Morphine

Chapter Fifty Two

Artie wheeled into school feeling like he could walk. He and Santana had stayed in front of her house making out for what felt like hours. Until Marceline Anne had called to yell at them for not texting her that they'd made it okay.

He smirked to himself at the shy smile the Latina had sent him as she got out of his car and went into her house. He hoped to always keep that look on her face.

He went to his locker and was surprised to see Parker. His gaze narrowed. "What do you want?"

She started crying immediately. "Artie, I'm sorry for whatever I did-!"

"For whatever you did?!" He was dumb shocked at her gall. "You don't think the fact that you called me stupid for saving my sister's life is something worthy of dumping?!"

"Dumping?" She whimpered.

He hardened his heart. "Dumping."

"It's her. Isn't it? Santana?" He looked away and she had her answer. "You never wanted me. You wanted her. But she'll never love you like I do."

"What?!" He snapped his gaze to hers.

"I love you, Artie." She implored.

He didn't know what to say. Santana had said she really liked him but Parker was offering love. Which did he want to take?

M-

Mercedes Catherine celebrated joyously. "Marcy already picked out your shipname! Artana!"

Santana smiled ruefully. "Wheezy. You're more excited than I am."

"I am not! Am I?"

Santana rolled her eyes. "No."

Mercedes Catherine screamed.

Her assistant came in. "Dr. Taylor-Jones?"

"I'm fine, Thea. I'm just so excited!"

The grad student smiled. "Okay, Dr. Do you need anything?"

"White rice would be nice." She looked at her blushing best friend.

M-

Marceline Anne felt her stomach. She wasn't sure if it were the twins moving or if something was happening. "Quiet down in there."

Her stomach rolled.

She hurried to reach for her trashcan and threw up. Again, there was blood. She rinsed her mouth out with bottled water she kept for such occasions then called for sanitation.

She knew they had to wonder about her but she'd never told anyone she was pregnant let alone what this was.

She hoped it'd go away on its own. She couldn't afford anything else.

M-

Michael the Fourth looked at his hand. He was doing some heavy duty thinking about his life and it kept coming back to Mercedes Catherine. He loved her.

He'd never loved a girlfriend before. He'd liked them, respected them, had fun with them but never love. He'd never felt like this about anyone before. He'd logically understood love songs and poems and had even written a few in an infatuated daze but now he truly understood where those words came from.

So that meant he had to tell her.

But how? It wasn't something you just blurted out. You had to be careful with the "L" bomb.

He sighed as he put his hand down. Maybe he could take her out to dinner after cheering and spill his guts then?

Hopefully she wouldn't laugh in his face.