As Long As We're Together

Finding out

How? They were always so careful. How was she pregnant? How can they cope?

Nathan couldn't get these thoughts out of his head.

"What did you say?" Nathan's voice was barely audible against the beating of his heart. He was praying he misheard her. But the look on her face and her constant sobs didn't give him hope.

"You heard me! I'm pregnant!" Sophie screamed, tears pooling out of her emerald green eyes.

"How? You were taking the pill. Right?" Nathan questioned. She instantly looked down, her face going pale.

"Sophie!" Nathan yelled.

"I was! At first... I forgot alright! I didn't mean it, Nathan!"

"You didn't mean it?! Do you understand what's happening? We are going to become parents! This isn't a joke!"

"I never said it was! I didn't come here to argue. I wanted to tell you!"

"I understand that! But you being pregnant wasn't what I thought you were going to say." Nathan sighed and ran his hand through his black hair, before standing up and embracing his girlfriend.

"Soph, I love you. It doesn't seem like it now, but it will be okay. Alright," Nathan whispered before placing a kiss on her sunlike locks.

"How are we going to cope, Nathan? We're sixteen. What are my parents going to say?" Sophie collapsed into sobs once again, clinging to her boyfriend.

"Yes, we're young and we're not prepared. I don't know what your parents will say. Worse comes to worst, you can live here, I don't mind. They'll be disappointed, but they love you. I promise," Nathan reassured. His calm demeanour betrayed his feelings. "Text me when you want to tell your parent's babe, I'll come over."

"Yeah, I want you there." Sophie reluctantly removed herself from her boyfriend's embrace and dried her eyes.

"Are you staying for dinner?" Nathan questioned once Sophie had calmed down.

"I thought you were at work?"

"I was, boss, roped someone else in. Thank God."

"He should have! Working six nights and going to college is ridiculous! I don't know how you do it. Yes, I'm staying for dinner. What are you making?"

"I'm thinking about spaghetti, is that alright with you?"

"Sure. I'll tell my parents I'm staying."

Nathan nodded before moving to the kitchen of his apartment. His one-bedroom apartment wasn't much. But it sufficed his needs. He knew most sixteen-year-olds wouldn't have their own home. Nathan was thankful the social services paid his bills, if not, he would be homeless.

He dreaded his birthday, knowing he would have to pay for everything himself when he was seventeen.

It took Nathan longer than usual to make their dinner; he still couldn't completely comprehend he was going to be a father. How could he provide for a child with just over minimum wage? It worried him that the day social services stop paying his rent. He could barely make ends meet now.

"So how's college?" Sophie questioned. Placing some spaghetti into her mouth, smiling as she watched her boyfriend's eyes light up at the mention of his writing course.

"It's everything I hoped it would be. It's hard to juggle work with studying and living. I don't know how it's going to work when you give birth," Nathan admitted.

"We'll be together, I'll look after the baby when you're at work. Did you ask your manager about your hours?"

"yeah, he said he would, but I won't hold my breath. How's sixth form?"

"Honestly, I regret staying at school, I assumed it would be nice, being with old friends you know? Turns out all of them have either gone to college or ditched me... so not the best."

"I will not say I told you so, but..."

"You sound like my dad." Sophie rolled her eyes, smiling at Nathan as he failed to sniffle his laugh.

"Nathan, are you sure you want a child?" Sophie questioned, moving the pasta around her plate.

"Yes, of course, I want our child. Do you?" Nathan questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"It's a massive responsibility and I'm not ready for it. There are other options, like adoption and abortion," Sophie admitted, keeping her eyes on her plate.

"No! I will not make my child go through what I did! Adoption isn't guaranteed! I refuse! I will not stand by and watch you kill my child." Nathan shouted.

"Nathan, listen! I want to do what's best!"

"Abandoning our child isn't what's best! I will not let you make our child go through what I did! You don't want to care for this baby fine! Don't! But I will not abandon or kill them!" Nathan shouted, his knuckles white.

"It was a suggestion! Okay? Relax," Sophie mumbled the last part, unfortunately not as quiet as she thought when Nathan fixed her with a deadly glare.

"I might tell my parents tomorrow," Sophie announced.

Nathan ran his hand through his hair before answering. "Do you want to get it over with?" Sophie didn't miss the slight anger that accompanied his tone.

"Yes, I don't want to drag it out. They are going to find out, eventually."

"True. Why did you wait to tell me?"

"I just found out last week. I wanted to tell you, but you were stressed out with work. I didn't want to give you any more stress."

"I would have been fine. Does anyone else know?"

"Samantha found out, she saw the pregnancy test in the bin. I thought she was staying at a friend's, but she came home early and found it. She threatened to tell my dad."

"Why did you leave it in the bin?"

"It was in my room, I was going to get rid of it on the way to school. But she came home and saw it when she was binning her failed homework attempts."

"Why do you even share a room with your little sister. I thought she had her own room?"

"She got caught sneaking out, so they punish me by having to put up with her. Dad said it would help us bond. But I'm just trying not to rip her hair out."

Nathan just shook his head as he took a drink, attending to hide his smile.

After dinner, the couple watched a movie which was forgotten when the pair continued talking under a blanket.

"What time do you have to be home?" Nathan questioned, shutting off the tv when the credits began rolling.

"Eleven. What time is it now?"

"Half ten. We probably should get going."

"We? I don't need a chaperone." Sophie laughed.

Nathan just kissed his girlfriend and held out his hand for her.

"You only live twenty minutes away. I can survive the walk." Nathan told her as he grabbed his keys and locked the door before walking away.

It was half eleven by the time Nathan got back home. After placing his phone on the bench where he could pick it up later, he then had a hot shower. He then picked out his phone as he passed and made himself a ham and tomato sandwich. He washed the dishes and left to his bedroom, where he plugged his phone in to charge and went to bed. The worry for not only his but his child's furniture weighed heavily on him that night.