Page 26 of Keeping Our Secrets

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he replied.

“Please?” I pleaded.

“Why?”

“Cause I don’t want our parents to overhear us talking.”

“Why not? Shouldn’t your mom already know you’re pregnant?”

“Please, just close the door,” I repeated.

He shrugged. “Okay.”

He closed the door like I asked and stepped up to the foot of the bed. The smell of his cologne made my stomach do flips, not in a morning sickness way.

He looked at the bed next to me. “Do you mind if I sit down?”

“Sure,” I replied, placing the tablet on my bedside table. I pulled my knees up to my chest to steady my trembling hands.

“So… you’re going to have a baby?” he asked quietly.

“Yes, but my mom doesn’t know yet,” I whispered. “Please don’t say anything.”

“When are you going to tell them?”

“Actually, I wanted to find you and tell you first.”

“Why?” he asked, with a confused look on his face. “It’s your life. It’s not like it matters what I think.”

“It’s your life too,” I countered.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“The baby is yours.”

“Yeah, right,” he reacted dismissively.

I glanced down at my lap, hoping the silence would make enough of a statement in response. What did he expect me to say? Did he think I was making this up? That would be a pretty shitty thing to do.

He stood up and backed away from me. “You’re shitting me.”

“You’re the only one I’ve ever been with,” I replied, fully expecting him to just waltz out the door. It was only a couple steps away from where he moved to, so what was a couple more steps.

“Please tell me you’re over eighteen, cause from everything our parents have been saying you’re a lot younger than I thought you were.”

“I’m eighteen,” I answered with a cringe.

“Fuck,” he ran his hands through his hair. “I can’t believe you’re only eighteen!” He paced the room. “It’s bad enough I got you pregnant. But now you’re my stepsister and it’s going to look like I took advantage of you.”

“I’ve been eighteen since January.”

“I thought you were in University.”

“I never told you I was.”

“No shit.”

“I never lied to you. I just didn’t tell you the whole truth.”

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