Childhood Sweethearts

Chapter Twenty

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Thank you TheGreatBigWorld who suggested "Everything You Are" by Ed Sheeran reminds her of Carter. :)

Dedication: Nemo2202 for the amazing jacket cover on the side! Thank you!

Recap:

 Not wanting to stick around, I kept moving. I rounded the corner and froze. Mercedes' mother was there. With Aiden.

"You're sure?" Aiden asked slowly. "Absolutely positive?"

"Yes." she said, her tone indicating she was annoyed. Her voice was clipped and professional, like always. "The non-invasive Prenatal Paternity test is the most accurate process to test who the father is. I've researched it, it is 99.9% accurate."

"God," he choked out, rubbing a hand through his hair. "What a mess."

Her eyes bulged as she stared at him incredulously. "A mess!? Are you the one carrying a child in your stomach? Is it your daughter who fell pregnant at the age of seventeen? You're just an immature boy. You're not fit to be a father."

With that verbal slap in the face, she spun on her heel and marched away from him. My heart felt like it had dropped into my stomach. This could not be happening.

Mercedes emerged from the room, wandering over to Aiden. She had one hand on her stomach, as the other reached to grab his hand.

"I told you," she murmured quietly, squeezing his hand with her own. "You're the father."

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Well if that verbal revelation isn't enough to send me back a year in counselling, I don't know what will.

My mouth had become dry as I saw Mercedes clutching Aiden's hand, her other gently resting over her unborn baby.

The baby who apparently belongs to my ex-boyfriend.

I felt utterly and completely disorientated, unable to decipher one thought from another. Backing up, I quickly exited the hall. I leant against the wall, my stomach churning uncomfortably. I gripped at my sides feeling starkly empty.

Shoving my fist into my mouth, I pushed from the wall and strode the other way. Tears burned at my eyes and I felt bile rise in the back of my throat. For him to be the father... the timing... he would have been with me.

We would have been together.

The tears flowed openly down my face before I could stop them. I ignored the curious stares of people around me and the disturbing smell of antiseptic. I wanted nothing more than to just curl up in a ball and forget everything.

Karma was kicking me straight in the face. I cheated on Aiden with Carter, only fair he cheats on me with my best friend. Both the boys in my life, with her... I dropped to my knees, unable to stop the vomit from coming up my throat. A nurse ran towards me, asking me a series of questions. I clambered to my feet, hastily wiping my chin with the back of my hand.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," I kept repeated, trying to force myself to believe my own words. Pushing away from her, I staggered towards the exit, feeling indescribably sick.

The next few hours were a complete blur. Even to this point in time, I can't remember how I managed to successfully get home. Currently, I was lying in a pool of icy cold water, the shower raining down over my skin. I sat, feeling miserable, the fierce coldness of the water successfully making me feel numb.