Well here it is. the last chapter...or second to last. but probably the last. so enjoy. i don't
own IaHB. it's not mine, so please don't sue me. u won't get very much.



Parenting 101

Ending

Chapter 10



Caitie waited for the second ring before someone picked up the phone. It was a female voice. It
sounded like a little girl.
"Hello." The tiny voice said.
"Hi! Is Jamie there?"
"Yes. Jaammmmiiiiiiieeeeee! JAMIE!" The little voice shouted into Caitie's ear. She held the phone
away but could still hear voices in the background.
"Give me the phone Hannah and stop yelling." Jamie scolded and took away the phone. He held it to
his ear. He was a little embarressed.
"Hi. Sorry about that." He apologized sheepishly. He wondered the person on the other line had
hung up. Then it crossed his mind it could have been Tyler so he wouldn't have minded if he had
hung up.
"Oh it's okay. I have little brothers and sisters too." Came the voice he had grown eager to hear.
Jamie knew now that the owner of that voice was all his. He smiled.
"Caitie! Hey! What's up?" Jamie settled down in a kitchen chair. His thirteen year old sister, Dominique was
across from him doing homework. She batted her eyelashes at him and blew kisses. He rolled his eyes.
"Nothing much. How's Hailey?" Momentary panic fell on Jamie but he remember little Hailey was happily
watching T.V with Matthew, who was five.
"Good. Tomorrow is our big report." Jamie leaned back in the chair, feeling confident and content.
He got the girl and he got the grade. Well he hoped about the grade part. Dom gave him a look and
he sat up. Sisters.
"Yeah I hope we do okay. Grades have never been a strong point. It'll be sad to say good-bye to
little Hailey." Caitie said quietly. In a way, Hailey had brought them together, like a little
plastic cupid. Jamie laughed.
"We'll be fine," He said, pretending to choke up, "Have you talked to Val?"
"I came over there half an hour ago. But I came back to call you. She was going to drop off Monique
at Tyler's." Jamie stiffened at the mention of that name.
"Oh. Yeah. Did he tell her what had happened between me and him?" Jamie asked, hoping the answer
was no. He didn't want Caitie to find out what Tyler had said about her. He didn't want it to
cause problems between Val and Caitie, like who choose who's side.
"Maybe. I haven't talked to her. I'll call her after and ask."
"No!" Jamie half shouted. Dominique jumped in her seat and glared at him.
"Why not?" Caitie sounded suspious. Jamie ran a hand through his spikes. Dom could tell her was
nervous about something.
"What's wrong?" The young brunette asked.
"Nothing."
"You look tense. Is this your first fight with Caitie?" She giggled. "Hurry up with phone. Bryan
is supposed to call me."
"Who is Bryan?" Jamie demanded, always the overprotective brother. Dominique shook her head. Jamie
crinkled his forehead and was about to insist an answer when Caitie pulled him back into the
conversation that was heating up.
"Why not?" She repeated.
"No reason. Just let by gones be by gones (or is that one word? hmm u know what i mean right?)."
"Cant't you give me a straight answer? Why did you get in a fight?"
"I don't want to tell you."
"Why are keeping things from me Jamie? We've only been going out for a few hours and already you're
lieing to me!" Caitie shouted and Jamie's heart pounded.
"No! I'm not! It would just hurt you and...I don't want you to have your feelings hurt." Jamie
explained softly. Dom pretended to be gagging. Jamie held up a stray butter knife threateningly.
Dom shut up but looked at the clock.
"I'm a big girl! I won't be hurt! Just tell me!" Caitie cried, not seeming to be swaying on the
subject, even with Jamie's attempt at talking her out of it.
"Well Dominique needs the phone-" Jamie began.
"No! Not yet! Tell me and then she can have it for the rest of eternity." Jamie exhaled.
"Caitie.."
"Shut up Waite and tell me before I come over there." Caitie said souding angry and flirtatious at
the same time. Jamie kept his smile inside knowing she wouldn't like what was coming next.
"Fine. I was asking Tyler about things with Val, like you told me too. Then he told me to mind my
own business but I kept pressing the subject. So then he told me to worry about you and said some
not so nice things about you." Jamie sighed. Silence filled the receiver. He looked at Dom, who
seemed entralled with the conversation. Jamie gave her look.
"Me?" Came a little whine from the other line and Jamie's blood felt like ice. Caitie sounded
really hurt. He knew this would happen.
"Caitie. I told you not to-" Caitie cut him off.
"I didn't do anything to him. Why would he talk about me? I'm telling Val." Caitie cried in anger.
"I know but maybe you shouldn't."
"Look Jamie I have to. I'll see you tomorrow in school. Remember to finish your part of the report."
Caitie reminded.
"Okay Caitie."
"I love you." She whispered. Jamie looked at Dominique, who was pretending not to listen.
"I love you too."


Val wasn't home the twelve times Caitie called. She was out walking around Kingsport. She stopped
at the elementary school and walked to the playground. She flopped onto a swing and pushed. Her blonde
hair flew behind her and it felt good to be back to this familiar playground. Her and Caitie would
play the best games here and have the most fun. This is where she'd first seen Tyler Connell, playing
on the monkey bars. Val felt her face reddening and pushed the thought from her mind. Something
was comforting about be back to the place where you'd grown up. It felt like you were a kid again.
The sun was a big orange ball hanging low in the sky. Val knew it'd be dinner time soon. She should
be getting home. But her feet just wouldn't dig into the patch of sand zipping in and out of
view beneath her, worn away in a piece of grass. The swing next to her's creaked and the chain links
clinked against each other. Val looked over and there he was. Black and blue but still there, looking
apologetic. Val turned away. She felt a hand grasp her swing, pulling her to a slow stop.
"What?" She snapped.
"I came to say-"
"Say what? That you're sorry and hope I can forgive you. Well if it puts your little conscience to
rest and helps you sleep better than fine, I forgive you." Val said angrily but her insides were
crumpling.
"I am sorry." Tyler whispered and Val looked at him. He did LOOK sorry. But maybe he was just a
good actor. "I shouldn't have led (or whould it be lead?) you on."
"So you were leading me on?" Val croaked, tears making her eyes feel like they were floating. Tyler
shook his head.
"No Val. I wasn't. I like you. You're the greatest thing to ever happen to me. But with so much
going on, I'm not ready for a serious relationship.
"Serious? How do you know it'd be serious?" Val challenged. A shy smile played on Tyler's bruised
mouth.
"I know you." He stated.
"So that's it?"
"When I'm ready then maybe..." Tyler's words ran off. Val felt a sinking feeling inside.
She had to wait for him. But at least it wasn't hopeless.
"I'll be waiting." Val said, lifting her chin. Tyler nodded.
"Thanks."
"Friends?" Val asked, sticking out her hand for him to shake, but he lifted it to his lips and
kissed it gently.
"For now." And the two went back to swinging.

____________________________



"Next up is Mr. and Mrs. Waite." Mrs. Hays announced. Applause filled the room as the couple stood
in front of the teacher's desk, Hailey in Caitie's arms.
"What I learned about being a parent," Jamie began, "Is that you need to responsible. You need to
be ready to be an adult. It also made me feel a little sorry for teenagers who are forced into an
early adulthood. It takes a lot of growing up to become a good parent. And on a more practical
note, never have sex with someone who you wouldn't mind raising your child with." The group laughed
and Caitie smiled at Jamie.
"I learned to be a good mother, you have to be prepared. You also have to willing to do anything
for your child. Dirty diapers and late nights have to be something you're willing to put up with.
And if you aren't, giving your baby a good home by adoption is the best option. This assignment
has taught me that playing with baby dolls when you were little didn't really prepare you for
little screaming babies at 3 o'clock in the morning." Caitie handed Hailey to Mrs. Hays and the
two sat down. Jamie grabbed Caitie's hand under the desk and gave it a little squeeze.
Val and Tyler said more or less something along the same lines. Val felt a little sad handing
over Monique. But that little baby had done alot for her. She felt ready for parenthood, in ten
years or so. Maybe her baby's father would be Tyler. Val smiled at him. Whenever he was ready, she
would be too.
"I'm happy to annouce you all passed this assignment. And next unit will be on marriage! Hmm,
perhaps we should have done that first. Same partners too!" People clapped and groaned. Here we
go again.

*there it is! Aw. There's more than likly gonna be a sequal. we'll see what happens i might wanna
write something else.*