I just needed to make it to the band room. I was headed to my usual lunch spot after a particularly hard morning and I really just wanted to be alone. No one was too bad to me anymore though, with the entire hockey team trailing behind me everywhere I went. I was glad they were helping but I just couldn't help but blame them a little for what Cam did, especially Dallas. Of course, it wasn't anyone's fault but Cam's. It was his stupid decision. But still I just couldn't help but resent them anyway.

But that day in the hallway Dallas had seemed really sincere, he genuinely seemed like he cared about me.

Whichever way I was happy most of the hateful words were gone. Of course there had never been any real confirmation that the rumor had been true. I wasn't showing yet and had just kept my mouth shut though the whole thing. Most people had dismissed it by now and those who hadn't were getting bored. Soon there would be some new rumor floating about.

I knew it would only be worse when my stomach grew to the size of a beach ball. But for now I didn't care. I was going to eat my sandwich… try to keep it down and work on some Math problems. Maybe even practice my cello; I wanted to try an experiment.

Finally I reached the door and skipped in excitedly. But instead of looking into the normal emptiness of my safe haven, I was looking at three boys sitting in a circle goofing off and being entirely too loud. Stupid hockey team…

"Hey Mama!" He called to me when he heard the door shut. The other two turned around and waved at me. Owen Milligan, Tristan's brother and Luke Baker.

"What are you doing in here?" It came out a little bit ruder than I wanted it to. But I was irritated.

"Well we invited you to sit with the team at lunch yesterday and you declined so we figured if you wouldn't come to us, we'd come to you. It's much better in here anyway." Owen said nonchalantly as if it wasn't a big deal they were stalking me.

I thought back to yesterday… Had they asked me to sit with them? Oh that's right I remember; I was walking to my locker when I heard someone call my name.

"Maya, Maya Matlin!" Finally I turned around and was facing Luke Baker.

"Yeah?"

"Hey, the guys on the team wanted to know if you wanted to sit with us at lunch today." He gave me an award winning smile.

"Uh… thanks but I'm going to the music room to practice."

I didn't want to sit at that long table with all those rowdy boys. I pretty much never went to the cafeteria anymore anyway.

I figured they either were playing a huge joke on me or just felt extremely sorry for me. Either way it made me mad.

"Why are you stalking me? God, can't you leave me alone?! If you feel sorry for me I don't want anyone's pity! You don't even know me!" I didn't even think it just all came out at once.

But it didn't even faze them, they just chuckled at me.

"Seems like that should change then, since you are carrying the next greatest hockey player of all time," Dallas said standing up, the other two followed suit and came over to me. "Look if you don't want us around, that's fine, whatever you need."
They started to walk out but I caught Dallas's arm. "I'm sorry I was such a jerk. You're just trying to be nice and I'm being a total bitch."

"Whoa there Mama, no swearing in front of the baby!" Dallas said with a grin. I even let out a little giggle.

"Sorry here," I pulled a quarter out of my pocket "Might as well start a swear jar, you may make a million dollars over the next 6 months."

"No wonder Cam liked you so much," Luke said taking the quarter "You're pretty cool."

I clenched my jaw a bit but still contained my smile.

"So does this meaning we're staying here or…" Owen asked seeming annoyed.

"Guess that's up to Mama," Dallas told him.

"Stop calling me that." But the truth was I didn't really mind. The boys had a certain kind of energy that just made you feel happy.

"We're definitely staying…" Dallas told the other two boys and went back to his original seat. Soon Luke and Owen did the same with a shrug of their shoulders.

I stood there for a minute with my arms crossed and then did a shrug of my own and let myself go sit with them. It wasn't ideal, but it was what I had and I wasn't going to argue with having my own goon squad.

It had been a month and Dallas, Luke, and Owen had become my… sort of friends…? Every day at lunch I would walk into the band room expecting everything to be back to normal. And every day they were sitting there. I don't know why I kept coming. I could've made plans with Tori but she was busy with this new guy she met, he was a senior and I quote "Totes cute!" I could've gone to Zig but… he hadn't been talking to me lately. In fact he had gone out of his way to avoid me. He even quit the band! I quit too, a couple of days after. The band just fell apart. Almost like my life.

One Friday when I walked in it was just Dallas sitting on the floor. He patted the spot next to him and I meandered over.

"Hey Maya," he mumbled. He sounded weird… distant, maybe even a bit sad.

"Uh I think you changed a letter in my name... You always call me Mama, are you okay?"

He sighed sounding defeated. "Ali and I… we're fighting again. I don't know what to do." I opened my mouth to say something along the lines of I'm sorry it didn't work out or there are plenty of fish in the sea but Dallas cut me off "But you don't need to worry about that. What's new with you?"

"Well… I'm getting fatter, my mom keeps trying to convince me to give my baby up for adoption, I have nightmares pretty much every time I sleep… oh but there is one good thing, I have a doctor's appointment today after school and they'll tell me whether or not I'm having that star hockey player or a pretty little figure skater." I said with a smile.

"Ugh figure skaters… always hated them, so stuck up." Dallas laughed "Don't you want to be surprised?"

"No, I don't think I can't take any more surprises. I want to be sure of one thing."

"Well you can be sure of another thing too. I will always have your back even if you have a little fairy princess in there."

Our eyes locked for a second and finally I asked the question I had been wondering ever since he helped me in the hallway a month ago.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

Dallas looked down at the floor dropping our gaze. "I told you, you're family and we never leave one of our own behind."

There it was again, that sincerity mixed with a certain kind of sadness. It reminded me of Cam.

I let out a little gasp of air as the baby started to kick. It kicked a lot lately, god only knows why.

"What's wrong?!" Dallas asked as I put a hand on my stomach.

"Nothing it's just… do you want to feel something cool?" He nodded so I grabbed his hand and placed it where mine had been.

He sat there for a minute looking confused and then his eyes lit up and he looked up to me. "Whoa. You really are gonna be a mama…"

I giggled. "Uh yeah… what, did you think I was making it up?"

"No, no. It's just… whoa like there's really a kid in there. Cam's kid…"

His hand was still on my stomach and a tear fell from my eye and hit it.

"Sorry, damn hormones." I said wiping my eyes.

"It's okay. I didn't mean to say that out loud. I can barely say his name without feeling like shit. I can't even imagine how it is for you…"

Another tear escaped my eye but this time Dallas caught it. We were sitting there, our faces inches apart and for a minute I thought about kissing him.

I couldn't believe my own thoughts. He was so much older than me and he had been so mean to Cam. Cam… that was the thing that kept me away, I moved back and fired another question.

"How come you never asked me if the rumor was true? Why did you just believe it right away?" I asked.

He stayed frozen in the same position for a second and then shook his head and sat back. Had he been thinking of kissing me too?

"Mostly because you never denied it…" He smiled "And because Cam was freaking crazy about you. I figured you two would be doing it sooner or later. Of course I also knew that he was just a sophomore and you were just a freshman so you would be stupid about it. The other guys on the team… they still aren't sure. They just trust me for now. So you may have to admit it to them yourself."

I smiled sadly thinking about how true the part about me and Cam was. But if Dallas knew how dumb we both were then why didn't he give his little rookie a condom? Could've saved both of us a lot of trouble.

I didn't want to tell the rest of the hockey team. I knew they considered themselves Cam's family… but I didn't owe them anything.

Before I could say anything the bell rang. Dallas offered to walk me to my next class but I declined, and he didn't argue.

"Well, Miss Maya would you like to know your baby's gender?"

I looked over at Katie who had to bring me once again. She gave me an encouraging smile.

I took a deep breath. "Yes, yes I would."

"Okay well it looks like you're going to have a beautiful baby…

AN: Cliff hanger! What do you want the baby to be? PM me or review with your answer!