Salted Wound

Chapter 38 Anastacia- Dec 16, 2018

I've met Adrian a couple of times before the whole pregnancy began. He's around six foot and plays baseball. He has a small Spanish accent that he got after moving from Mexico when he was 7. He was born in the US but spent a lot of his childhood in Monterrey. He'd come over and have movie marathons with Strella and eat a ton of junk food during the summer. They started dating by the end of their freshmen year and now they're about to have a baby in 5 months. That sometimes surprises me. Four months into her pregnancy she's been hanging out more at home than with Adrian, and this is the first time I've seen him since this summer.

    It's lazy Sunday and she thought it be a good idea to have him over. Mom had already confronted him about the pregnancy to make sure he doesn't leave Strella or the baby. Now they are just chilling in sweats and t-shirts while watching Hercules. She's under his shoulder and he touches her growing belly every once in a while.

    "Babe, stop!" Strella pushes his hand away playfully.

    "What if I miss the first kick?" Adrian asks pouting.

    "The baby is too young to kick right now. Just watch the movie!" She jokes and he smiles and digs his face in her hair.

    I'm sitting on the floor with popcorn and my laptop finishing some homework and getting distracted by my phone every few minutes. Zamari thinks he can beat me in 8-ball, but he doesn't know that I'm a professional.

    "Hey, so my mom wants you to come over this Friday and have dinner. Wanna come?" Adrian asks.

    Strella shoots me a look. This is the first time they see each other since his mom found out about the pregnancy. From what Strella told me she took it well, but she's still scared to see her.

    "She doesn't hate you if that's what you're thinking." He starts again.

    "No, it's not that. I just haven't seen your mom in a while, and now she's going to see me with a mini you growing in me," she says while tossing her hair to the side.

    "So, you are scared?" He asks. Raising an eyebrow.

    "I think it's a good idea, Strella. You haven't seen her in a hot minute," I jump in.

    "See? Ana agrees. Plus, I think she wants to work something out about the pregnancy and upcoming dates and some things like that," he motions his hand.

    "That's a good idea. Maybe you should take mom if you go," I put my idea in.

    Strella looks down at her hand which is placed over her belly.

    "I guess so. Yeah, I'll talk to my mom about it and let you know," she answers, smiling. Adrian smiles back at her and gives her a small peck on her lips. I chuckle and return to my assignment.

    "Hey, Ana, how are things going with Luis?" Adrian asks. He and Luis are on the team together and I see them hang out every once in a while.

    "Alright, I guess. I've been spending most of my time with either Strella or school. Finals are going to kill me," I groan.

    "Shit, same. I don't even know what's happening half the time in class," he rubs his face.

    "Hayes is the only class that gives me peace," Strella responds.

    "Honestly," I say.

    "That and when I'm with you," Adrian turns down to Strella who is blushing.

    I cringe. I find it weird that Strella gets this much affection from a guy that I hardly ever see. It's not that I don't like Adrian, I just haven't seen this image in a long time. Luis and I have a bit of a different relationship that doesn't smush us together every chance we get. Well, at least not anymore.

---

    "Mmm, a teacher," I answer to the phone as I finish my lab report for anatomy.

    "That is a terrible choice, Ms.Flores," Zamari snorts.

    "I'm a pretty good teacher for your information! You're just hard-headed with me," I snap, playfully.

    "That I can't argue with," he answers laughing.

    "And you? What do you want to be?" I ask, scribbling on my paper.

    There is a pause. The room is quiet and I'm waiting for his response. "I want to be a bus driver."

    I choke on my own laughter and I start coughing. "You don't like my decision, Anastacia?" I can hear his smile over the line.

    "Do you want some kids to go with that and maybe some magical powers?" I tease.

    "Can you make that happen? That'd be dope!"

    "Okay, now what do you really want to be?" I persist.

    "I dunno, Ana,"

    "What do you mean you don't know? You've never had one dream job as a kid?" I ask, curious.

    "Nah, I just want to finish school. I can't even go to college, why should I choose a career that I can't pursue?"

    "Because you can go to school and you can do whatever you want. You're a rock when I try to teach you something, but you pick things up quickly with Freddie and Naomi. Honestly, Zamari, you can do whatever," I try to motivate him.

    "Well, we'll see. Right now I'm tryna pass finals,"

    "Makes sense," I respond.

    "And when you become a teacher, what grades do you want to teach?" he asks.

    "I don't know. I don't mind any grade to be honest. I've been working with high school students for a while now and I help Julian with his homework when he needs it. I was also a TA for my middle school teacher," I mention.

    "Of course you did," he snorts.

    "What's that supposed to mean?" I ask, pretending to be offended.

    "Nothing, Ana," he jokes and I can hear his goofy laugh.

    "Uhuh. Anyways, Imma go to sleep. I don't want to be falling asleep tomorrow in Harold's class. You should probably get some sleep, too," I suggest, closing my laptop and putting my papers away.

    "That's a smart idea. Night Ana,"

    "Night Zamari," I say and lean over to my phone to press the 'end' button.

    I throw my things on the side of my bed and walk over the room to turn the lights off. I make my way to my bed and under my sheets and snuggle with my pillow. I hear a ding come from my phone and look over to check who texted. Zamari. I open the message and see that he answered 8-ball and missed the hole. I smirk and aim my target and shoot the black ball in the hole. I send him the message with a smiley face and turn my phone over and drift into sleep.