FORCE | topper thornton

FIFTEEN

"So, Topper." My dad spoke, I had offered to clean up, my dad wanted to talk to Topper, but this kept me in the room, although I trusted him, he was still my dad and he's been known to pry. "Are you going to college?" I froze at his question, realizing that even I didn't know the answer, but I quickly shook myself from my daze and continued to gather the dishes from the table. "Um, not technically no." My eyes went wide as I stared at the back of his head, "I want to become a personal trainer." This time my dads eyes went wide for a moment before he saw me glaring at him. "Well, that's good, I don't know much about it, but I'm sure you've thought it through?" My dads sentence ended more like a question, his voice going up a bit. He rested his bearded chin in his hand as Topper started talking about what he had to do, I smiled as I washed the dishes, occasionally glancing back when one of them would let out a laugh. I stared at the soapy dish in my hand, a tear falling from my eyes, thankfully the sink was facing away from them. The two most important men in my life, and they got along amazingly. "Kenzie, the dishes can wait sweetie, come sit down." My dad called shaking me from my thoughts, I had been crying and scrubbing the same plate for more than five minutes. I nodded, sniffling as I shut the water off. I heard a chair slid back, and footsteps coming over to me, "you alright?" Topper mumbled, taking the plate from my hands, handing me a towel to dry my hands, he was utterly confused since I had tears on my face but I was smiling. "Yeah, I'm just happy." I assured him wiping my face before turning to my dad who was just watching us, he was analyzing the situation. "I'm fine." I assured my dad with a smile as I sat down, Topper finished the dishes despite my protests. "I like him." My dad whispered while the water was running, I laughed at his antics. I leaned forward, "me too." I teased, smiling as my dad let out a truly genuine laugh, one I haven't heard in a few months.

"Topper, slow down." I whined as we were walking towards the beach, meeting everyone there to hang out, I was bringing my camera because candid photos are the best photos. He was practically dragging me there, my dad ushered us out, he didn't want us to be cooped up in the house all day, he had work to do anyways, I've slowly become more comfortable leaving him. "Maybe you just need to speed up." Topper retorted, giving me a pointed look, I returned the look and he pouted, "sorry." He was so cheesy, but I loved it. Most people are surprised to learn that he's the cute and romantic flirty one, I'm more serious most of the time, but I do have my occasional teasing flirty days. "It's about damn time!" Kie shouted when she saw us from a few feet away, "I've been trying not to sweat so you could take my picture already." She groaned, she was fanning herself vigorously while she sat behind an umbrella. I laughed at the sight, pulling my camera out and setting it up, with the specific lens that I wanted. Us girls walked off doing our own thing, the guys couldn't help but watch as Kie and Sarah posed in their bikinis. Topper was looking at me with a smile, since he couldn't tell, I zoomed in and snapped undoubtedly my favorite picture of him. He was grinning ear to ear, his hair slightly styled and his sunglasses were pushed down the edge of his nose just enough to see his bright blue eyes.

"Back to us, I know he's McDreamy and all but we're dying here!" Kie joked, bringing my focus back to them, "oh I'm done with you, I just needed you to be a decoy." I smirked, they glared at me before running off towards the water, it was incredibly hot out. "Can you hold this?" I asked, handing Topper my camera as I dug the lens case out of my camera bag, I caught him looking through the pictures and he laughed, coming across his. "Smooth moves, Kenz." He teased, I shrugged, "I don't have to be secretive, you are my boyfriend." I laughed at his child like grin at my words. I took the camera from him, putting everything away before deciding to enjoy the day. "Race you to the water!" I shouted taking off before I even finished talking, I knew he was going to beat me, he was much faster than I was. "Topper!" I shrieked when he tackled me down into the water, "holy shit." I gasped popping up for air, my hair wet and stuck to my face, I leaned back to slick it back, smirking when I felt Topper's hands squeeze my hips. "Just can't keep your hands off me?" I teased him, watching as Pope, JJ and John B rode down a wave, "hell no, not in this bathing suit." He responded, kissing me softly, I purposefully wore his favorite one. It was a one piece but it had two cut outs on the side, it fit me perfectly. I looked around us as we swam around in the water, it was a relatively calm day, so it was nice and relaxing. My eyes landed on a familiar face in the distance, my jaw dropped, Kie followed my eyes, her face mimicking mine. "What-oh my god!" Sarah saw what we were looking at, Zoe, not even the fact that she was still here, but the fact that she was wearing a bikini and her stomach was showing a bump. I audibly gasped when Matthew walked over to her, placing a hand on her. "What the fuck?" I couldn't help but let the words fall passed my lips, Kie and Sarah nodding in agreement. Topper came over when he saw us frozen like statues, "what?" He asked and I pointed to the beach, it took him a moment but then he saw them. "Oh shit." We were stunned, Zoe saw me, and she looked concerned, she said something to Matthew who nodded and walked off. She began walking towards the water, and I started going to meet her, "stay here." I told Topper knowing he would follow me, but he agreed apprehensively.

"Zoe, are you?" It was the first thing out of my mouth as I looked at her stomach, she nodded tearfully. "Is it Matthews?" I asked, I needed to know, right now. "No." She spoke, tearfully, my eyes shut out of instinct as I pinched the bridge of my nose. She's pregnant, with my dead brothers baby. "How do you know? Because Matthew sure as hell looks like it's his." I snapped, finally meeting her eyes. Zoe took a shaky breath, "I knew I was a few weeks along when Logan and I came to visit, I was going to tell him while we were here and then I panicked and I saw Matthew and I was fucking stupid." She rambled, I was in total shock, I thought back to the trip, "you knew you were pregnant and you got drunk!?" I seethed, what the hell is wrong with her. "I know, but I swear the baby is fine, I promise I wouldn't do anything to-" "you already did!" I cut her off, shocked by her trying to explain her way out of this. I grew angry, "if you had told Logan, if he knew about the baby, he wouldn't have done what he did." I couldn't say the words, killed himself, I just couldn't. My eyes burned with tears, "I'm not keeping it, I'm giving him up for adoption." The world felt like it was spinning around me as her words processed. "What, it's a boy?" My voice was barely a whisper, "Matthew and I decided not to keep it, were not ready." Her words stung like a slap to the face. "I'm sorry, Matthew should have no say in this, it's not even his fucking kid!" I shouted, thankfully there was no one close enough to hear me, "I'm not ready." She added, giving me a glare, "you're going to give away the last piece of my brother." I stared her dead in the eyes, she looked emotional but didn't falter, "yes, it's too hard, I can't raise that baby and look at him everyday and know what I did to his dad!" She snapped, finally letting the tears fall, I wanted to hug her, I wanted to comfort her for the sake of the baby but I was so furious. All that ran through my head is that I'm going to know about this baby for the rest of my life but never meet him. I shook my head at her and walked back towards Topper and the girls who were now standing on the beach, watching as this scene played out.

"It's Logan's." I whispered standing in front of my friends in shock, "oh my god." Sarah gasped, Topper went wide eyed and Kie went stiff as a board. "And she's putting him up for adoption." Gasps went all around, they all thought the same thing, how could she.