Childhood Sweethearts

Chapter Seventeen

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Dedication: Graceelizabethbell for the awesome cover on the side. Thank you! :)

Recap:

"That's Carter," I grunted through my teeth, watching him run towards us as he was on his own jog.

"Woah," she breathed. "Can we just take a second to stare at him? I don't think I've seen someone so beautiful before."

"Oh please," I laughed, but definitely agreeing that his beauty was dazzling.

I did what she said and took a moment to stare at him. I realised then, he wasn't in his jogging clothes. He was sprinting towards me urgently, his eyes wide. My feet came to a stop before I even realised I had began to slow down. I backed up slightly, nervous. He didn't stop until he was inches from me, his hands gripping my forearms. Electricity spiked through my veins at his mere touch, like always. I inhaled, his scent overpowering me, as usual. God, I had missed him. Just looking at him and being around him. I just wanted to reach up and touch him, not caring at this moment everything that has happened. I missed my best friend, more than anything in the world. He hadn't been at school today which means I haven't seen him for over a week. Doesn't sound like long, but it felt like eternity.

"Lacey," he began breathlessly, his voice automatically causing goosebumps to errupt over my skin. I swallowed, trying to not show how much he was affecting me right now. "It's not mine."

"What?"

"The baby," he said, his face red. "Mercedes' baby, it's not mine."

My mouth fell open. I stopped breathing. I felt light-headed at the sudden revelation. I don't whether I wanted to pass out with happiness or be sick.

Carter wasn't the father.

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His arms securely wrapped around me and I melted into him. I buried my face into his chest, just wanting him to hold me. My mind and body were still in shock. I couldn't comprehend what he was saying. I clung to him as though my life depended on it. I missed him. I missed his touch, his smell, everything.

"How..." I began, unsure of how to even form a sentence right now. I shook my head, my heart beating fast in my chest. "How do you know?"

"Mercedes confessed. I'm not the father. The timing isn't right for me to be the father anyway, once she explained it."

I stepped back. "You-I-what?"

"I know. We can be togeth-"

"Because you're not the father, doesn't change the fact that you slept with my best friend." I said sharply, stepping back from him.

He opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out. He was speechless, which was rare for him. It was as though this news was magically supposed to fix everything? I shook my head, stepping back from him. I kept backing up until there was at least a metre between us.

"Sorry, I just... I have to go. Sorry Anna." I stammered, turning my back on both of them. I strode back towards my house. It wasn't until I collapsed on my bedroom floor that I realised my hands were trembling. Swallowing, I ran my hands through my sweat-drenched hair.

What the hell do I do now?

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