Chapter III

George came into the kitchen and saw Amy feeding John "Hey have you seen your sister?"

"I came home earlier and she was already gone" Amy said looking towards her father "have you tried calling her cell?"

He shook his head "No I was just wondering if she'd watch Robby while your mom sleeps."

"Why can't you?" she said.

John continued to eat but his eyes darted between the two as they spoke, George sighed "I am, I was just gonna run out for a few things."

"Like?" asked Amy.

Her dad furrowed his brow "what's with the twenty questions?"

His eldest daughter shrugged "just curious... you're not seeing anyone are you?"

George scowled "Amy I know I was wrong before when I cheated, I'm not gonna make the same mistake."

She nodded "ok, just making sure..." her cellphone rang interrupting her, she quit feeding John as she picked it up looking at the caller id then to her dad "it's Ben, we're going out in a bit."

He just nodded as his daughter answered and began chatting idly with her boyfriend; he pulled his own phone out and made his way to the back yard.

~Ricky's Apartment~

Ashley was lying next to Ricky just relaxing in the afterglow when her phone started ringing; she leaned over the edge of the bed and grabbed her pants quickly digging through the pockets. When she saw the caller id she looked back at Ricky and put a finger to her lips before answering "Yeah dad?"

"Hey where you at?" her father asked "i need a favor."

She sat up fully holding the sheets to her naked breasts "Just waiting for Griffin, I'm by the theater we're watching a movie."

"In the middle of the day?" he responded "look can you get out of it? I need someone to watch Robby."

"Why can't you, he's your son" she said "i already made plans dad sorry."

"Alright, I'll see you later honey" came his agitated reply before he hung up.

Ashley snapped her phone shut and turned to Ricky "are you going to dump Adrian?"

Ricky sighed "it's not that easy... these past weeks we've been trying to build a relationship, she says she loves me..."

Ashley rolled over and straddled the naked boy "look, I'm not sharing and I'm not fighting about this... if you want a family" she said putting one of his hands on her stomach "it's right here, but you need to loose Adrian."

He sighed "just give me some time... besides after your dad kills me for this I might not have to worry about her."

Ashley rolled her eyes "I know this pregnancy thing isn't really hitting home right now, but it's real... I want to avoid it, but I can't we still have a lot of things to talk about."

Ricky groaned "mood killer."

She smirked down at him but then sighed "look this is a mess, we're a mess... but I want this to work out, and if I didn't love you I would strangle you."

He nodded and just listened to her trying to ignore the fact she was naked and straddling him.

"and I may hate you on some level" she said hopping off him and standing up "eventually I'll take my anger out on you, so right now you better enjoy my mood and talk some things out with me."

He nodded solemnly "i know."

"I'm gonna borrow your shower and get this mess cleaned up from between my legs" she said picking up some of her clothes "then we can talk a little more after that I have to get home, and remind me to call Griffin to set up an alibi in case my dad talks to him."

~The Next Day – Grant High School~

Adrian had been suspicious and upset since she was pushed out of Ricky's bed yesterday morning, now she was waiting in front of his locker. She saw him walking towards her smirking as usual; she crossed her arms and waited till he was in front of her "so what was that about yesterday?"

"Not what you think" he said leaning on the locker next to her.

"Are you cheating on me with Amy?" she asked, she could almost always tell when he was lying.

"No" he said without hesitating "i told you, I just had something to do yesterday, are you gonna suspect me of cheating on you every time I do something without you?"

She watched him carefully trying to determine if he had lied "look just don't kick me out of bed next time like I'm some kinda whore."

"Adrian it wasn't like that" he said standing up straight "i just forgot I had to do something."

She wanted to know what that something was but relented and kissed him softly "fine, I'm gonna go talk to Grace, talk to you later."

Amy and Ashley walked into the school building together that was until Griffin appeared next to them "Ashley can I talk to you in private?"

She nodded and followed him off to the closest wall "what do you need?" she asked.

He sighed "what was the deal with the phone call yesterday? Why did you need an alibi?"

She sighed wondering if she could tell him, but deciding against the whole truth she just looked at him "i broke our pact."

His eyes widened "what? Why?"

"Look I know I said I didn't want a boyfriend but I did, and I've found him... I was with him yesterday" she said "I needed the alibi because you know my dad wouldn't want that."

Griffin still looked stunned "I'm just... I thought you might tell me before... I mean the pact..." he stuttered.

She shrugged "I know, I'm sorry but I love him, I really do."

"Are you sure?" he asked softly.

"About as sure as I can be" she then looked him in the eye "please don't tell anyone, and I mean anyone!"

He finally smiled "fine, fine" he then saw a boy that had tried to talk to him before walk by "well since the pact is off..."

Ashley followed his gaze and laughed "go ahead I'll talk to you at lunch."

Amy and Ben were chatting idly when they heard a commotion and Henry ran up to them "Grace just slapped Jack, apparently he was sleeping with Madison this summer!"

Amy's jaw dropped "what!"

Henry was grinning like an idiot "i was walking by when it happened, from what I could hear Jack had left his cellphone at Grace's accidentally and she checked it when he got a text from Madison"

Ben shook his head "wow, I didn't see that coming."

"I know" said Amy "i thought they were a happy couple, I can't believe that Madison would do that..."

Alice popped up next to them "so I guess you heard about Grace and Jack?"

"Yeah" the three said.

They all turned when they saw Grace run by crying with Jack hot on her trails trying to talk to her, they all knew they would hear more later, while Amy decided she would talk to Lauren and Madison about it later.

~Lunch~

Ashley spared a glance towards Ricky while trying to not glare at Adrian who was attached to his arm; she ate silently nodding as Griffin talked to her. She saw from the corner of her eye Ricky stood and moved towards the entrance, and considering Adrian wasn't following she assumed that he was going to the bathroom.

"I have to make a call" she said interrupting Griffin "I'll be right back."

He nodded and watched as she moved over towards an open area; she pulled out her phone and dialed Ricky's number.

"Hey Ashley" he answered.

"How long until you break up with her?" she said "I'm not like my sister, I'm not letting you walk all over me."

"I'm not doing anything like that to you, I'm just waiting for the right time" he said as she heard him open a door.

"look there never will be a 'right time', the longer you wait the more you'll hurt her" she said "besides once my pregnancy is known and that you're the father she'll figure it out."

"It's just that I've been promising her I'm turning over a new leaf and I wasn't gonna cheat" he said softly.

"Too late for that" she said trying to control her emotions "i love you, I'm carrying your child."

"I know, I know" he responded sighing "this is just so complicated."

"be that as it may" she said looking around making sure no one was listening "I'm pregnant, we can't hide it forever, a lot of people are going to be hurt when that happens... now are you going to man up and stand by me or am I in this alone."

It remained quiet for a long time and she was about to get angry but then she heard him let out a breath of air "ok, I'll tell her... I'll stand by you when everyone finds out... I'll be a man and a father..."

"Thank you" she said softly "thank you."

"I'll talk to you later" he said before hanging up.

In the bathroom he went over and began urinating, when he finished he washed his hands and walked out. When the door closed the last stall in the bathroom opened and Ben stepped out 'what was that about, is he cheating on Adrian?'