Starlight
by amplified ecstasy
chapter one: Savior

The party had been off the wall crazy, beer pong in the kitchen and jello-shooters in the basement. As I took a tiny cup that held the Child's treat with a large amount of vodka, I read "Drink Me" on the side. I was Alice and this was my Wonderland. Tilting my head back, the Jello slid down my throat and I scrunched my nose up as the vodka's aftertaste flooded through my mouth.

Two strong arms wrapped around me at this moment and I smiled, it was my latest prospect, James. He was adorable, a jock – the captain of the football team. His sandy blonde curls brushed against my cheek as his lips attacked my neck. Without removing himself, his hand left my side and took a shot off of the counter. "C'mon, do one," he said softly.

"I don't wanna," I said softly, my words already slurring the slightest.

"Please?" James asked me.

I took the shot glass and downed the liquid. Ah, tequila. I bit my bottom lip and found a lime wedge, sucking on it slowly.

"That's sexy," James whispered to me.

I rolled my eyes and pushed my dark brown hair over my shoulder.

"C'mon, I can't hear myself think," James said, taking my hand and leading me up the stairs and into a random bedroom.

We sat down on the bed and he leaned forward, kissing me softly.

"I really want to be with you, Zoe," James nodded gently, his hands roaming up and down my sides.

"I wanna be with you," I told him.

James grinned and pushed me down, his hands sliding up my legs and under my dress.

I pushed his hands away and glared at him. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Don't you want this?" James asked.

"No!"

"C'mon, you do…"

"James! Stop it!"

"Don't try to fight it," he said, pinning his hands above my head.

"Please, don't…"

Rain made me feel so inexplicably lonely. Maybe it was because at seven and a half months pregnant, I was walking down a deserted road trying to escape. Escape from what, I had no idea, but I needed to get away. I had just left my makeshift home and my friend who had the heart to take me in. I was leaving and I had no idea where I was headed to.

Maybe it was the fact that it was pitch black and raining cats and dogs. Or maybe it was because I was all alone.

While I walked down the road, my tears mixed with nature's, humming to myself while I moved my hands to my protruding belly.

This belly had thrown a monkey wrench in my plans, I had planned on going to college and becoming a writer to get out of this tiny town, I felt the ever growing desire to cry even more at the thought that I would be in this town for the rest of my life.

My parents were dead, my sister had skipped out on me six years ago one day when I came home from school and I had nobody now. My grandparents were buried down the street in the local cemetery and now it was just me and my unborn son. I had named him Eli Aaron after a character on a television show. I would not name him after his father. No, never. That man took the last shred of dignity I had at eighteen and I decided to never look back. Seven months later, I had turned nineteen but nothing changed. I had still been used and still felt empty.

I got pregnant from that night which was a constant reminder of James, the jerk jock. I left Dallas two months after that night and never looked back since. I used all the money I had saved up for college to get here.

Here… where was here exactly?

Blinking back the tears, I couldn't hide the sobs as they echoed around in between thunder claps. I wanted to be back in Dallas without this huge baby bump. I wanted to be in my warm bed and I wanted my mother to walk in and cuddle with me.

I kicked a rock and stared at the wet asphalt with a sudden sense of interest. Before I could notice too much about it, I winced as a pair of headlights shined in my chocolate eyes. I pulled my hand up over them and sighed while the car slowed and finally came to a stop a few feet ahead of me.

Naturally, I stopped as the door opened and an umbrella popped open.

"Are you alright?" a voice called out.

I stayed silent.

"Honey?" the voice called again, moving towards me. "Are you okay? Do you need help?"

Did I need help? I was nineteen years old and was expecting a baby. No, I was just fine and dandy, thanks for asking though!

"I'm alright," I cracked. I secretly hoped that this person would hear the horror in my voice and take pity.

I got my wish as the shadow of the person walked towards me, extending the umbrella. "Come on, I'll take you to wherever you need to be," she said softly.

I got my first good look at the woman who was extending a bit of compassion; she had sleek, short, brown hair and a warm smile on her face. That warmth radiated off of her body and came to mine, warming my rain soaked frame just a tad.

She wrapped her arm around me and led me to her Audi. I sat down in the warm passenger's seat.

"Where to, darling?" the woman asked me with a warm smile.

I bit my bottom lip. "Uhm, if you keep going down this road, there's a bunch of houses, I live in there," I lied.

"Got it!" she beamed.

I nodded and sighed, "Thank you so much for picking me up," I said graciously.

"No problem, love," she smiled.

"I'm Zoë," I nodded gently.

"Sara," she said back with a smile. "Nice to meet you," she nodded.

"Likewise," I said. As we reached the neighborhood, I spoke again. "Uh, you can drop me off here," I said as we entered the gates.

"Nonsense, it's still coming down, you can't walk around…"

I sighed and moved to remove my sopping wet trench coat, Denise looked at me and I watched as her eyes widened.

"Really," I said, "I can walk, it's no big deal."

"Which one is your house?" she asked me.

I looked around at all of the model homes and I bowed my head. "None of them," I whispered softly.

"Am I on the wrong street?" Denise asked quizzically before she caught on.

I bit my bottom lip, embarrassed. I was homeless and pregnant. What a combination, right?

Sara spun the car around and drove down the street, the way she was going before.

"Where are we going?" I asked with a worried look.

She didn't speak but continued to drive. Ten minutes later, we pulled into a secluded driveway, I sighed as she shut the engine off. "Come," she said, patting my knee with a nod. "It's okay."

I climbed out of the car and walked hurriedly to the door along with Denise. When I got there, the door opened and there was a tall male standing in the doorway.

"Sara, it's about time," he said with a joking tone. "I'm starving!"

"Well, Randy, too bad," Sara teased back, "I'm going to start dinner soon enough," she said. "This is Zoë. She's going to be staying with us for a while," Sara said, leading me into the warm home.

There were pictures everywhere of the couple – I assumed that Randy and Sara were together. Not that I minded. I gave Sara a thankful smile before looking at Randy who was told by his wife to show me the guest room.

He nodded and looked me over, noticing my stomach. He bit his bottom lip and nodded, "Uh, here we go," he said, leading me up the two flights of stairs.

I made my way down the hallway and saw rooms with the doors open. One had a bunch of toys on the floor.

"My niece, Taylor's room when she's here," Randy muttered.

"Me and Sara's room," Randy said, showing me a room that was a dark burgundy with a desk and a modern bed frame that was holding a duffle bag with clothes all around. "I'm only here for a week," he informed me. "Vacation from work."

"And you," Randy nodded, opening the door to show off a tan colored room that had photos of the family and a piano in the room.

When he looked back at me, he raised an eyebrow. "So you're staying with us?"

"That's what your wife said, I don't want to be an intrusion," I said nervously.

"She's not my wife," Randy said simply.

"No intrusion," Sara's voice said as she stepped into the bedroom. She waved Randy out of the room and I sighed.

"Sara, I can't thank you enough," I whispered, tears in my eyes.

She reached out and took me in her arms. "Don't you dare thank me," Sara said. "I'm doing this so you're alright," she said, her hand sliding to my belly, rubbing it gently. "And that your baby is okay," she nodded.

Eli kicked and I laughed gently. "Thank you," I said again.

"You'll stay with us as long as you need to, no problem at all, do you understand me?" Sara asked.

"Understood," I said.

"Let's get you out of these wet clothes," she said, handing me a bundle of pajamas. "They're mine, I hope that they fit you – they're from my mom when she was pregnant with me," she said.

"Go ahead and change," she said, "And meet us downstairs for dinner, alright?"

I smiled gently as she left me and I began to shimmy out of my wet clothes. I let them sit in a pile as I looked at myself in the floor length mirror, my hands caressing my belly. God smiled on me the day I met Sara– I could just feel it.

I sighed and changed into the pair of black sweat pants and the gray tank top. She gave me a red hooded sweater as well that had "RKO" written on the chest. Intrigued, I shrugged and looked around quietly. This family was really close.

Pictures of them were all over the place and I was about to touch the glass before a knock was on the door.

"Hey, Zoë? It's Randy. Can I come in?"

"Uh, yeah!" I said, nodding once before turning to the door.

He gave me a soft smile before moving into the room.

"Dinner's ready," he said with a nod.

"Great," I said.

His eyes were transfixed on my belly and I smirked gently. "What?"

"I haven't ever touched one of those before," he laughed softly.

"A bump?" I asked. He nodded.

He was blushing gently. "Can I?" he asked me.

"Sure!" I said, lifting my hoodie and t-shirt. He let his hand reach out and rest on the top of the belly.

"Do you know what it is yet?" he asked.

"A baby," I deadpanned. He laughed nervously. "It's a boy," I nodded. "His name is Eli, Eli Aaron."

"That's a nice name," he said. "Is he named after his father?"

I shook my head, "No, he's not. I just liked that name," I informed him.

Randy smiled warmly and let his hand rub my stomach lovingly. "That's really nice," he said. "I can't wait till I have kids," he said. "Or at least, until my wife has kids. That'll be a while though."

I laughed. "How old are you?" I asked him.

"Twenty-seven," he said. "Almost twenty-eight in like, a week actually." he smirked. "You?"

"I'm nineteen," I nodded. "Twenty in like, seven months," I laughed.

"Wow, you're going to be a young mommy," he said. No, really?

"Guys!" I heard Sara's voice call.

"Yeah?" Randy asked his hand still on my stomach.

"Dinner's ready, come on!"

"We better go," I said, pushing my clothes down over the bump.

"Y-yeah," Randy nodded. "Ladies first," he said as I smirked, walking out of the door and down the stairs to get my first glimpse of Sara and the rest of the home.