Big Mistake

Jacob had just left Daffy's class one afternoon and was headed to his locker and then basketball practice. On his way down the hallway Cassie walked over to him with her eyes red looking like she had been crying. He put his arms around her. "Cass what's wrong?"

"Jake, we need to talk."

Of course he took that the wrong way. "Wait, are you breaking up with me? C'mon Cassie, we can work this out. I won't mix my food at lunch if it disgusts you. Don't break up with me…"

She put her hand over his mouth. "I'm not breaking up with you."

"Well what's wrong then? Did someone hurt you? If they did I'll kick their ass…"

"Jacob, would you listen to me! I'm pregnant."

Jacob went light headed for a moment and his legs almost gave out on him. "You're…" She nodded. She took his hand and led him to an empty hallway. "You're freaking pregnant?" he said.

"Yes."

"When did you find out you were pregnant?"

"On Monday, but I didn't tell you because I was afraid you'd get mad and leave me or something."

Jacob hugged her. "Cass you know I'm not that kind of guy. I wouldn't do that to you." They slid down the wall and sat on the floor. A freshman walked by. Jacob gave him a threatening look and he walked away quickly and went out the exit at the end of the hallway.

He hugged her. "I'm sorry Cass, this is all my fault. I shouldn't have forced you into it."

"I don't blame you for it. It's just as much my fault." She looked at the clock. "Aren't you going to be late for basketball?"

Jacob shrugged. "I don't really care. Mom can yell at me all she wants." He sighed. "What are we going to do about this? Should we keep it?"

Cassie shrugged. "I don't know. I'm scared to actually have it."

"We have to tell our parents."

Cassie shook her head. "My parents are gonna hate me."

Jacob nodded in agreement. "Mine too, but we can't hide it."

Cassie's phone rang. "Hello?...okay…I'll be right there." She put it back in her purse. "I have to go Jacob."

"Okay." He kissed her. "We'll work this out Cass. I promise." After she left he went to the locker room to change for practice. When he went into the gym they were already doing their drills.

Lola came over to him. "It's about time you showed up. I thought you went home with your dad."

Since Jacob was Bugs' child, he'd inherited his knack for making up quick excuses. "I was in the guidance office talking about SAT's."

Lola nodded believing him. "Okay. Take a few minutes to warm up."

On Saturday, Bugs and Lola were sitting at the kitchen table in their pajamas eating breakfast and Bugs was reading the paper.

Lola rested her head on his shoulder. "Bugsy?"

"Yeah babe?"

"I love you."

Bugs kissed her. "I love you too gorgeous."

Jacob and Cassie came into the kitchen. "Mom, dad?"

They looked at him. "Yeah Jake?" Lola said.

Jacob and Cassie glanced at each other nervously. "Cassie's pregnant."

Bugs and Lola were shocked into silence at what they just heard. Lola didn't know what to say. Bugs however, was mad. "Damn it Jake!"

Lola gave him a surprised look. "Bugs!"

Jacob and Cassie were growing more nervous by the second. "Mom, dad, I'm sorry. I didn't think…."

"Exactly! You weren't thinking!" Lola said.

"What have I always told you? Sex is for marriage! If you absolutely just have to, use freaking protection!" Bugs exclaimed.

"So, what to do plan on doing about this?" Lola asked.

They shrugged. "We don't know yet."

"Well go figure it out! If you think you're old enough to have sex, then you're old enough to face the consequences," Bugs said.

Jacob and Cassie left before any more of Bugs and Lola's rage could be unleashed on them.

"Do you think we were too hard on them?" Lola asked.

Bugs shook his head. "Personally, I don't think we were hard enough."

Jacob and Cassie were sitting in Jacob's car in the driveway. "Wow, I didn't think they would be that mad. My parents are the cool ones, they weren't supposed to yell at us like that," Jacob said.

"Imagine what my parents are gonna do to us. You have a bullet proof vest don't you?" Cassie said.

Jacob laughed. "You don't really think your dad's gonna shoot at me, do you?"

Cassie shrugged. "I don't know. You know how he is. If he doesn't shoot at you, look out for his fist."

Jacob sighed. "I guess we should go." He drove to Cassie's house and they were both silent on the way planning what they would say.

"Jacob I can't do this," she said when they were in her driveway.

Jacob took her hand. "It won't be that bad. I'll be right there to back you up."

She sighed. "Okay."

They got out and went up to Cassie's front door. Jacob always felt weird going into "normal" houses. He'd lived in a gigantic mansion all his life and had basically been showered in luxury. All his parent's friends lived in mansions too and he was always over there. Not that he was spoiled, but growing up rich with a famous actor for a dad, and a basketball player for a mom had really affected him. He figured if he ever had to live like a normal person for more than a week he'd probably go insane.

Cassie unlocked the door and they went inside. "Mom, dad, where are you?" She called.

"In the living room!" her mother said.

They went into the living room and found Cassie's parents sitting on the couch. "Hello Jacob, nice to see you again," Mrs. Price said.

"You too."

The opposite couch. "We've got to tell you something," Cassie said.

"You're not pregnant are you?" her father guessed.

Cassie and Jacob exchanged a glance. "Are you a mind reader?" Jacob asked.

Her mother gasped. "Cassandra Price!" she exclaimed.

Tears rolled down Cassie's face. "Mom, I'm sorry…"

"How dare you make my daughter pregnant!" Mr. Price exclaimed.

"Sir I never intended to. It was an accident…"

"Accident or not, it doesn't make any difference!" he exclaimed. "I knew she shouldn't have dated you! I knew you'd be bad for her!"

Jacob knew her parents were extremely angry with him and that he wasn't wanted there anymore. "Cass, maybe I should leave."

Cassie took his hand. "No, don't leave."

"I'll call you." He kissed her and got up to leave.

"Get out of here!" her dad exclaimed.

Jacob went back out to his car and sat in it for a moment feeling like he'd hit rock bottom.

Bugs and Lola were in their room one night sitting on their bed. They weren't really paying

attention to the TV, even though it was one of Bugs' favorite shows, Hell's Kitchen. Lola was thinking about all the things that her children were doing. Kristy's eating disorder could have been prevented, or at least she believed so. She felt like she had been so caught up in life and her and Bugs' lust that she had stopped paying attention to them and their problems and she felt guilty for it. Maybe she shouldn't have felt that it was her fault but right now she did.

"Bugs, why are our children doing this?"

"They're growing up," Bugs said.

"We raised the right didn't we? We told them about this stuff and to avoid doing all kinds of stupid stuff and all the stuff we did when we were young. Why would they do this?"

Bugs thought about it. "Well, we can expect them to not screw up because no one's perfect. And, just because we tell them we did stupid things like sleep around and go to bars everyday and get in cars with drunk guys, doesn't mean they'll do the same thing. They have their own lives, they grow up, and they make their own mistakes. It's how they learn. And it's our job to correct them and lead them in the right direction. All we can do is tell them what to do and what not to do, and they make the decision on their own." He went over what he said in his mind. For some reason he tended to get very deep and philosophical at night when he was tired and half asleep.

"So you don't think what happened to Kristy could have been prevented?" she asked.

"Well, maybe we could have paid closer attention to her." Lola sighed. "We're not bad parents Lo. We learn just as they do."

Lola nodded. "You're right Bugs."

Jacob and Kristy were sitting on the floor outside their door listening.

"Mom and dad hate us, don't they?" Kristy said.

Jacob shook his head. "No, they don't hate us…well…yeah, I guess they do. Have you stopped?"

Kristy shrugged. "Kinda, I still want to sometimes." They heard the sound of their parents kissing and they knew that was their cue to get up and leave. "Are you going to bed?"

Jacob nodded. "Yup."

"But you're gonna call Cassie, right?"

"If she's still awake. Good night." He went into his bedroom and Kristy went into hers.

Jacob and Cassie decided to have an abortion. They told their parents they had taken responsibility for it and thought it over carefully. They knew they couldn't take care of it, they were only sixteen not even out of high school and couldn't even take care of themselves. Bugs and Lola paid for half and Cassie's parents paid for half of it and it was all settled within a week.

A few days later Jacob went in the garden in the backyard and got some flowers to take to Cassie. They'd both been through some serious crap the past few weeks and he just wanted to relax.

He went into the living room where Lola was watching a basketball game. "Mom, I'm going to Cassie's house."

"Okay. If you knock her up again I'm throwing you out of the house," she said.

"I won't." He drove to Cassie's house and rang the doorbell.

When she opened it she gave him a big hug. "Jacob, I've missed you!"

"I've missed you too. I got you something." He handed her to flowers.

She sniffed them. "They're beautiful. Thank you."

Cassie's dad came over to them. "What are you doing here?"

"Dad…"

"I just wanted to bring Cassie some flowers, sir," Jacob said.

"Leave. I don't want you to see her anymore."

"Dad that's not fair!" Cassie exclaimed.

"No, you and Jacob are not allowed to see each other anymore!" He took the flowers from Cassie and shoved them back at Jacob then slammed the door.

Jacob stood there in surprise for a moment. He could hear Cassie yelling at her dad behind the door. Why didn't he want them to date anymore? Just because he got her pregnant? That didn't make any sense. He can't not see her anymore, he loved her. Sure they went to the same school and had the majority of their classes together but that wasn't the point.

He put the flowers on the bench in case she came out to get them then drove home.

"Why do you look so depressed?" Kristy asked when he got home.

"Leave me alone!" he went upstairs.

Bugs, Lola, and Kristy were sittign at the dining room table eating dinner that evening.

"Great dinner Lo. Good thing you didn't burn it this time," Bugs said.

Lola rolled her eyes. "Shut up."

"One time your mom blew up the toaster trying to make me breakfast," Bugs told Kristy.

She laughed. "What was she making?"

"Toast." That made Kristy laugh more.

"Bugs you said you wouldn't tell that story again!"

Bugs chuckled. "Sorry baby, I couldn't help it."

"Where's Jacob, his food is getting cold," Lola said.

"When he got home he was mad probably because Cassandra broke up with him. He said he doesn't want to be bothered," Kristy said.

Bugs stood up. "I'll go talk to him." He went upstairs and knocked on Jacob's door. "Jake, can I come in?"

"Read the sign on the door!"

Bugs noticed there was a sign on his door that said "DO NOT ENTER!" He ignored it. "Jake let me in please."

"Fine."

Bugs came in and turned the light on. He found his son laying on the bed with his face buried in his pillow. He sat down next to him. "Jake look at me." He turned him over and he looked really upset. "What's wrong?"

Jacob sat up. "Cassie's parents won't let me see her anymore."

"Why not?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I guess they're still mad that I got her pregnant. I don't know how many times I apologized though. I can't not see Cassie anymore, dad."

Bugs was very concerned for him, he looked near the point of tears and Jacob never cried anymore (at least Bugs hadn't seen him cry in a long time). He was glad Jacob wasn't like him when he was his age. The only thing on his mind when he was sixteen was sex, sex, boobs, and sex. Jacob was obviously a more passionate guy than he was and more committed, and he was proud of him for turning out that way. "You really love her don't you?"

Jacob nodded. "Yeah, I do."

"Do you want me to talk to them for you?"

Jacob looked up at him. "You'd do that dad?"

Bugs nodded. "Of course I will."

"I thought you were mad at me?"

"Oh I'm still mad at you. That was a very irresponsible thing you did and the consequences could have easily been prevented. But I don't see that as any reason for you to stop seeing your girlfriend."

"Thanks dad."

"Come here." Bugs gave him a hug, one of those sweet comforting hugs he'd give him when he was younger if he'd hurt himself or was sad for any reason. "We'll work it out. Don't worry."

They went downstairs into the dining room. "Jake are you okay?" Lola said.

He nodded. "I'm alright mom."

"We're gonna go have a little chat with Cassie's parents," Bugs explained.

Lola, not knowing what was going on, was confused by this. "Um, okay. Do you want to eat something first Jacob?"

He shook his head. "I'll eat when I get back."

"Well take a jacket, it's chilly outside." She gave him a hug.

Bugs and Jacob got in the car and drove to Cassie's house. When they got there she opened the door. "Jacob!" she threw her arms around her. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you of course. You can't keep me away," he said with a smirk. She hugged him again.

"What do you want?" her father said as him and her mother came into the hallway.

"Nice to see you again Mr. and Mrs. Price," Bugs said.

"Why are you here?" Mrs. Price said.

"Let's go sit down." They all went into the living room and sat on the couches. "I heard you don't want Jacob and Cassie to date anymore."

"No we don't. He's been a bad influence on her and we don't want her with him anymore," Mr. Price said.

Cassie glared at them and was about to protest but Bugs spoke again.

"Is there any way we can compromise here?"

"And what do you suggest Mr. Bunny?"

"How about we let the two of them continue to date, but they can't be alone together rand must be supervised at all times."

Jacob gave him a disbelieving look. "Dad…!" Bugs put his hand over his mouth to cut him off but quickly moved it when Jacob tried to bite him.

Her parents nodded. "That's not a bad idea," Mrs. Price said.

"Then it's settled." Bugs shook their hands. "Nice doing business with you. Let's go Jake, your mom's going to get upset if you don't eat anything for dinner."

"Bye Cass," he said. He kissed her good bye but Bugs grabbed his ear. "Ow, hey!" Bugs dragged him outside. "Dad let go of my ear!" They got in the car. "Why did you do that to me?"

"Look, you and Cassie are still together. You're very lucky we came to that conclusion instead of just saying you can't see her anymore at all."

Jacob knew he was right but he still didn't like their "compromise".