Page 40 of Meant to Be

“How can you be so cold? Is this the reason Dad left, because you were so horrible?”

“Don’t speak to me like that young lady. I’m not the one that went out and got herself pregnant at sixteen. I should have kept you on a shorter rein.”

“A shorter one? Could you get it any shorter? I’m not even allowed out. How short do you want it?” I stand from the floor, “I’m not having the abortion.”

“There is no discussion about this Shelby, you are, and that’s final.”

We’ll see about that.

Jaxon

“ARRGH,”

I get outside Shelby’s house, and all I want to do is kick something. I should have known her bitch mother would do something like this. How dare she say I’m not good enough for Shelby. I know I think it myself, but it isn’t for anyone else to say that. I drop to the kerb outside her house, I can’t seem to make myself leave. I can hear Shelby shouting inside... I want to go back in there and swoop her up, taking her away from there. I know I can’t, it doesn’t stop me wanting to do though.

Why did I walk away? I left her.

Banging on the door again, it opens to her mother with a smug look on her face.

“I want to speak to Shelby.”

“No. This abortion will happen Jaxon.”

“You’d make your own daughter abort your grandchild? How sick are you?”

“She’s not mature enough for a baby, and she can do a hell of a lot better when the time is right.”

Shaking my head in disgust, I walk away defeated. I’ll call her later instead.

I’m moody and angry and haven’t a clue what to do with myself. There’s a knock at the door, I jump up hoping it’s Shelby. Looking through the small window in the door, I know it’s not. I yank it open with a sigh.

“What do you want?”

“What the hell's going on? I’ve had Addison yelling down the phone, it took me ages to calm her down.”

Picking up my box of cigarettes I light one up. Following me out to the front, Harry stands at the living room door with his hands on his hips waiting for an explanation. There’s a half-empty bottle of vodka sitting on the unit daring me to drink it. Grabbing it, I screw off the lid and lift the neck of the bottle to my lips and take a swig. The alcohol burns my throat as it goes down causing me to cringe. I still haven’t said anything to Harry.

“Are you going to tell me or just get pissed?” Harry asks.

“Getting pissed sounds good to me.” I lounge back and let the vodka drown my senses until I’m feeling numb. I always said I’d never be a heavy drinker but this kind of feels good, I can sort of see why Mum's always drunk.

“My girlfriend is pregnant and that bitch she calls a mother is making her have an abortion. I have no say in it. She told me to my face I’m not good enough for her, and you know what…? I’m not, she’s right.” I shrug and take another long gulp letting the alcohol numb all my senses.

“So you’re not going to fight for Shelby? She’s broken down on the phone to Addison, she needs you, Jax.”

“Let’s be honest, no-one needs me, H.” I take another long draw from the bottle, “I’m a waste of space. What can I offer Shelby? I was just fooling myself and everyone else.”

The seat dips at the side of me.

“I’m not going to let you do this to yourself Jaxon. You’re better than this. You’re better than your parents, and you're so much better than what my mum has always said you are.”

Taking a drag, I inhale the smoke for a long time, letting it fill my lungs, and blow it out again…

“If you want to comfort someone H, then go and comfort Shelby. I’ve found my comfort.”

He gets up abruptly, “I’m not dropping this Jax, but I also know how goddamn stubborn you are. Sort your shit out.”

I lift a hand above my head waving him off, but by the sound of the door slamming, he’s already left.

---