It’s a week before Christmas, and I plan on telling my mom after we get a car. Deep down, I want to wait until after the holidays to tell my mom so I don’t ruin Christmas. But I don’t feel right about accepting gifts and spending the holidays withmy family andthentelling them. Plus, I can’t keep hiding this from my mom. I’m still sick all the time, and my mom still accuses me of sneaking out. One night I heard her footsteps coming from the hallway, stopping at my bedroom. I need to rip the Band-Aid off and get it over with.
I’ve accepted the fact that we will have to move in with Kevin until Kai turns eighteen so he can get a place of his own. We’re only three months away from that, but it feels like it’ll take forever.
I’m going to suck it up for the sake of…
The sake of…what?
I’m not in the position to act like a spoiled brat right now.
At least I’ll have a roof over my head.
We’re planning on moving out when Kai turns eighteen. Paige, too. This wasn’t the plan I had in mind. It will do, though, because I have no choice.
Three hours later, we’re driving off the lot in a used red Dodge Neon. I’m a little relieved now, since we aren’t so restricted with our transportation. But I’ve still been feeling uneasy all day, and it’s making my stomach turn. We’re going to drop Kevin’s car off at the apartment and tell him about our situation. Kai wanted to show some responsibility to his brother before asking him if his pregnant girlfriend could move in.
Seeing these empty apartments in the daytime is weird. I’ve only been here at night when the parties happen.
Kai holds my hand as we walk up the stairs. Before we can make it inside, Kevin opens the door. “Who’s car?”
“Mine.” Kai clears his throat. “I mean ours.”
Kevin chuckles. “Ours,” he repeats sarcastically. Then his brows crease into a serious look as he glances between the two of us and realizes something is going on.
We walk past him and into the living room. My nose crinkles at the smell of musk. It’s obvious only men live here. I don’tget why men always have this distinct smell. I’d never noticed it before, but I think it’s because all of the other body odor diminished this smell.
The apartment is a three-bedroom and has one bathroom. Each person has their own room. Come to think of it, I don’t even know who the third person is. I’m sure Kai wouldn’t be moving me in here if he had worries about him.
“We need to talk to you,” Kai says as we sit together on the couch.
“Oh, God. I’m going to need a beer for this.” Kevin walks over to the kitchen and grabs a Bud Light out of the fridge. A popping sound is followed by fizz, and it echoes through the apartment. “Let me guess,” he says, pointing at me. “She’s pregnant.”
I narrow my eyes. How did he know?
“How’d you know?” Kai asks.
“Why else would you be bringing her here with something to tell me? It’s obvious.” He takes a seat on a chair that sits in the corner. He lets out a groan as if I just told himhe’sthe father. “So, what are your plans, bro?” He chugs some of his beer.
“We’re planning on telling Blakely’s mom tonight. Her mom will most likely kick her out, so she is going to need to stay with us until we can find a place of our own.”
His face drops. “You’re keeping it?”
My brows furrow on instinct. “Of course we are.” I look at him, baffled.
“Dude, how are you going to raise a baby? You're seventeen.”
Kai doesn’t seem fazed by his reaction. He must be used to him. “I’ll be eighteen in a few months. Once I turn eighteen, we can get our own place.”
“And how old are you?” Kevin points to me.
“Sixteen.”
His frown deepens. “Sixteen. What the fuck! Did you not learn anything from me? I taught you how to use a condom. What the hell, Kai? Where was the condom? And don’t say it broke because that’s such a cliché,” he says in a stern tone.
Heavy silence surrounds the room.
“You didn’t use one?” Both of us remain silent, and Kevin laughs. “Her dad is going to kill you.”
I square my shoulders. “Why are you such an asshole?”
