Of a Sunday, Izzy always stayed over in her actual home - her and Chop not actually living together. It was a chance for the couple to get the space they needed. But even though they had just been on a camping trip together, the pair decided to both sleep over at Izzy's - the news of the pregnancy caused Chop and Izzy to spend more time together than usual.
There was a saying that if you couldn't sleep, then you were awake in somebody else's dream - Izzy hoped that was the case for her. It was 00:31 and Izzy couldn't sleep, despite having to be up for eight. As she laid in bed and the only sources of noise to be heard were Chop's heavy breathing and the ticks of her bedside clock. She thought the weekend over and the recent events... She ran her fingers over the thin material of her vest top and rested them upon her stomach, she could swear she could feel it's heartbeat... But she knew she was just over tired and her imagination was playing tricks. She knew it was going to be a challenge, a huge one but it was going to be worth it. Evidentally, she and Chop were terrified and they had spent the weekend arguing over it. But they both knew for a fact that once reality set in, eg. Arguing over what colour to paint the baby's room, buying the clothes, seeing it properly for the first time on the second scan, it's first tooth, first words, steps... Obviously there was the late nights, the crying, etc. But what was that compared to raising a child and being a proper family? It was nothing and if they could overcome what they had, then they could do this. They may have been young but they were going to take this head on, they were going to do this their way...
Even if they had to do it on their own.
Izzy decided to slide of bed and creep out of her room; knowing it was easy as Chop was a heavy sleeper. Izzy went to walk downstairs, when she noticed the room to her dad's study was open and the low glow from the lamp on his desk drew her in; like a moth to a flame. Izzy made her way over to the study door and popped her head in; to see her dad's office chair with it's back to her - the top of her dad's brown mop of hair peaking over the leather back of the chair. She cautiously made her way in and stood at the door, before croaking, "Dad?" He turned in his chair and smiled at her, "Alright, kidda?" She nodded before saying, "Yeh, just can't sleep", He sighed before opening his arms, in which she took no hesitation and made her way over; climbing into his lap and snuggling into his embrace. Her new found height a sudden slight difficulty compared to when she was ten and was no taller than 4' 5".
"How was work?" She asked whilst playing with a button on his shirt, "Alright, borin'", "Nothing new there then", She sarcastically spoke, which earned a small snort of laughter from her dad. It then grew silent before then Izzy decided she needed to tell him, she knew could trust him. It was her dad, her best friend; the one who let her get away with anything. He wouldn't judge her, he would simply shrug it off with a crap joke and be forgotten about...
Would it?
Yes, of course it would. Her dad wasn't judgemental like her mother, he'd be a hypocrite if he had a go at her as he was a dad at 19. "Dad, I'm pregnant", She felt him tense and heard him suck in a breath. Her blood turned cold as she waited a response, which was not what she expected, "Wha... 'ow far gone?" He croaked, unable to properly speak. She began picking at the skin around her nails, "Just over a month", She heard him gulp, the vibrations rumbled against her ear as her head laid upon his chest.
"Go to bed, Izzy", He hadn't called her Izzy or even Isabelle since she was 12, it was always kidda. Always. "Dad I-" "Go to bed, Izzy", He snapped. Feeling the tears already working their way to her tear ducts, she simply stood up and left the room for her bedroom; her head down the entire way. She quietly slid into the covers, Chop was still dead asleep. Izzy clutched the covers tightly to her chest, as if it were a teddy bear, before she held back a sob. She now realised that even her dad, her best friend, wasn't on her side for this. She had never felt so alone, so... Hurt.
A thought then crossed her mind, what exactly was she expecting her dad to react? The whole 'crap joke' Scenario? The whole 'You've told me, let's have a cup of tea and act as if nothing's wrong' Fantasy? She needed to stop being so ridiculous. Obviously her dad was going to be cold about it, well he hadn't expect it. How was he supposed to react to it, other than in a cold way? He was just as helpless and as clueless as her.
That was one thing Izzy had learnt as she grew up, that adults knew as much as her about life and didn't have a fucking clue - they were just older and wore a tie.
Rae woke to the sound of Linda gently saying "Rae... Rae, it's seven o'clock", Rae woke slowly before the guilty feeling sunk in, there was a pause before Linda softly spoke, "I'll ring in and tell them y' sick", Before leaving. Rae still didn't move or blink, just stared. It were days such as then that her illness got the better of her, made her bed ridden. It were days where she simply wanted to lay in bed, although it may have seem like a bad idea to sum as you could think everything over and it make you more ill than before - but for Rae, it was her only way to feeling better. Not even Kester could help Rae when she was like this, all she would do on days like this was simply lay still, stare before turning over and drifting off into a sleep. Rae felt lonely but her loneliness was soon numbed by the feeling of emptiness and the more she laid in bed, the more she felt content. Linda left her be, sure, it was horrible to see Rae so defeat... But from her own personal experience, Linda knew that leaving Rae be was the only cure. Sure, Rae may have felt awful now but tomorrow would be better, tomorrow would be a fresh start.
But the good feeling tomorrow was supposed to bring never came.
It was around four in the evening and the sun was long gone, Rae finally got out of bed for some toast and a cup of tea - walking through the house to see it empty of Linda or Karim. As Rae stood in her 'tube of toothpaste' Dressing gown and waited for the kettle to boil, she heard a knock on the back door. She frowned before making her way over and opening the frosted-glass door to reveal Archie, he wore his maroon bomber jacket, a thick scarf, jeans and trainers - all snug and smiles.
Only now had Rae realised it was snowing as it came down light but enough to stick on Archie's shoulders and wisps of hair, resemembling a bad case of dandruff. He greeted her with a smile, "Alright?" She asked, curious, "Wha's up?" He shrugged, "Just thought I'd come see 'ow y' are and was wonderin' if y' fancied comin' the pub for an hour", She sighed, folding her arms, "Who's goin'?" He angled his eyebrows in multiple positions as he thought about it before saying, "Me, obviously, Chop, Izzy, I think Johnny and Al", She then frowned, "Wha' about Chloe and Finn?" The couple's names enough to make her feel a sudden anger. Archie shrugged, "Dunno, Chop didn't mention 'em in lesson today so... Speakin' of which, 'ow come y' weren't in?"
The 'Truth or Lie?' Meter flashed in Rae's mind, the arrow stuck in between; deciding with to sugar-coat a truth, "Didn't feel well, think am gettin' the flu", Archie sucked in a breath, sympathy on his smile, "Ooh, fuckin' 'ell. Well, why don't y' come out and get some fresh air? Am sure y'll feel better", "I dunno, Arch I-" "Oh, c'mooon, Rae! It'll only be for an hour", He pleaded. She huffed, suddenly feeling cornered, "Maybe some other time, I'm just not in the mood", Archie scanned her face, frowning, "Are y' sure y' feelin' alright?" "I'm fine", She snapped, in which he went to argue back but she cut him off, "Look, I've gotta go but I'll ring y' after yeh?" He just about managed to say her name before she slammed the door in his face.
He called out, his voice slightly muffled, "Rae! C'mon, talk t' me!" She exhaled, eyes widening as her thoughts began to race and her heart pounded within her chest; her behaviour not normal. A moment passed before Archie called out, once more, "C'mon, Rae, open the door! Look, I will wait out 'ere all night if I 'ave t'!" She stayed silent and still. She didn't know what made her snap but it consumed her, until it felt suffocating and caused her to react out of panic.
She then snapped out of thoughts when she heard it, his knocks. She turned and saw he was no longer visible, in which she realised he was sitting on the step; outside the door. She then huffed before swinging the back door open, Archie almost fell backwards and onto her feet. She then stepped out, mumbling a 'move over' Before she lowered herself down besides Archie on the step. He sat upright and gave her a look before knocking his knee against her's, "So, y' gonna tell me wha's wrong?" She sighed, chewing the inside of her cheek before blurting, "Am fed up", He frowned, took a moment before asking, "Y' fed up? Of wha'?" A bemused smile bestowed upon his face. She then pouted, "Everythin'", He then mocked, "Everythin'?" She gave him a look before smacking his knee, "Stop repeating me!" They shared a look before they fell to bits laughing.
After calming down, Rae then rested her head on his shoulder. He then asked, "Y' wanna talk about it?" She took a moment before saying, "Y'know wha', Archers? Think I will come for tha' drink".
The snow grew lighter but was still coming down, coating the streets of Stamford in a soft blanket of white. Rae and Archie linked arms as they walked to the pub, all snug. Rae had to admit, the laughter she and Archie shared along with the fresh feeling from the cold winds of the snow; Rae felt a lot lighter and more happy than earlier. Her and Archie shared light chatter as they walked to the pub, as they reached the beer garden; they noticed Finn sat at one of the wooden tables, on one of the benches and looking deep in thought.
"Alright, Finn?" Archie said as he and Rae unhooked their arms from one another as they approached Finn. Finn snapped out of his hard and pensive thought, his dark thoughts growing smaller in his eyes. Finn gave them a big smile, exhaling some of his rollie as he gave a nod and beamed, "Alright, lads!" The three shared a smile, Archie then piped up, "Am going inside as me balls are frozen, y' comin' Rae?" Rae slowly pulled her stare away from Finn's, just to look at Archie for a moment, "Errr, I'll be in, in a sec", Archie then smirked, "Alright, don't do anythin' I wouldn't do",
Well, he couldn't have said anything more spot on; could he...
Rae playfully smacked his arse as he went to walk off, earning a laugh from both Finn and Archie. As soon as Archie was inside, Rae joined Finn at the wooden table. She then asked, playful, "So, wha' y' doin' out 'ere? Last time I checked, y' can't stand the cold", He shrugged, "Yeh but when Chloe begins talking make up bollocks, the snow suddenly seems interestin'", In which the pair shared a small laugh. There was a pause before Finn exhaled his smoke and spoke, "Listen, Chlo's not round tomorrow and I've got this new album I wanna show y'... So", He took a moment to flick his smoke away before continuing, "Come round for about five?" She cocked an eyebrow, "An' if I don't?" He searched her face, trying to work her out. He smile gave her a smirk before quipping, "See y' for five tomorrow", He then rose to his feet, a new found smugness displayed upon his demeanour as he walked off into the pub.
Rae scoffed, rolling her eyes but couldn't stop the smile from springing upon her lips - suddenly feeling like a fourteen year old again.