THE SURROGATE: A LUKE BROOKS FAN FICTION

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY

*BELLA'S P.O.V*

I got the exact reaction I thought I would, everybody had their eyes on me and I could see on each of their faces that they were shocked at the news. "He's your... Boyfriend?" Luke asked, almost as if he was still trying to absorb the information. Whether it was my imagination or not, I was not sure, but it looked to me like Luke was gong to topple over. "Yes, he's my boyfriend!" I said, squeezing Nicholas' hand and looking at Luke, deep in his eyes, trying to get a read on how he felt about this. "I can see you guys have questions, but can we please sit down first? I'm exhausted!" I said, letting go of Nicholas' hand, and walking towards the living room, where I sat down on a couch, with a cushion behind my back. 

Everyone,Luke included, followed us into the living room, where I was then stampeded with questions. "When did this happen!?" which was the most common question, asked Jai, completely flabbergasted. I exhaled deeply, and adjusted the pillow behind my back, so that I could sit comfortably, "Well-" I began speaking, "As you guys know, I went back home with my parents as soon as I came from the hospital. About a month into being at home, I missed you guys like hell already! And I didn't really have friends back home..." I paused to look around the room, and my eyes immediately fell on Luke. He had a look of disappointment in his eyes and face and I couldn't bring myself to look at his face any longer, the guilt I felt was overwhelming. "So one day, my mom and I went out to lunch, and-" I looked at Nicholas, took him by the hand and smiled at him as he smiled back, "that was when I met Nicholas! We hit it off almost immediately, and we were close ever since that day! We started speaking every day, and texting, and after about a few weeks of getting to know each other, we decided to give dating a try, and we've been together ever since!" I said, looking up at everybody else, waiting for the next question, but no other questions came. Instead, the room was filled with an unpleasant awkward silence. 

We sat there, just looking at each other, until Luke spoke. "Uhm Daniel, you said you guys have good news?" he said, but his eyebrows were still furrowed and his voice was low, it sounded as though he just got punched in the gut. Daniel was snapped out of his daze as he shook his head and said, "Oh yeah! We do! But that's not important right now" I immediately felt confused, because I had no idea what they were talking about. Luke looked at him and Darcy, and Darcy immediately spoke up, "Yeah, that doesn't matter right now, we can tell you guys again" she said and by the sound of her voice, I knew she felt incredibly awkward. "No, you-" Luke began before  interrupted, "can someone please explain to me what is going on?" I asked, adjusting my pillow so that I can sit up straight. Both of the, gave Luke a look to which he nodded with a smile that I knew was fake. Both cleared Darcy and Daniel cleared their throats and nodded. 

I noticed that he took Darcy by the hand, and they stood in the center, so that everyone was looking at them. "Well, I don't know how we can top what Bella just told us" he said, looking at Nicholas and I could feel my cheeks burning up immediately. "But, we will try" Darcy said, not  even looking at me. Okay, that hurt my feelings. "Well, Bella isn't the only one in a relationship" Daniel spoke first as he smiled at Darcy and already I could feel the mood becoming lighter. "As of today... This beautiful lady here beside me, has agreed to make me the happiest guy, by becoming my girlfriend!" he said, and he kissed her on her lips. The attention was finally off me, as everyone jumped up and started cheering and congratulating them on their new relationship status. "Uhm Bella? Can I speak to you upstairs?" Darcy asked, breaking away from the chaos and holding her hand out for me. I looked over at Nicholas and said, "I'll be right back!" and I got up, the only way a pregnant lady could. I actually didn't want to leave Nicholas alone, because I had no idea how they would treat him when I wasn't going to be there. I followed Darcy as she walked ahead of me, but before I went upstairs, I grabbed Jai by the arm and spoke in his ear, "Please be nice to Nicholas!" I said. He nodded his head in response, and I continued carefully up the stairs.

*

"Whooo! It is not easy climbing these stairs when you're pregnant!" I said as I entered Jai's bedroom; that's where Darcy was waiting for me. I closed the door behind me, and sat down on the bed with a huff. Darcy didn't speak; she just stood there against the wall, saying nothing. 

"Congratulations to you and Skip for finally getting together! I told you guys you'd-" "What the fuck is wrong with you!?" she asked me angrily. "What are you talking about?" I asked her though, I had a slight idea, "You know exactly what I'm talking about!" she said, and I could tell that she was about to start ranting, "I'm talking about you and Mr. Home wrecker down there!" "Wait, how is Nicholas a home wrecker?" I asked, getting defensive. "How the hell do you have a boyfriend? No, let me rephrase that, Why are you dating him? What about Luke?" she asked me, looking at me, and waiting for an answer. 

"Why is it that everybody always expects Luke and me to be in a relationship? Like we're madly in love or something!" I asked, throwing my hands up in the air. "Because you guys are madly in love! And you know that and you just wanted me to say that again which is why you asked that stupid question. Don't you remember that night you called me? Excitedly telling me how Luke told you he loved you for the first time, and that there actually was a chance for you guys to be together! What happened to that Bella?" "Maybe that Bella got in touch with reality" I said, looking down at my belly while intertwining my fingers, "Yes! I admit, I was ecstatic when he told me he loved me! I couldn't stop smiling at the possibility that I might actually get together with a guy I am madly in love with!" "So what changed?" she asked, finally calming down. I closed my eyes, "Do you have any idea what its like, to love someone, and never be sure if they actually feel the same way about you? Yes, I know, he told me he loved me! But how do I know he meant it in that way? How would I ever know that he actually really did love me as more than a friend? I can't live that way Darcy! I cannot continue to play this 'Does he? Doesn't he' game. I'd just be setting myself up for disaster! That's why I decided to move on, and try and forget the feelings I have for Luke" I said, wiping away a tear that had started rolling down my cheek. 

She looked at me, with a sort of sympathy in her eyes. "Wow, Bella, I had no idea you were going through such emotional trauma" she said, clutching her heart, "I do still think that there is a chance for you and Luke, I honestly do! A blind man could even see that you two were made for each other! But its your life and your choice, so if you love this Nicholas guy, then I guess I'll just have to accept it and try to like him. No promises though, he fucked with my ship so he'll have to work really hard!" she said as she sat down next to me on the bed, and hugged me. I hugged her back, and laughed. As I continued to hug her, I thought about something that she said. The thing is, I'm not sure if I'm actually in love with Nicholas. He doesn't exactly give me butterflies in my stomach, or make me weak at the knees, but I could learn to love him right? I could fall in love with him along the way... Couldn't I?