Chapter Two: Birthday Presents

First of all, I want to thank all of you. The amount of readers is increasing far better then I expected, so thanks. c:

Oh, and this chapter is longer than I intended it to be. So.... yeah. >.>

***

"I love the house." I say. "Thank you for waiting until my birthday, it means so much."

"No problem!" The Realtor says on the other line. "Think of it as our birthday gift to you."

This is the house I'm going to buy when I turn 18. I'll be living here in just a week. My birthday is in 2 days though, but I still need to pack. I haven't even told my mother yet.

"I guess I'll stop by some time next week?" I ask.

"We'll let you know when a final date is settled."

We then hang up the phone, I love this house. It's already furnished and its only 14,000. I have money saved up from my childhood and my job at the library. She's asking for a little price, I've offered to pay more but she insists on this price.

***

2 days seems to go by fast, especially when it's your birthday. It's been about 2 weeks since the dance and I couldn't have felt better. I haven't felt a single spark of regret. But today's my birthday. Today I turn 18.

Before I know it, my candles are blown out. The familiar sparkles will soon surround me and I'll be the age I've been waiting for my entire life.

My mother is sitting at the table, she's not cheering or even smiling. She's just watching. I guess it's better than just having her hide alone in her room.

Soon the sparkles are around me. I love the feeling, it makes me feel like a kid again. But I'm not. I'm an adult. A mature, young adult.

"It's okay, right?" I ask my mother. "What do you think?"

She sits in silence for a moment, and looks down. "You've grown into a very.... wonderful woman."

At least she's making progress, that's the best compliment she's given me in 8 years.

She gets up and I walk over to her. This is the time I tell her.

"Hey, um.... I have some news."

"Well what is it?"

"I found a house about 15 minutes from here," I start. "The Realtor said she'd hold it for me until I'm ready. I have the money saved up and I'm planning on moving in later this week."

"What?"

"It's great, isn't it?"

Her reaction isn't what I expected.

"You're LEAVING me!?" She screams. "After all we've been through!?"

"Mom, it's --"

"I'm you're god damn mother!"

"Please.... Please don't get mad." I try to be comforting. "I just think I"m ready to be on my own, I promise I'll visit."

"What have I done?" She's getting louder. "Did I do something wrong? Why did you choose this!?"

"I -- I just --" I can't say anything without saying the wrong thing.

"I've cared for you." She spat. "For the past 18 years. And you're throwing that all away?"

"18 years!?" I'm yelling. "You've done NOTHING for the past 8! His affair couldn't have brought you down this much! You could've been a mother."

"Stop acting like this is my fault." She said, anger in her voice. "You're the reason he cheated."


"We both know that's not true...."

"He said it was YOU!" She was screeching.

"He also said he loved you." I regretted that as soon as I said it.

"You're a disgrace for a daughter."

"At least I care about this family!" I screamed.

I just ran out of the house after that. I couldn't take it anymore. It felt like I'd been running for hours, and it probably was. But I got to where I wanted.

The house.

I pulled out my phone and dialed. "Sunset Realtor, this is Yumi Sekemoto's office. How may I assist you?"

"May I speak with Yumi, please?"

"Yes, just a moment."

"T -- Thank you." I'm shaking, I'm not crying. But I'm shaking.

It takes a moment for her to get on the phone. "This is Yumi."


"Hi, um.... it's Belle. I'm sorry to bother you but I need to speak to you about this house."

"Oh, Belle!" She says, she's all cheery. "Anything you need, dear. Now what is it?"

"I'm having some personal issues with my mother at the moment....." I explain. "It got a little out of control and I was wondering if I could use the house tonight. I'm sorry I just really need a place to stay."

"That'd be okay, darling. Feel free to use it as long as you want."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. You've been a dear to me, I couldn't just turn you down." She says. "Just as long as you sign the papers by Monday. Would that be okay?"

"I can do that, thank you so much."


"Happy birthday." She says, then hangs up the phone.

I admit the house is a bit dull, but I love it anyways. I can't believe how lucky I am to have a Realtor like Yumi, she's too kind. I don't think anybody else would let me stay here before buying it.

I sit on the bed, thinking about what just happened. My mother didn't want me to go. She's been avoiding me for almost a decade, but once I decide to leave she freaks out.

I still don't see why she blamed me for the affair. How could a daughter lead him to cheat? Personally I believe the wife would cause it, but they were so in love. It all makes no sense.

I shake my head and think about the house. The structure, the furniture....

I think about the keyboard in the living room. My mother use to play, so did my grandmother. I remember listening to them play together. I know a couple lullabies my mother taught me, back when she was happy.

I find myself walking towards it, I couldn't let it go to waste. It'd be a waste of money and space, wouldn't it?

The seats cold, but I don't care. I still let my hands dance along the keys and make countless mistakes. The sound filled the room, it felt good. It makes up for my loneliness.

I end up looking out of the window, has that much time passed already? I needed to get out of this house. I need some fresh air.

Central Park was my destination, there were people there. But I didn't mind, well that was until I saw somebody in particular.

Drew.

It wasn't long until he saw me, too.

He walked over and we shook hands.

"Hey." He said casually.

"Hi." I say, but it was more awkward than casual.

"I was gonna call you, but I couldn't find you're number...." He said.

Oh, sure, couldn't find it. More like he didn't want to. "Bummer." I say.

"Yeah." He paused for a second. "How about we go out to the Bistro? My treat."

I suddenly believed him about losing my number. Why would he ask me out to dinner if he didn't like me? I had no choice but to say yes.

***

"So how have you been?" He asks during our meal.

"I've been okay, how about you?"

"Good. I aged up last week, and I'm getting my own place soon."

"Oh, cool." I say. "I actually aged up today. And got a new place, too...."

"Wow, all in one day."

"Yep."

There was this awkward silence, well until he decided to break it. "So can I see it?"

"My place?"

"Yeah."

"....Sure." We both smiled, then got up and left.

***

We made no rush to do what we wanted to do. It was clear to both of us.

"You like the house?" I ask.

"So far, I think I'd be most interested in the bedroom." He says. "Well, if that's okay with you."

(Blargh, aren't I just awesome at set-ups? Note the sarcasm. xD - Your fellow author)

He then pulled me into a kiss. A long, beautiful kiss. I could tell tonight wouldn't be as nerve-wracking as the first but I know it'd still count. I didn't know what to label me and Drew, we weren't in a relationship. But I couldn't say Friends With Benefits because we weren't exactly friends. This was all too confusing, but I liked it.

Drew let me sleep in his arms that night like he did the first time, I felt.... wanted. It was like no feeling I've ever had before.

The first thing I did when I woke up was make salad, I know it's not a breakfast food. But I was having cravings. Drew was still over, I suspected he was in the bathroom.

We ate our food in peace. It wasn't an awkward silence, actually. I felt it kind of comforting.

I was about halfway into my salad when I felt it coming back up. I ran into the bathroom and knelt down in front of the toilet.

This made me feel bad in two ways. The first; this wasn't my toilet yet. And the second; I could've gotten Drew sick, too.

After my vomiting session, I didn't feel as bad. I just felt guilty. I know I wasn't sick before this morning, but he could've still gotten it.

"Hey, I'm sorry." I tell him. "I think it's best you leave.... I don't want to get you sick."

"Are you sure? I don't want to leave you here."

Drew didn't only want me for sex, what he said made me realize that. He actually cared about me.

"I'll be fine, I'm already starting to feel better. I promise that I'll call you later, though."

"Okay, get better soon. Promise?"

"Promise."


***

I looked into the mirror later that day, then I noticed my streaks were fading. I thought about re-dying them, and that's exactly what I did. I'm actually really serious about my hair, believe it or not. I always have to have a color in it.

After that, I just played my piano. My hair with fresh yellow streaks and my stomach feeling way better. I started to think about what happened earlier today, did he really care about me? Or was he just trying to be nice?


I admit both nights with Drew were FANTASTIC.... but what if he doesn't want to come back over when I threw up during his presence?


Then it hit me.

Around 2 weeks ago me and Drew had slept together for the first time. And today, just around the time my body could start showing pregnancy symptoms, I threw up. I never get sick. I'm begging God for this to be a coincidence.


I need one of those things, the tests. The pee-sticks. Fast.

I went to the first place I thought of first; The Grocery Store. I think I've seen those pee-sticks here before. I think. Oh god I hope the have them.


I walked up to the counter to find that they do, indeed, have those tests. I asked for one and the lady stared at me as if I was too young to get pregnant. But she let me buy one anyways.

This was my next destination. I was scared, oh so scared. But I needed to find out. I probably wasn't, but sickness wasn't just something that happened to me out of nowhere. Then again.... sex wasn't either.

This felt like the longest time I've ever been on the toilet. Just sitting there, peeing on a stick and waiting for results. I was shaking so much. I couldn't be pregnant, right? Like what if it's just historical? I've read about those.

The results aren't good.


Not good at all.

I'm having Drew's baby.


***


OHMYGODTHESUSPENSE.


I'm so weird >.>


But I snuck on the computer today. I'm grounded until Monday because of this whole thing I won't speak about. So.... yeah. I wanted to finish this post though.


Sorry for its.... longness. As dirty as that sounds.