She rested her head on his shoulder listening to Nick talk about a girl he's in love with not knowing he's in love. She's never seen him like this before and it makes her smile because she knew that he'd come around one day. She wants to tell him about his feelings but she'll keep it to herself because she's afraid that if she does, he'll back off of this Evelyn due to fear. So for now she'll just keep quiet and see how long it takes for him to realize on his own.
"I'll be right back," Stefan leaned into her.
She lifted her head and closed her eyes as he kissed her before getting up.
"So how are things with you and Stef?" Jackson asked.
"Uh pretty good, I like to think."
"Meaning?"
"Nothing, I mean he moved in with me so so it's different you know, but good different." They nodded. "Has he said anything to you guys?"
"Uh no, Stefan doesn't really talk to us about you," Jackson admitted.
Bonnie narrowed her eyes. "Is he like that with everyone he dated or just me?"
"Truthfully just you," Nick answered.
"Hm."
"Don't feel bad, I'm sure it's just because we used to rag on him about you in the beginning. I probably would be the same way."
She shifted her eyes seeing Stefan make his way back. "You guys were pretty mean," she smiled as they chuckled.
"Stop flirting with my girl." Stefan retook his seat.
"Hey, she started it." Nick sat up straight.
"You ready to go, babe, I'm kind of tired."
"Well, well, well, how the tables have turned." She teased.
"We're rubbing off on each other in more ways than one."
She laughed a little. "Shut up,"
He chuckled, smiling at her smiling face. "Let's go home,"
"Okay. Bye guys,"
"Bye,"
She took his hand as he led them out the bar then smiled when he pulled her into him and kissed her. She kissed him back and smiles while he pulls away and runs his fingers through her hair. "I love you." He told her.
"I love you too, babe."
"My parents want us to have dinner with them tomorrow night,"
"Okay,"
"Kiss me,"
She stood on her toes doing just that.
…
He held her body as her hips moved, straddling his lap. He didn't have to leave until twelve and although that hour was nearing, he will gladly keep at it to feel her longer. He moved some hair back behind her ears to watch her face and groaned seeing nothing more beautiful. "Fuck," he curses coming.
Bonnie smiles and kisses him several times then moved to her side.
"I'm sorry, you're just so fucking beautiful I forgot I can't look at you for too long."
She chuckles. "You should get ready for school anyway,"
"Last week of classes before summer vacation. Where do you want to go?"
"Anywhere would be nice, I don't really travel so I have no special needs."
He smiled then kissed her before getting up.
"Wait, baby,"
Stefan turned around, "Hm?"
"Never mind,"
"You sure?"
"Yeah,"
"Okay," he walked over to her and kissed her before closing the door behind him to the bathroom.
Bonnie exhaled then got up from the bed to make it then headed downstairs to look for something to eat. She settled on several pieces of toast with butter and a glass of orange juice. As she was finishing up buttering her last toast, she turned hearing Stefan join her in the kitchen. He kissed her on the cheek then opened the refrigerator turning to the clock on their over realizing that he won't have time to make anything. "I'm going to leave now so I can stop at McDonald's or something."
"Okay, I'll see you later."
He bent his knees some to kiss her. He pulled away and held her face noticing a look on her face. "What's wrong?"
"I'm pregnant."
His eyes widened looking into hers to see if she was serious and the tears in her eyes told him that she was.
"I'm sorry,"
"Don't- don't. Don't apologize," he breathed. "I just- I'm speechless."
She nodded as a tear fell from her right eye.
"Why are you crying?"
"Because I don't want you to feel pressured."
"I'm not- I don't. I'm just- This was the last thing I expected you to say." She nodded."We're having a baby," he realized then smiled. "Fuck, we're having a baby. I'm going to be a dad,"
She smiled as he did then closed her eyes as he kissed her then hugged her. Bonnie smiled hugging him back closing her eyes. Stefan stated ahead not sure what to think.
Stefan stared at the sonogram picture she gave him and smiled a little. This was turning real, real fast and he catches himself being happy then terrified then regretful all too often to know exactly what it is he's feeling. He looks down seeing the back of her head as she napped on his chest. He wonders how long she's known, how's she's feeling about all of this. She was terrified to tell him and he now starts to wonder exactly why. A child was something she wanted, something that they've talked about. She apologized to him for it actually being true and no longer just a thought or hope and thinking back that doesn't settle well with him. He's always imagined her telling him by gifting him with the pregnancy stick or a onesie telling him that he's going to be a dad. Not her scared and crying and apologizing. He sighs hating to believe that he was the cause of her unhappiness about it.
He looked over, hearing his phone buzzing. He sighed before answering. "Hey, mom,"
"Are you two still coming over for dinner tonight?"
He looked down at her. "Uh, I think so,"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing,"
"Stef—"
"Bonnie's pregnant." He closed his eyes hearing nothing but silence on the other line. "I just found out today,"
"What about Bonnie? How long has she known?"
"A few weeks possibly. She's only a month along."
"How are you feeling?"
"I don't know. I have so many conflicting thoughts and emotions I have no idea what I want."
"Okay."
He narrowed his eyes at the response hoping that she'd snap him into gearing up but nothing. "How are you feeling?"
"I-I don't know, Stefan. You're still so young and you have big plans."
"I don't think this will stop me. Thousands of people my age are married and have families and still—"
"You're going to marry her?"
"Wait. I'm confused, I thought you liked Bonnie?"
"I never thought you should be with her, Stefan. Is she a great woman, of course, but I would always hope that you'd find someone more appropriate. Like Lucy,"
He took a deep breath then let it out. "I'm trying to do the right thing here,"
"Do what comes naturally. I don't want you to look back at your life and feel like you were forced to marry or stay with her because of a baby."
He found himself speechless for the second time that day.
"Skip class tomorrow or leave a little earlier or stay a little later and think. Run all options through your head and do what's best for you."
"I can't leave Bonnie alone,"
"She will understand, Stefan. I'm sure she would rather that than you feeling forced to be with her." He thought back to her words earlier. "You guys don't have to come over but just promise me that you'll take a good amount of time to think."
"Okay,"
The call ended shortly after that.
Bonnie held in her tears. She had woken up when his phone ringed but decided to pretend to be asleep to see if he would tell his mom. The conversation was a little confusing to understand at first only being able to hear Stefan's side, but by his responses, she knew that his mother was talking him out of it and she could hear it in his voice that she got to him. She doesn't want to be alone through this but takes refuge that she has Caroline and her parents around just in case.
She took a deep breath then slowly lifted her head and turned to face Stefan. She frowned seeing his eyes closed. She moved in and kissed his temple. "I love you." She got up from the bed and headed downstairs.
Stefan opened his eyes and let out a breath.
…
He paused at the entryway to the kitchen watching her cook. He told her that his parents had rescheduled. He knew that she knew he was lying but didn't speak anymore of it. He walks up to her and hugs her from behind. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Anything,"
"Why- why were you so scared to tell me? I mean I always thought that you'd make it like a game or something,"
"I wasn't planning on telling you today. It just slipped and I was scared because I don't even know if you want to be a dad." His conversation with Lucy last month still rang in her head. "I didn't know how you would react and I got scared."
"I'm sorry that I ruined today. This was supposed to be one of the best days of our lives and instead, it's feeling like everything but that."
"I just want you to be happy. I can do this by myself-"
"Bonnie," he turned her in his arms.
"I mean I won't be by myself but I just don't want you to not fulfill all you have lined up. That's the last thing that I want. I love you so much, Stefan."
"I love you more." He kissed her. "We will get through this."
"Okay,"
One Year Later
Bonnie sat on her bed ready to breastfeed her girl Aniyah. They just woke up from their nap. Bonnie smiled watching her feed then looked up seeing her mom walk in.
"Have you heard from Stefan?"
"Uh no but it's fine. If he wants to see her he'll make the effort."
"I just don't understand how he was there in the delivery room, held her and signed the birth certificate then just disappear. I mean look at this angel."
"I would rather him stay away than show up and be pissy. That's the last thing we need."
"And you gave her this fool's last name,"
"Mom,"
"You should've hyphened it like I said."
"Mom, enough, please. He's her dad, I don't want everyone to keep talking bad about him around her. I mean I know she can't understand but the sooner we start the better. Stefan's a good guy, I wouldn't be defending him if he wasn't."
"What kind of good guy ditched his girlfriend and child so easily?"
"Mom,"
"I'll let it go but he's wrong, Bonnie. You just don't see it because you're still in love with him."
She watched her mother walk out and looked down at her phone with tears in her eyes after receiving a text. She wiped under her eyes to see things clearly and saw it was Stefan asking if they could meet up somewhere. She told him that she could leave for the park in fifteen minutes and he told her that he'd see her there.
Once Aniyah was done feeding, Bonnie told her mom that they were going to take a ride. When she pulled up to the park she saw him seated on one of the two wooden tables there with his back towards her. She took Aniyah out of her car seat and headed over to him. "Stef,"
He turned and smiled seeing them then stood so he could hug her. Bonnie handed their daughter over to him and smiled seeing him kiss her cheeks before sitting back down.
"I need to talk to you about something,"
She was just hoping that this meeting was because he just wanted to see them or at least just their baby not because he has news. "Okay,"
"I um. I started seeing someone else. She's an ex so I wasn't out dating or anything like that, but I wanted to tell you before anything."
"Okay, that's fine."
He nodded then turned his attention back to his daughter. Bonnie held back her tears then looked straight ahead. She closed her eyes taking in the fresh air.
"So how have you been?"
She opened her eyes. "Oh pretty good. I'm living with my mom temporarily for a few months getting settled with everything then I'll move much to her protest, I'm sure."
He chuckled. "I never got to meet your mom. Not formally anyway."
"Yeah, she just has no filter so I was saving her."
He smiled. "I should go, I have a dinner,"
She nodded then took Aniyah from his arms after he kissed her. "Let me know if you want to see her again,"
"Thanks, I will."
She watched his eyes before hugging him hating that she misses his arms around her. She lets tears slip as he kissed her cheek before holding her again and she just hoped that he misses her too but she must move on. He is and it's not fair for her to be sitting around and pining for someone who doesn't want her. She wiped her tears then moved away saying her last goodbye walking to her car.
…
"Bonnie?"
She turned after placing the box of cereal in her cart with narrowed eyes then smiled seeing Nick. "Hey,"
"Hey, I thought that was you, how are you doing?"
She exhaled. "Pretty good, you?"
"Same. I uh- Stefan's an idiot."
"No,"
"He is. Jackson and I don't even recognize him anymore."
"It's understandable I mean—"
"If you were dating me I wouldn't have left you and our baby. That's coming from me, that's the last thing that you deserved."
She couldn't fight back her tears anymore and he wiped them away before hugging her tightly.
"I don't know what I did wrong,"
"You did nothing wrong. His mother got to him, Bonnie. I hope for his sake he'll snap out of it before you find someone he can't compete with. I mean it would be me but I have a girl right now," he smiled when she laughed some. He pulled away and wiped under her eyes as she sniffed in. "Hey, I have a niece and nephew so I know a couple of things about babies. If you need a sitter or just anything, let me know, okay?"
She nodded. "Okay,"
"Here, let me finish shopping with you. Can I hold her?"
"Yeah," she dried the tears on her face then sniffed in as he lifted her from the car seat.
"She looks just like Stefan."
"I know, it's insane. At first, she looked like me then the next day it was all Stefan." She smiled when he chuckled.
"She's beautiful, what's her name?"
"Aniyah, She's four months," he smiled looking at her face. "So this girl of yours is it Evelyn?"
"How'd you know?"
"I remember you talking about her. I could tell you were already in love with her but I didn't want to say anything afraid that you'll ditch her."
"I probably would have so thanks."
"Don't mention it."
"Could you take a photo of me holding your precious one so I could send it to her and get her in the mood?"
She laughed some but took his phone and took a few photos of him in different positions. "You're an idiot."
"I'm smart and you know it." He swiped through his photos.
"Hey, guys,"
They lifted their eyes and the smile that was on Bonnie's face faded some seeing Stefan and the ex that he went out for drinks with last year holding hands. Her heart picked up but cooled feeling Nick's hand on her back.
"Hey, man. Lucy,"
"What's going on over here?"
"Just catching up. Shopping."
Bonnie was glad that she wasn't in this alone for she forgot how to speak. A part of her felt guilty but she then realized that she shouldn't. He's the one holding hands with another woman. She watched his eyes as they shifted over to look at her. She could tell he was angry but she told herself not to care. She pushed her cart around them saying her goodbye then continued her shopping with Nick. He helped her put her groceries in the trunk of her car.
"Thank you for staying by me in there. Even if we didn't run into Stefan."
"Don't mention it."
She smiled then hugged him. "I'll definitely call you about hanging out then Evelyn can see you in action."
"You're the best."
She chuckled then waved goodbye getting into her car. She was almost home when she saw that Stefan was calling her and not wanting to have this conversation with her mom present, she pulled over and answered. "H—"
"What the hell was that?"
"What are you talking about?"
"What are you doing with Nick?"
"We ran into each other at the grocery store and started talking. He's a friend,"
"You're joking,"
"Why would I be joking? He's really sweet,"
"So what, you're going to start dating him now? Like you've always secretly wanted?"
"He has a girlfriend, Stefan."
"But if he didn't?"
"I don't understand why you care, you seem happy with Lucy."
He sighed. "Whatever. I don't want you two to hang out."
"You can't tell me what to do, we're not dating anymore."
"Fine, then I don't want him seeing my daughter."
"Oh, so suddenly you give a fuck huh? Typical boy shit, I'm not pining for you anymore and now you suddenly want to be a father and act all protective of Aniyah and me."
"Keep him away from my daughter. I mean it."
"Goodbye, Stefan."
"Bonnie—"
She ended the call then let out a long breath. She shook her body then started the car again driving home.
