friends | jaden hossler

T H I R T Y - F O U R

    The sounds of a baby screaming could be heard. I watched in fear as the many doctors in my hospital room were circled around my baby, yelling out orders to anyone who would listen, scaring the absolute shit out of me as I didn't know whether my child was alive or not.

    I looked besides me to see Jaden - who was clutching my hand, squeezing it tighter and tighter as the minutes passed - staring at the doctors also, the same amount of fear that I was currently feeling, if not more, evident on his face.

    My baby was born about three months early, and I knew there was always the possibly of he or her not making it, especially considering they were a preemie. I was absolutely terrified.

    To distract myself, I got lost in my thoughts, the many noises around me slowly going away as I though back to the moments after my water broke.

    After panicking, Jaden actually grew a pair and grabbed his keys and any other object he viewed as essential before we walked down the steps. He was going to stop and shout to everybody outside what was going on, but decided it was a more personal matter and half the people in the house were strangers. We just agreed to text them when we got to the hospital.

    He kept asking if I was okay, and I had to constantly reassure him I was. My contractions hadn't started yet, luckily, and I knew they wouldn't start until hours later. I even wanted to stop and get myself looking semi decent before heading to the hospital, but Jaden had to practically force me down the steps and into a rental car.

    He was more nervous about this whole thing than I was, and it was the cutest thing.

    I wasn't exactly sure how I felt giving birth in Texas, I mean none of my family was here, more my best friend.

    Even though my mom and I had a falling off, and still haven't made up, I needed her with me. She was my mother after all, and I felt like she just had to be here.

    Worry started setting in on how we would even get back to LA. I mean, there was absolutely no way I was going to be taking a baby in a flight. Plus, I assumed he or she being a preemie would mean we have to stay in the hospital for awhile, so we would definitely miss our flight back home.

    But I knew I would figure it out after everything was done with.

    The sound of very familiar voices yelling broke me out of my thoughts. I looked up to Jaden who nodded before letting go of my hand and walking into the hallway.

    I knew who was out there, though. Jaden had texted the boys almost as soon as we were situated in a room, telling them what was going on and getting instant replied. He, fortunately for me, told them to just stay back until later in the day, more so around night, before doing anything or even coming to the hospital.

I wondered who had actually shown up, though. I knew Bryce, Josh, and Griffin were here for sure, but I couldn't help but wonder if Quinton or Sam had come. I hoped, though, that they had sobered up a bit and I definitely hoped they didn't bring any of their hookups - which is what the girls they had invited over definitely were.

After a few minutes, Jaden had walked back into the room, telling me that security had to come and take them back to the waiting room. I ran a hand over my face, my exhaustion probably showing and my best friends not helping ease my stress one bit.

"Did the doctors say anything? Did you see anything?" I asked urgently, my anxiety getting the best of me.

He just shook his head, kneeling down so he was more level with me as I was laying down on a bed and grabbed my hand, his head resting on my shoulder.

It felt like hours had past before a doctor finally came in the room, an expression in their face that was unreadable. Jaden immediately stood up and I was going to sit up, but the pain in my stomach and really all over my body being the only thing keeping me where I was.

"Do you want the good news or the bad news first?" The woman asked, the question only making me more nervous and I was on the verge of just running down to the NICU - where they had informed us as soon as I had actually given birth was where they were taking my baby - and checking on he or she myself.

"The bad news." Jaden answered for the both of us, obviously knowing what my answer would be as I am one of those who like to know the bad news first so you can fix the sadness with the happiness of hearing good news.

"Well," She started, "The bad news is we are going to have to keep your child in our care for at least a week. With premature babies, the care is always intensive and they need to be under twenty-four-seven watch. The good news, though, is that everything is okay, your baby is okay and by the looks of it, will remain healthy."

I audibly sighed, a giant smile on my face as I looked up at Jaden who had the same smile playing out on his face. He looked down on me and smashed his lips to mine, the excitement obviously getting to him.

When he pulled away, I looked at the doctor who had looked away out of respect for the two of us. "So, what's the gender? We never found out... We wanted it to be a surprise."

She smiled brightly. "Announcing he genders is my favorite part of my job."

She walked over closer to me and stopped next to my bed, standing on the opposite side of Jaden. She looked between us for a minute, giving the whole situation a dramatic pause that was much needed.

"Congratulations, it's a boy!"

~\*!.["}^

an
omg i updated again who would've thought
i have a confession. i decided the gender of the baby by doing a random number generator in google lmao. one was for a girl and two was for a boy, i got two which like i was really happy about because i was hoping for a boy anyways.
the next chapter is the last written chapter before the final chapter and like... it honestly makes me sad.
i've already started in the next chapter and like, i really don't want this book to finish. it's been such an adventure and like, i've had such a good time writing it and ugh. sorry for the eMoTiOnS it's just i really do enjoy this book. sometimes...

oh yeah also the babies a boy 🥳 what did you want it to be??