17

Chapter Eight

Chase and I walk to English together hand in hand. I sit in the back next to him and watch Kate and Ian whisper to each other. They're obviously talking about me because they keep looking at me. I feel like I'm about to cry so I look away towards Chase. When I do, I see he's been staring at me. "What the hell are you looking at?" I ask annoyed. "You" he answers thoughtfully. "What?" I ask in disbelief. "You. You're beautiful" he says and smiles. "Oh my god" I say and shake my head. I blush bright pink. He squeezes my hand and I look back up at him. He's still smiling like an idiot. "Stop" I say and push him a little bit. He chuckles and pulls me down with him. The teacher then stands up after the bell. "Alright class, I have your exams graded. I'll be handing them out, while I'm doing that you can do homework, read or whatever. No cellphones. You can only talk to someone if its about work" he states and starts passing back exams. My stomach turns. I don't know if I want Chase to know about my...stupidity. I guess you could call it that. I know he's smart. I let go of his hand gently and grab my maths homework that I didn't do. I never do any of it. "Wasn't this from a few weeks ago?" Chase asks and grabs the paper. "Yes" I mumble and take it back. "Hey, hey let me help you. This is easy" Chase assures me. I glare at him. "Well, I mean for me." I nod sarcastically. "Just- please let me help...? I see you in the maths help classes...and I wanna help you instead" he explains in a loud whisper. "Fine" I mumble. I give him the paper reluctantly. He grabs it from me with a small smile. I swear to God, this kid is always smiling. Why is he always smiling? Its a bright, bubbly, sweet smile too. It makes you wanna smile with him. He scans the paper blinking every few seconds. He looks like he's concentrating. I watch the way his deep brown eyes move up and down the paper, how he blinks, the way he furrows his eyebrows. He sets it down on my desk gently. "Okay. You just multiply this by the reciprocal and it cancels out and then multiply the reciprocal and -2.....okay?" I shake my head violently. "No, no, Chase. This is hopeless. I'm hopeless. I'm not going to graduate. I'm gonna fail life..." I say starting to pant a bit. "Kennedy. Don't say that. Your grades, are just numbers. They don't define you. They don't define how smart you really are. You think differently Kennedy. You're special." I look at him with an unconvinced look upon my face. "You don't really believe that.." I start but he cuts me off with the look in his eyes. "Yes. I do" he states with his hand down. "Chase, I-" "No. I don't wanna hear it. I think you're smart..Isn't that enough?" "I've just..never had anyone believe in me like that."

I go to my locker alone after school. No one is there too meet me and it makes me feel even more lonely. Yeah, I had Health and History with Chase...but I miss my friends. They just stared at me all day and talked about me I'm sure. I've decided I'm not going to tell them about my pregnancy, unless of course, they talk to me ever again. After grabbing my bookbag stuffed with books and homework. I slam my locker shut and storm through the hallway. I can feel Chase running up behind me, so I stop and wait. He finally catches up, after getting some girls to stop kissing his butt. "Hey, love" he smiles and takes my head gently. "Hey" I whisper and squeeze his hand. "Hey, how 'bout we go to your house?" Chase asks. I shrug a little bit. "Sure. If you want..." I rock on my feet. "Yay!" he exclaims like a child. Suddenly out of the corner of my eye, I see Ian and Kate. I hold my breath and watch Chase glare at them. He bravely walks up to them. I see Ian glance up from staring at Kate, his face overcome with fear. "I want you" he grabs Ian by the collar of his shirt, Ian gasps and I wince and look away. Usually I'd protect Ian right now, but not today. "To stop staring at my girlfriend. Stop gossiping. Stop talking behind her back. I've heard all the things you've said, and unless you wanna get pounded tomorrow. I recommend you stay away and stop talking about her." I feel Chase stomp up from behind me and grab my waist. "C'mon. We're leaving" he whispers. I silently agree and go out to the car with him. I get in silently and stare at the floor. "I'm sorry about them. I really am" Chase assures me. I run my fingers through my hair and look back up at him. "Its okay. I am too..."

We finally get to my apartment complex. "Its small" I mumble. "That's okay" Chase tells me. We walk in and I see Melissa and Annabelle with their coats on and boxes in their hands. "What are you guys doing?" I ask cautiously. "Oh, well. I have some news Kennedy. We're moving..." Melissa rushes. "Wait, what?" I ask in complete terror. "We're leaving, and either your coming with us. Or you can stay here in this apartment. Its been paid for, we own it. We just...must leave" Melissa states. "Wait....What?" I ask again. "Stop being stupid Kennedy" Melissa says and throws me the keys to the apartment. She stomps out the door defiantly while Annabelle stays back. "Bye Ken-Ken" Annabelle whispers and waves a little bit with her tiny hands. I suddenly feel really sympathetic and close to Annabelle. I walk over to her and gently lean down next to her. "Look, baby, life's gonna be tough for you. But please stay strong" I then embrace the small girl in my arms and she hugs back. "Bye bye" she whispers after a minute and let's go of me. She runs out the door and closes it behind her. I stay on the floor motionless, and feelingless. "Every baby deserves a mummy and daddy" I whisper to myself. I look up at Chase, "Do you wanna keep the baby?" I get a wide smile in return.

I show Chase around the apartment some. "I don't know what to do..." I mumble while crashing on the couch. "About what?" Chase asks sympathetically. "This place. Should I live here alone?" "Tell you what, you'll live here. Sleep here and stuff like that, but I will come over all the time and take you to school." "You'd do that for me?" I ask in shock a feeling of enthusiasm. "Of course" he whispers and pecks my cheek with his soft lips.