Disclaimer: This is a complete work of fiction, there's no resemlance to actual persons or events or places. If so, it is utterly not intended. We, my co-writer and I, do NOT own Bratz, MGA Entertainment or anything associated with it what so ever. Any character exposure in this story is completely non-profit and just for fun only! No copyright infringement intended! Thank you.

Summary:Her eyes never saw clearly before meeting him. Her heart hadn't started beating until he kissed her. She wasn't living before she met him. But "he" wasn't her current boyfriend, and that was the problem... Rated T - may change later. Co-written with CreativeWritingSoul. Enjoy!

Masquerade

XXV

"Deck the halls with your husbands' balls! Fa la la la la, la la la la!" Maggie Peyton sang loud and proud as she dropped her daughter Geneva off at school that morning, she earned a few chuckles with her own original rendition of the classic Christmas carol, 'Deck The Halls' from students passing by the vehicle. Truly making her daughter blush hard and hide her face, loose strands of burgundy hair falling in front of her eyes.

"Thanks, and that will be all from you today mom." Geneva giggled softly, still feeling mega embarrassed though.

"Oh relax kiddo, the fat guy is gonna bring me some good shit and a Merry damn Christmas will be had by all!" It was extremely hard to not have the Christmas spirit this year, especially now that the entire school – staff and students now knew that Brielle was pregnant and she and Penn would be expecting a bundle of joy in a short few months.

It was huge news and some still didn't grasp it, or think it was true, but Brielle's close friends knew it was in fact true. All who needed to know knew already. Now it was dealing with the rest of them. "Yep, see you after school mom." She kissed her mom's cheek, gathered up her backpack and purse, hopping out of the vehicle and shutting the door behind her.

The first thing she did everyday after being dropped off was look for her usual crowd of popular friends. They consisted of Brielle Hudson, Odelia Sage and sometimes Finora Kingston. Geneva couldn't stand Finora with a deep burning passion of hatred.

Kingston was the kinda girl who you just plain hated, nevermind loved to hate – just plain hate. She was the school bully and most unfortunately someone you had to suck up to if you enjoyed your social status on the ladder of popularity. Which Geneva did like, it surely had its perks. "So I heard Bri's knocked the fuck up. Is it that Brogan guy's?" she scoffed, tossing her wine red colored hair out of her face, narrowing her blue eyes at Geneva's approaching.

"Yeah she is pregnant," Geneva began – trying to get a feel for whether she should defend Brielle or not, as much as she deeply cared for Bri as a great gal pal, she never stood up to anyone or said much of anything. "and no it's not her ex's."

"Ooooh, her ex?" Finora mused, a manicured nail stroking her chin. "Interesting, so she's a slut then? Sounds about right to me!"

Odelia had a scowl on her face ever since Finora started talking about Brielle with the major attitude she seemed to have. 'You have no right you piece of shit… at least not to voice your own thoughts so rudely!' She thought angrily to herself.

"She's pregnant. Well, at least she's got the worst of what she probably already has, riding any dick she can find can get quite dirty. Is that what Hudson is? A dirty little trick? Well -" Finora didn't get another chance to finish what she was saying before Odelia squared off and punched her right in the mouth, but she didn't stop there, she kept punching.

"I don't care who the fuck you are, bitch! Brielle… is an amazing person! … and she's pregnant with the best man in the world, so go fuck a barb wired electrical fence you low down tricky sticky whore!" Odelia let Finora have the best of whatever she could dish out. At the moment she was favoriting beating the crap out of the other's nose.

Geneva's inner strength came out as she pulled Odelia off of Finora. "Please, someone tame that wild bitch!"

"Oh I'll show you tame motherfu-"

"Let it go Odelia, let it go!" Geneva called out to the raged female, ready to kill Finora with her bare hands. "She's not worth it, stop. Stop!"

Odelia somehow managed to calm herself down enough to regain her composure. "Alright then, but if you talk shit about my best friend ever again… your face will be French kissin' the pavement. Got it?" Angry mumbles came from Finora but the girls didn't stick around to hear anymore from her that could possibly earn Odelia a school suspension or even worse consequences. "I hate that bitch, I hate her!"

Geneva pulled Odelia into the empty bathroom to try and help her calm down. "Odelia, it's okay – you got a good punch in at her, no one saw it… we're good. You need to relax."

"She was so rude! What the hell's her issue?" Odelia scoffed, turning around to the mirror to do a quick check on her make up. "I can't believe she'd talk about Brielle, of all people, like that."

Geneva shrugged, but decided now to speak up for once. "You can't always please everyone Odelia. I mean," she began timidly. "whatever you do you're always gonna have people who love you or hate you. Or people who just plain don't care. Sure pregnancy is a beautiful thing, but some people think it's wrong how young she and Penn are. And it's not Brielle and Penn specifically; I think it's society on the whole."

"Go on." Odelia was very surprised, normally Geneva never spoke up on her own, she always just followed the crowd and seemed cool in doing so. But hearing an opinion was just that, the opinion of someone else. It didn't mean that you had to agree with it, or have to take the advice that's given to you. It's just another option.

"I mean, there are stereotypes in general for everything and everyone out there, especially teenage parents and deadbeat parents, unfit parents, so on and so forth. We know that Brielle and Penn are keeping the baby, we know that they're excited to do so, both families seem cool with it… all the other hundreds of students that attend this school might not be and that's okay too. It's their opinion." Before Odelia could interrupt, Geneva went on. "Some people are totally incapable of producing that opinion respectfully… which is totes mass annoying, but that's how some people are and are raised. Not everyone will be happy and excited for Penn and Brielle, but that's okay. Those who are involved are the only opinions that need to be of any concern."

Odelia's jaw dropped and her mouth formed into a knowing smirk, "I always knew you had a brain Geneva. I was just wondering when you'd use it."

Geneva narrowed her eyes, "Gee, thanks."

"Anytime!" Odelia chimed happily, topping off her lip gloss and taking a quick full bodied picture in the mirror before she decided it was time for them to leave. Geneva just shaking her head and chuckling. She definitely had a unique bunch of friends and that was for sure.

She tapped her manicured fingers on her lap, feeling anxious. "So, how was your weekend?" Brielle asked out loud as Penn found a parking spot. She hadn't been able to see him Friday or all weekend, since her parents whisked her and Gable away, to visit with the rest of the family, tell them she was now expecting, all that fun stuff and unfortunately she couldn't take Penn as there 'wasn't enough room' where they were staying apparently.

She was royally ticked off when they got there and saw for herself that there was indeed plenty of space, until a distant cousin decided to invite all their friends. "It was uh, alright. A little too long, especially without you Bri." He admitted to her, taking her hand in his.

"Aww, same here babe." She sighed, "I didn't even have any cell reception either so that made it about a hundred times worse than the whole stinkin' weekend was." She frowned, but smiled when Penn leaned in to kiss her lips. "That's better."

He chuckled, "Yeah, definitely. Now stop stalling me because we're going in to that doctor's office. We had to take the morning off for this, so we can't mess around like we did last time." He informed her of what she didn't really want to know what so ever, but kissed her cheek for reassurance.

They made their way into the office, checking in and taking off coats and such. "Relax Bri; I'm right here with you. We're fine." He caressed her cheek tenderly, meaning every word of what he said to her.

"Hi," an older nurse approached the two of them. She had chestnut brown hair that was graying, tired eyes but a friendly smile and warm demeanor. "I'm Lillian, and I'll be your nurse this morning. I'll just be checking that everything's going well, such as your blood pressure and all of that fun stuff, and then when she gets a moment, the obstetrician will pop in and talk to you about what's gonna happen next."

Brielle tightened her grip on Penn's hand. "Can I come in with my wife?" Hearing Penn's voice and him calling her his wife… sent chills up and down her spine, leaving goosebumps upon her delicate skin.

"Well, I'm afraid to say that for this appointment and ultrasound, we gotta just take mum here, but you'll be able to walk in with her during her other appointments soon." She notified them, Penn being noticeably saddened to hear that news.

"Okay, thanks." He lifted Brielle's chin and kissed her lips lightly. She then got up, in her flats – which she hadn't worn in months, and straightened her posture and there was her already showing baby bump. This was her thirteenth week of pregnancy and she felt huge, but was more bloated looking than before. For only being a little over three months pregnant already… she thought she looked abnormally bigger, but Penn told her that every single pregnancy was individual, so she shouldn't worry too much. With it being her first pregnancy and all, she couldn't help but to feel nervous, anxious, excited – a whole whirl of emotions all in one.

"Alright honey, come with me and we'll get you started." Lillian said with the same reassuring smile, Brielle was able to relax a bit as she followed the nurse into an available, private room.

Penn sighed as pulled out his phone. His right leg was extremely restless as it bounced up and down at a rapid pace. Smoothing the hair in his face back, he bit down on his lip.

He pulled up the existing threaded chat he already had with his sister and composed a reply.

Hey, we r here n they wont let me in w/ Bri :(

Was he upset about it? Yes! Of course he was. He knew that with every new thing she felt, it alarmed her and she wasn't the best with doctor's at all so it was only natural that he wanted to be with her. But he couldn't and now had to deal with that.

Ah shit! Rly? Sry bro :(

He took a moment to think before sending his response.

Yea, I just wanted 2 go in w/ her cuz I no shes not good w/ doctors n stuff

When he texted shorthand, it meant that he was either very occupied… or waiting to become occupied, which was exactly what he was expecting here. He wanted to be ready if they called him for any reason.

Before he knew it, he was beginning to fall asleep right there in the obstetrician's office. It must've been the heat that was making him feel increasingly tired. Or maybe the fact that he hadn't really rested properly all weekend, remembering what happened between him and Lian.

He groggily opened his eyes to find his phone, which was still there in his hands. Not thinking twice, he sent a text to Lian.

Hey

Whose this?

Penn raised an eyebrow, he looked back to see that he had the right number under Lian's name… which he did. She had the same number for years and he knew it by heart. He could walk up to a payphone and dial it.

Lian, I know you know who it is. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about how things were left. I still want to be your best friend if you'd let me.

Several minutes went by before he received an answer, he jumped to read it right away.

Nah, sorry dude. Don't know who you are but don't message back, thanks.

Well if that wasn't a slap to the face, what was? He heaved a sigh as he deleted the threaded conversation. Making his way to the list of contacts in his phone, to delete Lian from it for good. He felt it was wrong to do so, but she didn't want anything to do with him and she made that abundantly clear.

He sighed and sat back in the chair once more, having no choice but to think about what had just happened… it all so fresh in his mind.

"All done babe," he was startled awake by a very familiar voice, that of Brielle's.

"Hmm?" He inquired, still more than half asleep.

She brushed his hair back, kissing his forehead and repeating herself. "All done. With everything, we're totally in the clear – nothing's wrong what so ever. That's what the extra wait was for, because I didn't wanna leave without knowing, y'know."

Penn nodded sleepily, sitting up further in his seat as he shoved his phone in his pocket. "Of course, so everything's fine?"

She nodded enthusiastically, "Yep! Next appointment is already booked, made sure it was a Thursday."

He was a bit more awake now, but he knew that once he hit the fresh air he'd be much more alert. "Okay hon, so we're good to go and everything's okay?" She nodded eagerly, the nurse chuckling as she walked by them. "What aren't you telling me Brielle?" He asked her slowly, scoping her out even though he knew she was keeping something from him.

She squirmed excitedly, "Nothing! Well something but, nothing… that we'll tell anyone 'til later! I'm so happy." She told him, giggling.

"Have a good day you two," Lillian bid them farewell as Brielle took Penn's arm and lead him outside as he grabbed both their coats.

"What's going on with you, Bri?" he chuckled, kissing her more passionately now that they were outside, rather than when they were inside and in the presence of others. He was old school like that.

"Well, the development is going great. They're about 3 inches long, they're little faces are looking more human! Did you know the eyes start out on the sides of their heads? Weird, but they're closer now, the ears are almost in normal position. The liver is already making bile and their kidneys are producing urine through their bladders, which is totally sterile in the whole sac right here… or it makes it more so in the last half of pregnancy," she patted her covered, slightly bloated stomach. "and then! Even though I can't feel anything, if I poke my tummy, or you poke my tummy, they'll squirm, isn't that so cool?! Gradually, they'll get reflexes too and-"

"Wait, wait, wait – I mean that's awesome and all, it's very exciting… you're ecstatic and all – but… they?" He blinked a couple times, waiting for a response from Brielle as she grinned.

"Twins, Penn. Twins. We're having twins baby! I mean baby twins, but yes!" His entire face read shock, but he couldn't help but to smile. How lucky were they? Very! "And they're perfectly healthy, I had this other test done too and was lucky enough the lab wasn't busy or backed up and – yeah."

He hugged her, "I love you so much." Kissing her ear gently as he embraced her.

"I love you too, Penn. None of this could be possible without you." She kissed his nose. "I guess we'd better head to school, but I think we should keep this whole twin thing on the serious downlow, don't you?"

He gave a nodded, "On the downest of lows." He confirmed, pulling out his shades.

"You're such a dork," she giggled, stealing his sunglasses. Taking his hand in hers and just plain being with the best man she could be, never felt so good.