doubt it would happen, as he always seemed more relaxed when we are with the group. I looked at him, wondering how I’d been granted the chance to be with the boy I’ve craved for years, and wondering why the hell I’m trying to keep it a secret. Kaylee and Ashton finally came back, Luke and I had not said much to each other—the only thing that changed was that we were all involved in a group conversation when they came back. We were talking about old memories and laughing our asses off, pretending like we knew what we were doing out here as we cooked hot dogs over the fire and had smores. It was so nice for us all to be connected as a group once more, but I felt like a traitor, as I’m keeping the only secret that would ever make the girls literally tackle me with joy.