Pregnant with the Bad Boy - Second Book

Chapter 18

“You have got to be kidding me??” I was standing outside the big department store with Travis, who had taken me there just like he said, ready to help me get what I needed, seeing that he didn’t want to go inside. I finally started to get why seeing the white car coming down the lane of cars and showing my Mom smiling happily over at me being pissed and Travis smiling right back!

“What? you said you didn’t know what to get, and I thought you might need your Mom….” I still wasn’t believing him when Mom was parking, and by her looks, she was freaking glowing, walking in her high heels and sundress that she didn’t wear unless for church. Something was up, and I didn’t know what, but I sure didn’t ask her to come along, and why did he even have her number??

“Mom!?” I still wasn’t sure why she was there? I was trying to make it on my own, and she was just right back and making sure that I wasn’t going anywhere. Didn’t she understand that I wanted some space after what happened??

She smiled back at me like my face or body was showing her any signs of being happy she was here, giving me a small hug that I didn’t reply, and was she wearing perfume? I just stared at her when she smiled more, looking nervous like she wasn’t here to nag my ears for not getting the right color she wanted for me on the baby bibs or whatever I was looking for.

“Jennifer, Travis told me that you needed help, and I was so glad you wanted me to come along; you don’t have the best taste, sweetheart….” She smiled at me like that was true, just because I didn’t like pink or freaking satin and all that she did that made me have bad taste? Was she trying to get me to scream at her in the crowded parking lot??

“Yes, thought it might be good for you…” I was still gawking, seeing Travis smirk more when I didn’t understand why he would even have any contact with Mom; just because he helped me out didn’t mean that he was supposed to guard, and that was what this started to feel like!

“No, I don’t want your help, Mom; just leave!” I was pointing back to her car when she frowned suddenly like no way would happen, not when she already was here and looked like she wanted to get inside and start wasting money on things I didn’t want to buy!

“Fine… you walk inside alone and come back when you are done….” She looked back at Travis when I shrugged; fine by me! I didn’t even answer, taking a cart and walking inside, every step feeling weird, like the lights inside this place were strange. I was blinking, stopping, and feeling the air getting heavier.

“Oh god….” I was whining, standing still for too long, and feeling heavier; why was this so hard? It was just a store, and I wasn’t supposed to be afraid. Not of this.

I didn’t want to turn around either, not just to see Mom's face when she told me that she told me so, gloating like she knew she had been right all along…. No way! I looked up again, just the slightest, expecting everyone to stare at me, the lonely, panicked, desperate pregnant girl.

Instead, most of them didn’t care, and I started to inhale small air, trying to not panic more; I had to do this for Lilly and me.

The thought made me want to do this, getting through just one store and not feeling like the roof would fall over my head, seeing the people surrounding me, not caring that I was the hopeless soon-to-be ex of Dylan Hopper. That felt good…. I walked some more… picking up stuff that I wouldn’t buy, but that didn’t matter, not when I was just enjoying the moment of being someone that was just blending into the people, normal. I had no idea how it happened?

My phone buzzed when I was on the last stretch; I had been here for about thirty minutes. I sighed, thinking that it was the Mom that was going to send off a warrant if I didn’t show up soon; seeing Marnie's names pop up, to my surprise, told me that she was back; she didn’t even tell me where she had been, but she wanted to meet up as soon as possible.

“I can’t.” I wrote it back fast when she was arguing, wanting me to meet her in little rock. Was she insane? That was a long car ride than I needed right now, and how would I get there on foot??

“Oh, come on, don’t be boring, live a little while you got the chance; you won’t get out when that baby is born…” I stared at her answer for a minute or two; she was right. I was lifting my head up and decided that after I was done with this, I was going to f*****g push it. Getting out there and seeing Marnie would be perfect for me to try more and not be so shut in.

“Okay, fine…. but just don’t pick an expensive place, or maybe we can just have dinner?” I was writing fast, still standing in the line, and she wasn’t too happy hearing me just wanting to have a quiet dinner, not when she could do whatever she wanted, not like me. Trapped.

“Great, but please wear something better than jeans…” She was probably giggling on the other side of our conversation, sending me more emojis than I thought was possible to my smirk, thinking that I just should show up in my old clothes and see what she would say…. Probably drag me to a store…. I signed and took the three items I had picked in my entire cart and put them up, not looking the cashier in the eyes. I paid, fumbling more than I needed when I wasn’t even used to that anymore, making me more embarrassed than I already was.

Where the hell was Mom and Travis anyway?! Looking around, I wasn’t too happy seeing them standing in the shade, having an iced coffee, and having a blast without me!

“Oh Jennifer, hi!” Mom was the first to speak when both had been too busy talking to even think that I was alone inside a store and maybe had a meltdown?? Did she even think about that having her stupid smile and burning cheeks? What the f**k was happening here anyway??

“I was just going to call you, baby; you have been gone for some time….” Mom looked down at my hands, seeing my five items, hand soap, a towel for the kitchen, and a plant that I liked since it was all green and had no stupid roses.

“That’s all? Oh, sweetheart…” She was giving me another look that I didn’t get this, and maybe she was right about that, but I was trying! That was more than before!

“It’s a start, and that’s all we need….” Travis smiled at me when I scowled back; why was he so damn happy anyway? He didn’t seem like the type of guy giving away anything. Still, he was here helping me, dragging my mother along, that was still looking like she was one second from getting into the store and buying me something pink that I didn’t want!

“Yes, your right….” Mom wasn’t even trying to argue when Travis took the things from my hands and started walking back to the truck. Mom wasn’t looking at me; she was looking at him.

Omg! Did she like him!? I was staring at her eyes that were still on the guy closer to my age than her; I know she wasn’t that old, but still, eewww!

“Mom, please don’t tell me you like Travis!?” I was hissing it when she snapped her eyes back to me like she had been caught, and I gawked more, she had just decided to divorce Dad, and she was drooling over someone that almost looked the same, just more… normal?!

“What?? No! No, I don’t…. look at you, talking about things you don’t need to worry about….” Mom smiled when she took hold of my shoulders, starting to lead me inside the store again, giving me a look that I didn’t believe her for a second. That’s why she looked so damn good; she wanted Travis to think she was pretty, was that it??

“Mom, I’m serious. Don’t screw Travis, please?!” I was still hissing when her cheeks burned even more like she was angry, but she wasn’t, nowhere near when I was still trying to understand how this had happened. Did she even love Dad anymore??

“I’m not screwing anyone, Jennifer, and If I was, that would be none of your business…” she walked ahead, taking a cart already looking at stuff I would say no to.

“Good! Because I don’t need more drama of you f*****g him when you just split from Dad and Mandy being loose on the streets….” I faded out, seeing her face that had lost all her joy when I brought up everything that made her life a misery, just missing out that I was pregnant with a criminal.

“I know… I know all that…” She was sniffling when I lost my anger, feeling bad…. What the hell was I supposed to do now? Mom was clearly interested in Travis, and I wasn’t sure if I liked that. I didn’t.

“I’m not saying you can’t date someone…. just…not him … please?” I tried to sound sweeter; it wasn’t that I didn’t want her to be miserable forever, I just wanted my own life, and her dating Travis would mean that she would be mixed inside my life more than I wanted her to be.

“Okay, I promise… I won’t date him… just…. he so nice…” she was sighing when I nodded back to that, he was. I was still staring into her eyes, having tears, feeling Lilly kick, hating just how sad she was and not even hiding it. f**k.

“I just need my own life; I need that...” I was sighing more, leaning down on the cart that still was empty, when she nodded like she understood, and that didn’t make me feel any better since I didn’t hate her, I didn’t. I loved her even though she was crazy and had a drinking problem that was mainly related to my dad, but she had my back, even if she was a b***h.

“I’m not saying you can’t talk to him, but….” I stopped seeing Travis coming in behind us when Mom was drying her eyes fast like he didn’t catch that, he did, and my heart did a tight squeeze of fear seeing the slight frown on his face like he wanted to know what was wrong with my Mom because that’s what someone did that cared for you.

I didn’t say a word. Not one word seeing Travis walk up and smile at my mother, brushing her arm the slightest, seeing her get a smile that was embarrassed and shy at the same time.

Oh god.

They did like each other, didn’t they? I wasn’t sure how I was even going to handle this, the cruel jealousy that was taking a firmer grip around my shoulders, not because I wanted Travis. No, it was the way I knew how that feeling was. I would sell my soul for that.

“So, how are we doing?” Travis was still smiling, looking at me and sneaking back to Mom’s face like he didn’t want to show anything. I still wasn’t speaking, Mom seemed happier, instantly making me feel worse, the bad guy. Villain.

“Great, we just getting started…” My face was still bland seeing Mom trying to cover up that she liked him, almost like it was forbidden now when I told her to back off; why couldn’t she have wanted anyone else and not the guy that was my new landlord??

“Yeah, I can see you got a great start...” my small cough made them both look at me like they had forgotten I was still here. How stupid was I anyway? That’s why he had invited her to come along, he didn’t help me to be friendly, he just wanted to see her.

“I’m going home.” I had already left the cart, walking back to Travis's surprised face and Mom's embarrassed one looking guilty, but I didn’t care; what did it matter? I should have known he was just here for someone else, and he wasn’t even that nice to me when I was pregnant, not like he was to her!

“Jennifer, wait!” Mom was coming after me when I walked faster, and it didn’t make a difference; she still was faster in her heels. I was super pregnant and still exhausted from walking shorter distances faster than usual.

“No! Go back! Just go back and leave me alone!” I didn’t want to hear it, not a damn word about what she would tell me! I had forgiven her for what she did, and she just wanted her own happiness, so much for being family; what a f*****g joke!

“I don’t want you to leave, not you too!” she was crying again, not caring that people saw her when I felt the first tears roll down as well; what the hell was that supposed to mean?? I never f*****g left since I came back and saw Dylan, and I wished with all my heart that I could just turn back time, just one taste of what she had right now with Travis; it was killing me more than anything!

“I can’t stay! I just can’t stick around and see you being happy; I don’t care that it's selfish and bad; I want to be happy too! Don’t you get that, Mom??” I didn’t even know what I was saying, still crying my eyes out, wanting her to understand that she was on me about everything, who I loved and who they were. Still, she could just go and be happy with Travis, just like that?? How was that even fair??

“Happy?? Jennifer, what are you talking about?! I’m not happy!” she wasn’t letting me go when I had stopped midway through the parking lot, aiming for the bus that would pick me up since I was not riding back with any of them!

“Yes, you are! Right now, flirting with Travis, you are f*****g happy, and don’t tell me you aren’t why the f**k would you come down here in that dress, smelling great and laughing like you just didn’t have a miscarriage with Dad!?” I screamed it, and I didn’t care seeing her face lose all her color, being ashamed and wanting to hide from the world; well, now she knew just how I felt all the time!

“I hate you! I hate you for throwing me out in the heat; I don’t care if you got f*****g drunk or not; you wanted to kill me, didn’t you?!” I was still screaming it, seeing Travis coming up behind Mom; that wasn’t saying anything back, just adding fuel to my anger since she looked like I was telling her the truth; that was just great; my mother wanted me dead, and my child!

“.. and you! I’m going to leave your place right f*****g now!” I screamed it at Travis, but he didn’t say anything, just like he didn’t when I almost burned the house down, was he insane or what?? a f*****g robot that just wanted to f**k my Mom, was that it!?

“Okay, let's just go back and rip up the contract; you’re still paying three months’ rent….” I stopped screaming, hearing his voice, no emotions when I snorted mockingly; yes, he wanted money. What a catch he was, blackmailing me and almost having a baby!

“Great!” I was gritting my teeth harder, seeing Travis standing by Mom, who hadn’t said a word, staring at the ground like she didn’t want to exist anymore. I didn’t have that luxury.

“Great.” I flinched when Travis mocked me back. He didn’t hide it, taking his hand on Mom’s shoulders and leading her back to her car. He left me standing like the i***t I was screaming in the hot parking lot, drawing all the wrong attention to myself. f**k!