I woke up still in Jackson's arms but I was lying in his bed. I felt the soft navy duvet under me and his cell phone pressed against my thigh.
"Hey babe," He whispered.
"Hey," I said. He pulled me closer to him and kissed the top of my head. I pulled the phone out of his pocket and studied its shape. It was bulky, the way I would be in a few months and who knew what would happen then….
"Jackson?" I knew that now was the time to talk to him about everything.
"Yeah baby," he replied.
"Yesterday, when you left, why didn't you call me? I was worried about you."
I heard him sigh. "I'm sorry about that but I did call you, on Nathan's phone."
My head immediately shot up. "NATHAN KNOWS!"
"Shh-Shh," he said trying to calm me down.
"No one knows, Mel. I just went there to clear my head."
"Oh my god Jackson, you scared me!"
"It's alright Mel but you know we have to tell everyone soon."
"I know but do-do you want to have this baby?"
"Of course I do." He whispered. I watched his hand travel down slowly towards my mid-section as his strong hands gently rubbed my growing belly.
"It's a little earlier than I imagined, but I want to have this baby, our baby."
I don' think that I had ever loved him more than I did at that moment.
"I love you," he whispered saying the three words I needed to hear most.
"Will you always love me?" I asked.
"More than anything," he said as he kissed me.
After pulling back I said: "I love you too."
Two month later I found myself digging through my pantry for anything chocolate. Chocolate cake, chocolate fudge, chocolate wafers, chocolate chip cookies….anything but there was nothing! My mom was on a new health food kick and all we had was rice cakes and dried fruit.
"Jackson!" I screamed!
No answer. Where the hell is he?
"Jackson!" I screamed again.
"What, what wrongs Mel?" He said while running down the stairs three at a time. I watched him slip on the rug at the bottom of the stairs.
"Ouch!" He screamed.
"There is nothing in here to eat!"
"It's alright Mel, calm down. I thought something was really wrong," he said while brushing himself off.
"What? Me being hungry is okay with you?"
"What! Mel no-"
But I cut him off. "It's fine if you're pregnant girlfriend is hungry?"
Before he could explain I continued. "You know this is your fault anyways! You couldn't just use a condom!" I screamed.
"Mel-"
I grabbed some dried prunes and threw them at his face. "You try to eat those!"
I ran up the stairs and slammed the door as hard as I could.
"Melissa!" I could hear Jackson calling.
I heard him knocking on my door trying to apologize.
"Mel, open up please! I'm sorry baby."
"Come on Mel, don't do this to me."
I stayed silent as he pounded on the door.
"Melissa! Come on! I'll eat a prune, I will, honest!"
"It's open," I said quietly while I hugged my pillow tightly to my chest.
"Damn." I heard him whisper before his face broke into a small grin, one that caused one to appear on my tear stained face.
"Come here Mel," he said while pulling me into his arms. He slowly stroked my hair as he rocked me back and forth in his arms.
"Well, aren't you going to eat it?" I asked innocently.
"Mel, come on. The door was open the whole time! That doesn't count!"
"Yes it does! You even said you would! Now eat it!"
"I'll get you whatever you want Mel. How about a brownie sundae?"
"I don't want that anymore," I said.
"What do you want then?"
"You to eat that prune!" I pulled out the wrinkly purple object from the bag and shoved it in his face.
"Mel-"
"Jackson," I said with a smile, wiggling it in front of his face.
"Fine I'll eat it!" He snatched it from my hand and shoved it into his resistant mouth.
I watched his face contort as his eyes shut, trying to swallow it.
"Mel, that was nasty!" I smiled showing him my appreciation.
"I'm still hungry," I said.
"What do you want then? I'll get you anything; mint-chocolate chip, cookie dough, pickle?" He said with a smile, teasing me about my last craving.
"Bubblegum," I said into his shoulder with a quiet laugh.
"Bubblegum it is." I was quiet for a minute then I said; "I'm sorry. This isn't your fault."
He nodded against my chest. "And I promise not to ever make you eat a prune again."
He laughed quietly. "It's okay Mel; just tell me what's wrong."
"Tell me, that's the problem. We haven't told anybody yet."
"I know," he sighed. "But I'm not ready to tell Elaine yet."
"Well I'm not ready to tell my mom and dad either."
"Then let's start with…."
"YOU'RE WHAT?" Eric screamed! Jackson and I were silent.
"Man Melissa, who knew you would be the one Jackson, would be getting busy with!"
"Eric," Jackson yelt!
"Dude, come on! If I knew Mel would give it up boy, I would have asked her out! I mean, we all know how badly she wanted me on the island. Don't even get me started!"
"Yeah well I don't think you can start it considering the fact that IT NEVER HAPPENED!" Jackson said angrily while taking a step up to Eric. Eric immediately backed up.
"Eric, we're serious!" I screamed.
"What? That's like saying I'm a virgin. It's obviously not true!
I watched Jackson's eyes roll to the back of his head. "You ARE a virgin and Melissa IS pregnant!"
"You're just jealous Jackson, admit it. You want some of me too!"
I had enough of this so I turned my back and was ready to start walking and then Eric gripped my shoulder and spun me around.
"This isn't funny! Just stop lying already!" He said. "Melissa's not stupid enough to get pregnant in high school."
"I am Eric," I said as tears began to blur my vision. "I am."
Jackson stopped by Coldstone and ordered me a bubblegum ice cream on a chocolate dipped cone incase I started re-craving chocolate again.
"I don't want that anymore!"
"Melissa! What do you want then?"
"I don't know!" I grabbed the cone and shoved it onto his clean black shirt. Make that black and pink now.
I ran all the way home….
After I apologized to Jackson he changed and showered. He had been in my room for over an hour now trying to tell me that this wasn't my fault and that I wasn't stupid. I didn't believe him because I knew he was just trying to make me feel better. I didn't know why though. I didn't know why he still put up with me.
I was stupid.
I was a senior at Hartwell High School and I was pregnant with my boyfriend's baby. Boyfriend's, I wasn't supposed to be pregnant, not until I was married and settled down. Not with a guy I wasn't sure I was going to marry.
"Mel, please listen to me. You are the smartest person I know. You have straight A's, you're on student council, and you-you just are!"
"That's the thing Jackson!" I screamed, "If I'm so smart why was I stupid enough too pregnant!"
I watched him sigh and put his hands in his head.
"I-I'm just scared." I said quietly letting myself finally be honest.
"I am too Mel," Jackson. "What if I turn out like my father? I told myself I would NEVER be him!"
"Jackson, if I know one thing I know you will be nothing like him."
"How Melissa-How do you know?"
"Look at what a great job you're doing right now. You've taken such good care of me. I don't what would happen to me if I didn't have you."
I sat down on the bed quietly beside him and he rested his head in my lap.
"I swear to you I will never hurt you and I will be nothing like my father."
"I know Jackson, I know."
I lay down with his head still in my lap and we both just enjoyed the peaceful silence. Everything was going good. I had my first doctor's appointment tomorrow, I told one person at least about my pregnancy, and I had a boyfriend I would love forever- one that I would marry.
Someone flew threw my room door and screamed: "YOU'RE PREGNANT!"
Let's make that two…..
A/N: CLIFFHANGER!! Tell me what you think! Thanks to Dally2 for all of her wonderful ideas! She helped me out so much! I'd also like to that my reviewers; abovetherim, -Melody of Words-, and Dally2! Please review!
