Chapter 5

"So, did you take a test?" Angela asked Wednesday morning.

I nodded slowly and picked up the books I needed for my first couple of classes. I had successfully avoided Angela the day before since I wasn't in the mood to answer her bombardment of questions I was sure I'd get. But I wasn't nearly as successful today.

"Yes, I did, Angela. And you were right," I murmured softly.

Her face went from expectant to pity to determination all in a matter of seconds.

"I'm glad you listened to me. Now you can get the prenatal care you need early so your baby will be healthy. And you know if you need absolutely anything that I'm here for you. Especially if someone is being an asshole to you about the whole thing."

I smiled and was reminded why Angela is one of my best friends. She is always so supportive, no matter the circumstances. Even if I had decided on terminating the pregnancy, I knew she would be there for me through thick and thin.

"Thanks, Ang. I appreciate you being here for me."

She adjusted her books that she was carrying and closed my locker for me. We started making our way to first period.

"Did you tell Edward?" she asked.

"Yeah, and he was surprisingly supportive. He didn't freak out or anything, at least not in front of me. His parents are being really supportive, too. Esme offered me a job as a secretary at her firm and I start next week."

Angela grinned and opened the door to the class for me.

"It's a good thing it was Cullen that knocked you up, then. Other families wouldn't be nearly as supportive."

I chuckled and agreed. We took our seats and the school day went by a lot quicker than I expected. Just as I was planning on what I was going to take home for the day, Jessica came up to my locker.

"Hey, Bella. So, I've got a question for you," she stated very matter-of-fact.

I tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear and nodded for her to continue. She popped the gum she was chewing, much to my annoyance. It seemed like she was always chewing gum loudly and obnoxiously.

"Is it true you're pregnant? It's going around the whole school."

I froze and stared at her.

"Who told you that?" I asked.

She shrugged and flipped her hair behind her shoulder.

"It doesn't really matter. I thought it would be hysterical if you of all people got knocked up. Since you're little miss perfect who has her whole life planned out," she stated.

I stood to my full height and glared at her. She stood her ground for a second before shrinking back slightly.

"Maybe you should learn not to listen to other people, Jessica. I'm surprised anyone would even bother talking to you since you're such a bitch. Get over the fact that Mike has a crush on me when he's not even remotely interested in you. Maybe it's because of your not-so-charming personality that he's never even glanced your way," I finished breathlessly before slamming my locker and walking out to my truck.

"Bella! Wait up!" I heard Angela shouting.

I paused and waited for her to catch up.

"I'm sorry this is so last minute but my car isn't starting. Can you drop me off at home?" she asked while trying to catch her breath. She must have run from one end of the parking lot to here.

"Yeah, of course. Hop in."

We threw our bookbags behind the seats and she started fidgeting. I could only stand it for a few minutes before I put my hand on her knee to stop her.

"What's bugging you, Ang?" I asked.

She sighed and tried to stop fidgeting with little success.

"I'm just nervous. It's nothing against you, but I know that you and Edward always talked about how careful you are. Yet you still got pregnant. It makes me wonder what more Ben and I could do so we don't have kids until we're ready," she admitted.

I tightened my grip on the wheel but I couldn't be mad. It was natural for her to worry since she's now seen proof of what can happen when you're sexually active.

"I know you and Ben just started sleeping together. My piece of advice is to get on birth control and use a condom every time. My doctor said it happened to me because of an antibiotic I was on that screwed up my birth control and that doctor didn't tell me. So, always double check before taking something," I told her reassuringly.

She grinned and realized that we were at her house.

"Thanks, Bella. I knew you'd make me feel better. Call me tonight after you talk to Charlie."

At lunch Edward, Angela, and I had talked about the best way to tell Charlie. We decided it would be best if Edward didn't show up until after my dad had calmed down. And I'd tell him while on a Skype call with mom so she could maybe talk him down.

I drove the couple of minutes to my house and was slightly disappointed when Charlie's police cruiser was in the driveway. I hoped to have some time to myself before having to tell him that he's going to be a grandpa at the age of thirty-seven. We got off mild with Edward's parents compared to mine, I'm sure of it.

After waiting several minutes of trying to talk myself out of going inside, I took a deep breath and walked in.

"Is that you, Bells?" he asked from the living room.

"Yeah, it's me. What do you want for dinner?" I called back.

There was no answer. I heard the TV turn off and Charlie walked into the kitchen with a grim look on his face.

"We need to talk," he said.

I gulped and sat at the kitchen table when he motioned towards it. He sat across from me and just looked at me until tears started to form in his eyes.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?" he finally asked.

My expression said it all. His tears started falling and he placed his head in his hands.

"Bella, I've done everything I could to give you the life you deserve. I've worked so hard for a long time to help you pay for college. And you just throw it all away. You don't realize how screwed up your life is going to be," he ranted.

I waited for him to compose himself. Out of everything I anticipated, my dad crying was not one of them.

"How did you know I'm pregnant in the first place?"

He chuckled without humor and blew his nose in his handkerchief.

"Bella, please. I remember what it was like when your mother was pregnant with you. She was always throwing up and you've already started gaining weight," he explained.

I blew out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.

"I can still have everything you've ever wanted for me, daddy. I'm still going to go to college and raise my baby with Edward."

That's when he started laughing a belly-laugh.

"My God, you're naïve. You really think you'll be able to go to school and raise this kid? And how exactly are you going to do that? Let me guess, the Cullens offered to help watch the kid and pay for things. That's all fine and dandy but you were accepted to a school that's over an hour away. What, you'll commute back and forth every day? Wake up to reality, Bella. This isn't going to be a damn walk in the park."

Tears started to form in my eyes. Why was he being so spiteful?

"We're going to find a way to make this work. Edward, me, and our families. I was hoping you'd be part of this," I retorted.

"I'm more than happy to be a part of my grandchild's life. I'm not happy over how easy you seem to think this is going to be. This is going to be the hardest thing you ever do. And you're an idiot if you think you'll be able to go to school full-time, work, and raise a kid all at the same time," he added hatefully.

I stood up so fast my chair was knocked backwards. He narrowed his eyes and waited for me to speak.

"I'm not going to sit around and listen to this. I'll go pack a bag and stay with Edward."

He stood up, shaking his head.

"No, you most certainly will not. You are grounded and you're staying home. You can go to school and come straight home. That's it."

I crossed my arms and glared at him just as fiercely.

"Did you forget that part where I'm eighteen? And what's going to happen if I go to Edward's? I'm pregnant already, there's not much more than can happen."

I put the chair back in its original position and stormed upstairs, taking the steps two at a time. It five minutes flat I had my bag packed and I was out the door, heading to my boyfriend's house. Charlie watched me through the window but made no attempt to stop me.

Who the hell does he think he is being such an asshole about everything? I can understand him being mad about everything but he should be supportive of his only daughter. His only daughter that is going have his first grandchild, I might add.

I pulled into the Cullen's driveway and blinked several times to try and keep the tears at bay. I had texted Edward that I was on my way and he opened the door when he heard me pull up.

"Bella! I'm so sorry," he murmured softly once he got to my door. He pulled me out of the truck and held me close as I started sobbing into his chest.

"I-I'm still glad you weren't there. It would have been ten times worse," I blubbered.

When I looked up from his chest he wiped my tears away with him thumbs and kissed me gently.

"Come on. Mom's already making dinner and I'm sure you haven't had time to do your homework."

He took my bags and took them up to his room. I went to the kitchen to get some water just as Esme was pulling some chicken out of the oven.

"Hi, Bella. Edward told me what happened. I'm so sorry that Charlie reacted that way. Give him a couple of days to settle down; you know that you're more than welcome to stay as long as you need."

I opened the water and chugged almost the whole bottle.

"Thanks, Esme. I don't know what to do," I admitted.

She wiped her hands on a rag and enveloped me in a hug.

"It's not your job to know what to do about your father right now, Bella. So much stress and negative emotion is bad for the baby. If I have to talk to Charlie myself I will. Now, I want you to try to calm down. There's actually something I wanted to talk to you about."

I finished the little bit of water that was remaining in the bottle and threw it in the recycling bin before grabbing a fresh one.

"As I said, you know you're more than welcome to stay here. But have you thought about you and Edward getting your own apartment? You are still in high school but you're both eighteen and it might be nice to have your own place once the baby is born. Carlisle and I are more than happy to pay for the rent. If you don't want to do that right now, we can always convert one of the guest rooms into a nursery."

I grinned behind the water bottle. Esme had always been so wonderful to me yet she always outdid herself.

"Can I have some time to think about it and talk to Edward? I've got too much to decide on right now," I replied honestly.

"Oh! I'm not trying to push you into making a decision right now, dear. You can take your time, just don't forget that baby will be here sooner than you believe. Now, enough talk. Help me set up the table."

No matter how bad my own side of the family got, I knew I'd have Edward's to help us through everything.