The others just stared at Heather after she said she wished she could tell them what was going on. That meant something was going on, mainly with Hunter and he was keeping the secret. The others wanted to make Heather talk but knew she wouldn't. She'd never not cover for Hunter, they were cousins by blood and siblings by adoption. Heather would never blow whatever his secret was. "I'm sorry..." Heather whispered as she walked off pulling out her phone and dialing Hunter's number. They needed to talk, she couldn't keep hiding his secret because all of them were on her case now. Heather waited for a connection, and finally after 3 it did. "Hunter?..." Heather said. "What the hell! What happened, you scared the Odin's ghost out of me!" She yelled at him angrily.
(Haddock House)
{Hunter's POV}
I'd just gotten home with Hope, we had to fly slow on Strykeout but we made it in 20 minutes. Thankfully the daycare wasn't far from the school or the house, meant I could be there when I needed to be like today when they called to let me know Hope had a fever of 102.5. Once I sent Strykeout to the backyard stables to eat, I took Hope inside and gave her some children's fever/pain reducer then sat down on the couch rubbing her back until she fell asleep. Once she was asleep comfortably, I laid her in her crib then felt my phone going off. I could only take a guess it was my father or...Heather. Sure enough it was my sister. I sighed after it got to 2 rings and answered on the third. "Hunter?..." Heather said first.
"Yes..." I replied quietly.
"What the hell! What happened, you scared the Odin's ghost out of me!" Heather yelled at me angrily. Great, because I needed this right now.
"Will you calm down...The daycare called saying Hope had a 102.5 fever and wouldn't stop crying so I left to go get her. And stop yelling before someone gets suspicious..." I sighed. That would be all I needed was for her yelling to tip off our friends about me having a daughter, or that I was the famous dragon racer Shadow. I hated lying to them but I had my reasons for doing so.
"They are already suspicious because of your actions, Hunter. You take random calls during the day, you got pissed in sex ed over the debate, you stomped off seeing Damien at school, and just now you darted off on Strykeout. Everyone is confused and I'm the one who everyone looks at for answers!" Heather scolded. I bit back, I was asking a lot of her. To keep these two huge secrets from our friends but now I could see they were starting to harass her about it all and she was getting upset. I heard her sigh heavily, "I don't...want to lie to them anymore. I hate lying to our friends...I know you have your reasons...I'm not saying they are wrong but Hunter...Its time to tell them the truth. About you having Hope, and being Shadow...Please...I can't...do this anymore." Heather pleaded me.
I could hear her light cries. I wasn't being fair to her, making her keep my secrets because I was afraid of what they would think about me being Shadow, and a father. I closed my eyes thinking back to when it all started. Two years ago, the summer after freshman year when I went on vacation with my parents.
{Flashback}
My mother shook me awake as I groaned and looked out the window now as I saw the vacation house, it was a duplex on the beach. Fantastic. I saw a few texts from Astrid, Shaun, and Heather all wondering how the trip was going but I didn't answer them right away. The car stopped as we all got out, another man and his wife approached my father and mother smiling. 'Here we go.' I sighed and forced myself out of the car knowing they'd be doing introductions. I managed a smile standing next to my mother. "Hello there housemates!" Called the male with a wave.
"Greetings." My father smiled. The male and his wife approached, didn't dad say these parents had a teenage daughter too? Where was she? She must of gotten out of the trip or was hiding in her room of the house to avoid the trip. Look at that, already had something in common with her. I planned on doing the same thing as soon as we unpacked.
"Nice to meet you in person. I'm Alvin Holgerson, this is my wife Ellie and my daughter...Oli..." He paused now looking around. "Oh for Thor's sake. OLIVIA! Get out here, right now!" The male known as Alvin called out. A few seconds later I saw a teenage girl with dark caramel hair and teal eyes emerge from the left side of the vacation house and my heart began to race. She was beautiful. "Thank you, now...This is my daughter, Olivia Holgerson." Alvin introduced.
"Pleasure to meet you. We're the Haddock's. I'm Samuel, this is my wife Violet and my son Hunter." My father introduced. I was staring at Olivia and she was staring at me, she was bashful and shy. I could tell by the blush forming on her cheeks. 'Maybe this trip wouldn't be so bad after all.' I thought to myself smiling.
"Why don't you two kids get acquainted while we unpack." Alvin suggested.
"Fine with me." Olivia said.
"Me too...Want to...take a walk on the beach?" I asked her.
"Sure..." She replied bashfully. We both smiled and headed towards the edge of the beach where the water met the sand. I had taken off my shoes in case they got wet, she had flat sandals on wearing daisy duke blue shorts, and a blue flannal shirt with the sleeves rolled up, her hair was down and constantly blowing in her face while we walked. I learned she was 14, going on 15. I told her I was 15, wouldn't be 16 until February. We both liked to draw, and swim. We must of talked for hours walking along that beach until both our parents called us for a family grilling dinner. Cheeseburgers, chicken, and hot dogs. Oh yeah, I was going to love this trip for sure.
(3 Weeks Later)
I couldn't believe this was my last night here, now I'd wished the trip hadn't gone by so fast. Olivia and I had so much in common, she was amazing and I was falling for her hard and I think she was for me too. Our parents were inside packing up while she and I were walking along the beach again, holding hands and quiet knowing we wouldn't see one another again until the summer following. We did talk about dating, we wanted to try long distance. I was 4 hours from the beach house and she was 3. That meant 7 hours to see one another, maybe less by monorail, or train which being our ages wouldn't be easy to do. But still we wanted to try. "I don't want this to be our last night..." I admitted to her.
"Me either...I've had so much fun these last 3 weeks..." She frowned. It was true, we'd had a lot of fun. We rode our bikes, went surfing, swimming, we drew together, took long walks and even made out a few times but our parents didn't know that. We didn't think they'd approve. Nah, we were sure of that. I didn't want it to end! This felt awful to me. "Maybe...we can make this last night perfect?" Olivia suggested to me. I looked over at her now, "Follow me." She pulled me along with her up the beach and to an old shack just down the beach a bit. She opened the door and we walked in, she shut the door and kissed me with my back to the door.
"Woah woah...Liv...What are you doing?" I asked her breaking the kiss.
"Make love to me, Hunter..." My eyes widened. What?! "I want...to remember you this way, as the man I fell in love with. I want to give myself to you tonight...You won't...deny me right...Who knows when we'll see each other again...Please give me something until we meet again?" Olivia asked.
"Liv...We're...15 years old...We'd be dead if anyone found out." I protested, I couldn't believe this was a discussion we were even having right now.
"Who is going to find out...Its our secret, Hunter...Please...I want you to make love to me. Please give me this..." Olivia pleaded with teary eyes. I sighed, how could I tell her now. She was right, who knew when we'd see one another again. I could give her this right, who would find out.
"Alright...I'll make love to you." I said. "You're lucky my mother is a spaz and makes me carry at least one condom around...Or I wouldn't agree to this." I said taking the condom from my wallet which I set on the table to the side of me. I kissed her deeply and it just went from there. I made love to her for an hour before we had to go back to the house so no one would get suspicious. We acted like nothing happened, that just walked too far and enjoyed the moonlight. Our parents didn't question a thing. The next morning, it was a tearful goodbye but we promised to text and call one another every day. The drive home was sad for me, I had the best 3 weeks of my life and now I had to leave. I didn't know when I'd see her again but I hoped it was soon.
(1 Month Later; Mid-August)
I'd spent time with my friends, while still talking to Olivia but then her replies and calls became less and less, it worried me. My vacation started towards the middle of June, and ended the 2nd week of July. Now we were in the middle of August, with 2 weeks until I started sophomore year. I hated this, I wanted to see her again, and one night sitting with my parents she called me but it wasn't what I was expecting. She sounded upset. "Liv? What's wrong?" I asked, my parents paused the movie and looked at me worried as I was up listening to Olivia.
"Hunter...I-I need to see you. My parents and I are coming by train tomorrow...Is that...okay?" She said. Something was definitely wrong. The train ride was 3 hours from her place to mine, but she said she needed to see me so I couldn't tell her no.
"Yeah, that's fine. When should I expect you?" I asked.
"We'll be there by noon time...And Hunter...I'm really sorry..." After that she hung up and I stood there wondering what that could of possibly meant.
"Hunter, is everything alright son?" My mother asked.
"I...don't know. That was Olivia, she said she needed to see me and her parents are bringing her by train here tomorrow at noon..." I replied. I didn't know what was going on, I tried to text her but she didn't answer me. I just went to bed to wait for tomorrow.
(The Next Day; Noon Time)
I was waiting outside for their rental car to pull up, she'd already said they were on their way to the house. I saw a silver 4 door pull up and her in the backseat crying. I didn't like this at all. Her parents stepped out and they didn't look happy either. I was getting a bad feeling now, my parents greeted them.
"Alvin, Ellie...So nice to see you again." My mother greeted.
"I wish this were just a nice trip, Violet...We all need to talk, inside." Alvin sighed. I moved inside with my parents while Olivia and hers followed. When we were all sitting at the dining room table, it began.
"What...brought you this far out?" My father asked.
"Olivia. Tell him." Alvin said, I looked to Olivia now who had tears in her eyes.
"Hunter...I...I'm sorry..." She cried.
"Liv...Its okay, whats going on? Tell me please..." I asked her. And then with two words, my entire world stopped.
"I'm...pregnant." Everything came to a complete halt in the house.
"What...do you mean you're pregnant...You came all this way to tell me that? Who is the father?" I asked quickly, had she cheated on me? We were technically dating, long distance.
"You are, Hunter." Ellie said. My eyes widened. "Olivia told us that you two slept together the last night at the beach house. She didn't get her period two weeks later, she told me what happened and I took her to the doctor to get a blood test done and it came back positive."
"Hunter, is this true?" My father asked me. I was still in shock trying to find my words. "Hunter!" He said louder, I snapped out of it. Oh my Gods, Olivia was pregnant and it was...my baby.
"Yes...Yes its true, dad but...we used a condom...The one mom gave me when I turned 15." I admitted.
"Vi, when were you going to tell me you gave the boy condoms. He's 15!" My father said.
"Because I know how teenagers can get, Sam...I wanted him to be prepared..." Violet responded.
"Fat lot of good it did him. He got my baby girl pregnant." Alvin scoffed.
"Daddy its not Hunter's fault...I told you, I asked him...He didn't want too but I kept pushing. Its my fault..." Olivia cried.
"Its not your fault, I should of said no...Its...a two way street, Liv..." I forced myself to say. It was true after all.
"What is done is done...The question here is what do we do now. Olivia is 14 and going into her freshman year of high school. We gave her the options...She's too young to raise the baby, and Hunter...You're too far away to help her. We told her she could either have an abortion...or give the baby up for adoption once its born...But she wanted you to know first." Ellie said to me.
"And what did she decide to do..." My father asked.
"Give the baby up for adoption...We got the paperwork together...Hunter just needs to sign..." Alvin pushed the paper towards me.
"Now wait just a minute...Hunter is that child's father. I think he should get a say..." Violet protested.
"While I wish I could agree...They are teenagers. Olivia is 15, Hunter is 15, going on 16 in...6 months...How would it even be possible for them to raise this child together?" Elli replied.
"Hunter...I'm sorry...I wish...this could work but...My parents are right and...I'm not ready to be a mom yet...I still want to finish school, and...I can't...do that with a baby...Please just...sign the paper..." Olivia pleaded.
"Hold on, has she even been to the doctor. How far along is she...?" Samuel said now.
"She's about a month along. She's supposed to give birth April of next year. And then the baby would be given to an adoption agency." Alvin stated, I couldn't believe this. Olivia was pregnant with my baby, and giving it up. She didn't want it? The baby they made together, even if by accident and now I had to give it up too!? How was...that fair! I didn't want to do that.
"I think...this is a lot to take in for one day. How long are you in town for?" Violet asked.
"5 days..." Ellie replied.
"I think...Hunter needs some time to process this." Sam said.
"Hunter...I'm so sorry...I just don't know what else to do...This is my only option." Olivia said as she got up, my eyes locked onto her belly where our child grew and it was killing me inside. I couldn't...do this. I couldn't let her give up the baby, our baby...My baby. She and her parents left as my mother put her hand on his shoulder.
"Are you alright son?" Violet asked.
"No...No I'm not..." I said before leaving the table and going to my room.
(5 Day Later)
Olivia was back in the house, with her parents as we were all around the table again. I hadn't said much these last 5 days, I was thinking about everything. I didn't know what I was going to do but I did know that the baby she carried was mine too and I didn't want to give it up to another couple. I was last to arrive to the table as I held the form in my hand as I didn't sit down. "Are you ready to sign?" Alvin asked me. Here goes nothing. I crumbled the paper and tossed it in the garbage making all of them gasp.
"No. I'm not signing it. I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Holgerson but I can't." I said facing Olivia who looked shocked and in tears of what I'd done. "And I'm sorry to you too, Olivia...But as much as an accident as it was...That's still my baby. And even though you might not want to give up your life to take care of something you had a hand in...I do."
"Hunter...What are you saying son?" My father asked.
"After you give birth, Olivia...I want you to give the baby to me. I will take care of it, alone if I have too. But I won't give my baby up to some other couple to take care of. I'll take responsibility for my actions. I will raise the baby after you give birth...And you don't have to worry about a thing." I said firmly.
"Hunter...Are you...sure about this?" Violet asked in shock of my words.
"Yes. I already found the forms you need to sign...It works the same as adoption. You sign over all your parental rights to me. And I take full, sole custody of the baby once you give birth. All you need to do is sign that line on the bottom." I said sliding it to her with a pen. "You want out of this, you wanted another option. I'm giving you one. Give me the baby to raise." I said. Though in shock, no one said a word. Olivia took the pen and signed the paper, I handed it to my father. "I'll expect updates and to know when you give birth..." I said to her walking away. There was no going back now. I would take care of this baby.
{End Flashback}
After that day and until Olivia gave birth, I was getting things ready. My parents didn't fight me on it, and agreed to home-school me. In that time that Olivia was pregnant, I met Toothless and we became the best of friends. When I turned 16, Olivia was 7 months pregnant. With my parents permission, I joined the racing league under the name, Shadow with my dragon Toothless. This is how I earned money, every race I won was an easy $500.00. Heather really did lose her mom and we adopted her, well my parents did. We moved to a bigger house, I told Heather what was going on and made her promise not to say a word. She did of course, we both got home-schooled and when Olivia gave birth, I was there for it. She had a girl who I named Hope Haddock. The paperwork was finalized and I took Hope home with me in the carrier on the train with my mother. I haven't heard from Olivia since and I've been raising Hope.
"HUNTER! Did you hear me?" Heather yelled at me. I snapped out of it. How could I miss it with her yelled. "I can't keep this secret anymore...They are getting mad at me for not telling them what you're hiding...I'm sorry, Hunter...You need to tell them the truth."
"Alright...Just...give me a little time to figure out what I'm going to say..." I sighed.
"You have until your next race. If you don't tell them...I will." Heather hung up after that. I checked the calendar. My next race was 14 days away, so she was giving me two weeks to tell our friends that I not only had a daughter but also was Shadow? Great. I closed my eyes putting my phone away, I don't see how this could possibly get any worse.
