That Stupid Little L-Word:

Chapter Forty Four:

As Amanda and I walk into our shared last period of the day, I notice a distinctly familiar pair of blue eyes staring at me. My eyes grow wide and I freeze, mid-step. He arches an eyebrow at me, the corners of his lips twitching up into a smirk. 

"It will be okay," Amanda says, and she pats me on the shoulder. 

I hesitantly walk over to our table and slide into my seat. Blue-Eye's eyebrows pucker with confusion. "You okay?" He asks as I pull out my notebook. "You look like you've just seen a ghost." 

"I will be okay," I mirror Amanda. 

He frowns.

Bimbo enters the class then, and takes her seat across from him. She keeps her gaze lowered and focused on a novel opened in front of her, like usual. Amanda pops her earphones in and hums lightly along with a My Chemical Romance song as she does the assignment written on the board.

I doodle absently in my notebook and do my best to ignore my boyfriend. My stomach twists and churns uneasily. The class passes slower than a snail. 

When the final bell rings, I almost fall out of my seat. Blue-Eyes watches me, his eyes narrowed, and I shove my things into my backpack. I glance at Amanda, uncertain. She flashes me a reassuring smile in response. 

"I need to talk to you," I murmur to my boyfriend, and ignore the frown he shoots me in response. I shrug my shoulders into the straps of my backpack and start toward the door. 

When I glance behind me, Blue-Eyes is right on my tail. My heart aches. 

"What's going on?" He asks. 

"Just," I start, and then pause. I'm not quite sure how to put it. "I need to talk to you. Come on. I want to go somewhere more remote." 

He purses his lips. I drag him toward the back of campus, toward the football field. It's not a practice day, so we have the entire field to ourselves. I walk over to the bleachers and gingerly sit on the edge. I clench my hands into tight fists in my lap. 

Blue-Eyes stops in front of me, his arms folded across his chest. His vibrant eyes are narrowed. "What's going on, Alice?" 

I swallow hard. "I haven't been feeling well these last few days." 

He drops down in front of me, his hands grasping my shoulders. His eyes are wide. "What's wrong? Are you alright? Do you need to go to the doctors?" 

"I..." my voice cracks. "Kind of..."

"Then what did you lead me all the way out here for?" He jumps to his feet and tugs at my wrist. "Come on, I'll take you." 

I shake my head. "Seth, I kind of know what it is. I think." 

"You think?" He repeats dubiously. 

I grimace. "Sit down." 

He reluctantly claims the seat beside me. I twist toward him and fold my arms across my chest, suddenly ice cold, despite the brilliant sunlight. I swallow thickly and close my eyes. I need to just spit it out. I need to just get it out of my system. I let out a shaky breath. 

"I think I'm pregnant." 

"You what?" Blue-Eyes angles his ear toward me, as if he hadn't heard right. 

"I think I'm pregnant," I repeat, louder, and lift my gaze to meet his. Determination floods through me. I steel my shoulders and brace for his response. 

Blue-Eyes stares at me hollowly. And then asks, again, "You what?"

I glare at him. "I'm not going to repeat myself, again."