Pregnant with the Bad Boy

Chapter 8

Home.

I started it for some time before trying to take the last steps up the green porch. I missed Dylan. I missed his apartment, smell, strong arms, lips, and piercing grey eyes that felt more like home to me than this house ever would.

I slowly took the last steps up the stairs and turned to the doorknob's antique brass, still unsure what to do. Tears rolled down my puffy face from what he had told me.

“Jen?” I have my hand still on the doorknob. I had no idea how long I had been standing there when I turned around to see my younger sister, who jogged over from her bike that she had thrown on the ground when she saw me.

“Jen?!” Where the hell have you been! I barely managed to keep Mom from calling the police…" she didn't have time to say more before I threw myself around her neck, clinging hard. She looked confused at me. We had never hugged since we were kids, but she did not let go of me.

“What the hell happened?!” She must have looked terrified as she stood trying to keep me in front of our front door.

“Has anyone hurt you?!” Her thoughts rushed through the worst scenarios that could have happened, but the only thing I could squeeze out of me for the moment was a name.

“Dylan....” I cried louder, and her whole body tensed; she was furious when she grabbed my shoulders and looked me fiercely into my torn eyes with her ice blue.

“What has Mr Hopper done?!” She was looking for the phone, and I realized what it all looked like. The red flaming scar across my eyebrow and the fact that I had smashed Dylan's truck before he eyes, she was calling for help.

“It's not what you think...” I sobbed softly through the sentence, and she stopped. Dylan's name was on the screen, making me cry more, so she was about to call him like that would help anything!

“Fine, then tell me....” She sighed and led me through the door, and I felt how mature she was, older than me when I stood here and sought comfort from her, my younger sister, who was supposed to have me as her support, not the other way around.

She led me to her room, furthest from the rest of the bedrooms, in case Mom would come home earlier from church.

I told her everything, what had happened after I drove away from the stables, and we kissed the first night when he took me home and everything that happened at the bar; the only thing I left out was s*x when I did not feel brave or ready enough to share my rather wild experiences with anyone, it was still such a mess.

“Oh, my God…” She looked like she didn't believe me, still sniffling into the cute fluffy throw pillows on her bed.

“So, you’re telling me…. Dylan Hopper, let you stay for two days?! I was sure he was going to kill you!" Mandy smirked when I followed her stupid giggle; that would have been way more logical.

“I know, I don't understand it either….” I buried my head in the pillow, and she leaned back, amused by my embarrassment.

“So, you guys must have linked up by now? two nights, sis, with Mr Hopper….” I looked up, horrified at her calm, smirking face. Oh god, why did she bring that up? Wasn't she seventeen!?

“Mandy! Please!” I felt the heat take over my face, and she giggled again, her blue eyes burning with understanding.

“That means yes, where I come from...” She smiled innocently, and I looked at her in shock. How did she know anything about s*x? Didn't she fantasize about boy bands last time I was at home? Things had definitely changed around here when I wasn't around!

“I have a boyfriend, Jen....” she smirked more than brat when I didn't know anything anymore, being away for so long.

“Does Dad know about that?” I hollered at her revelation, and she shook nervously and looked at me like I was crazy.

“So, who is it?” I leaned forward curiously, and she seemed to wait a few seconds before she finally took a deep breath and said his name.

“Toby Aldrin.” Now I really yelled, little Toby Aldrin, who sat quietly in the corner of the church and looked away from one if you talked to him; he was my sister’s boyfriend!?

“Wait, are we talking about the same guy who peed in bed at summer camp?” I should not have laughed so much when she was bright red in the face and hissed half back.

“He's the captain of the school's lacrosse team, and he's not skinny these days....” She smiled wolf-likely when she talked about him, and I took her hand. It was nice to talk about someone else after all the problems that filled my brain.

“I'm so happy for you, Mandy.” I hugged her hand, and she smiled cheerfully now; I liked our new closeness. I had missed her; we used to be closer, and now we were these weird strangers who happened to share our last names and the same parents.

“But what's the problem? He likes you; you like him... I don't really see the problem?” Mandy was the first to say something after a short silence. She was trying to understand why I just couldn't give in. Believe me, I wanted to, but if it was that easy, I wouldn't have cried my eyes out for myself the last two days.

"it's complicated." I knew Mandy wouldn't give up until I answered, and she quickly responded to her follow-up question.

“What is so damn complicated? It's Mr. Hopper we're talking about! Do you know how many girls anything would do to get even a second look from him!?” She did her best to make me happy, but nothing right now could make me happy.

“Everything.” I clapped my hands, and she sighed over my wrong answers.

“That's just bull, and you know it. Come on, Jennifer. I don't know how lucky you got..." Mandy looked at me calmly, too calm for my taste, making me even more nervous about talking about this, with my sister of all people...

Dylan was straightforward, honest, and excellent at making me come and... jealous.... same as me..... I stopped in thought, moaned deeply and defeated, and laid my head on the pillow.

"I really like him..." My cheeks burned from the shame of telling her this was so bad, but I didn't have anyone else, and Dylan was right; I was ashamed of whatever happened between us.

Mandy nodded approvingly; she would have no problem accepting Dylan, maybe not Mom, if I pushed it, especially if he was a believer like her.

“Is it Dad you're worried about? He is never home, and... honestly, I don't think he even cares that much, Jen....” She made a sad smile over her pretty young face, making me look up. I guess she was right about that. He didn't care; he was never around, and still, I didn't want him to know.

“It's not just Dad; I don't know if I can trust him. He is really hot, and he knows it....” I moaned when she nodded in agreement before looking suspiciously at me. What was it now?

" He should be just as scared...” Mandy looked at me seriously, and I tried to see if she was joking, but her blue eyes gave me a stern look back. Was she being serious?

“Yeah, for sure.” I snickered as she glared at me and raised accusing eyebrows.

“Believe me, there is a reason why Mr Hopper let you stay over....” She snorted at me and giggled again, making me annoyed. What did she know about what Dylan felt about my looks anyway? She wasn't used to talking to him about stuff like that!

"Shut up...." I snorted back, trying not to get jealous of Mandy's connection with Dylan, which I didn't get. She was my sister, and she was a kid, getting up from the bed and smiling like she knew just how smart and cunning she was, and she wasn't afraid to use what she got to get what she wanted.

“Mandy? Thanks.” I said the words honestly, and she nodded slightly before elegantly leaving the room, probably to remove the worst shock for Mom coming home. I thanked God for not being found by Mom crying by the door; that would have been a disaster!

I stepped out of Mandy's room and heard my mother's despair mixed with relief as she rushed up the stairs and cried when she saw me. I was almost tackled by the slender woman weeping. I felt the sting of bad conscience as she had probably worried to death, but I didn't regret a single night.

“Why on God's green earth haven't you called me? Do you know how worried I have been, Jennifer!?” One of my mother's tidy manicure nails swept away a few tears from her cheeks, leaving a trail in the neat make-up she wore daily.

“I know. I'm sorry! I know I should have tried to call Mom...” I hugged her hard, and she shook her head at my apologies like she didn't want to hear them; Mom would make sure I knew just how worried she had been.

"Yes, you should have! Now, where the hell have you been!? Two days, Jennifer!?" Mom was barking it, giving me no chance to defend myself against the small woman since I was taller than my Mom and sister. She showed her finger like she was going to ground me for the rest of my life, and I didn't even live here anymore, just over the summer.

“Jennifer was in an accident, but she got help from Mr. Hopper from the stable.” Mandy's treacherous voice stated behind me, and I looked at her with a stare that showed I would kill her when I caught her.

“An accident?!” Mom looked like she was about to have a heart attack, her mouth open and eyes wide from horror, suddenly clasping her hands around my face, staring to cry again, wanting to kill me for acting so recklessly!

“I crashed my car into a three, but it wasn’t serious, Mom... I’m okay, I promise!" I wanted her to stop crying, since if she didn't, I was going to start to, and I didn't want to crack and tell her what happened, about everything, my mind and body still aching so much from these last two days.

“But you could have called!?” She got angry again, giving me another scowl, making me almost stumble over my words, just wanting to explain what happened so she didn't kill me for acting so stupid.

“My phone got shattered in the crash; I forgot, and why does it matter, Mom? I'm fine....” I kept my right hand down in the back pocket of my jeans. I weighed restlessly on my feet under my mother's scrutinizing gaze, knowing that I wasn't telling her everything, giving me a hard stare with her icy blues, but I didn't care; she couldn't make me.

"as long as you are safe…." She hugged me again, and I sighed in relief that her interrogation was over. Now, I would find Mandy and choke her for betraying my trust. I was just about to look for that traitor when my mother's voice made me freeze to ice in the middle of stepping away from her.

“Jennifer, borrow Amanda's phone and ask him to come over.” Mom was already looking out the window and planning the table placements for the evening in her head when I got terrified about who she was talking about. No, she couldn't mean him, and I didn't want to.

“Who?” I tried to play dumb, but Mom only gave me a brief stare before starting a lecture on good behavior and manners. She left without listening to my protests. I lowered my head in defeat, and a phone with a pink unicorn magically appeared in front of my face.

“I'm going to kill you!!!” I growled at my younger sister, who was chuckling at my misfortune, and placed it in my hand, making a fast swipe to my growl when I wanted to kill her; why was she hounding me so hard about Dylan anyway?!

“I don't have his number or.... anything.....” My heart was dying more. We didn't exchange anything; he told me I was his girl, but he didn't even ask for my number or any form of communication. I was just about to give her the phone back. I would fight with Mom about this, but I didn't want to call Dylan only to have him block or make fun of me. Maybe he did this to every girl he f****d, making them believe they were special when they weren't.

“That’s fine because I do!” Mandy's happy face scrolled down to his name, Mr. Hopper. I swallowed painfully, getting more nervous than before. What the hell would I say to him?! I barely felt like I was functioning without him, and still, I was terrified to even hear his voice after what happened. The last thing he told me was to take a stand like I could even do that!

“Good luck...” Mandy was still snickering, but I could see the seriousness in her eyes. Did she really want me to call Dylan that much? I glared at her back as she turned towards the stairs. I went into my room, closed the door, and locked it; the last thing I needed now was another person to come crashing down on me during my already stressed state.

I again examined his name and sighed resignedly before swiping it. Hearing the signals started dial-up, I hoped he wouldn't answer, that he was busy right now, and that… my prayers were not answered when I heard his calm, cool voice on the other side, which made every part of me feel like I was dying.

“Dylan...” I said his name longingly as a plea more than a greeting; I couldn't help it when the stunned silence on the other side revealed that he knew I was the one who called him.

“Jennifer.” He still sounded cold, distancing from hearing my voice, making me even more jealous; why did Mandy even have his number anyway!? I heard him kick something in the background, giving me hope that he would return to me.

“Eh yeah… do you want to come over and have dinner with my family and me tonight?” I could kick myself when I sounded so damn stupid! Dylan remained silent for a few seconds before his answer made me feel even more ridiculous; of course, he didn't want that, we f****d, and that was it, and here I was inviting him over for dinner!?

“Is it yours or your mother's invitation?” He was too clever for his own damn good. I didn't understand how he managed to crawl under my skin every time we fought after such a short time.

“My mom. she wants to say thanks for saving me....” I sighed in frustration at my honesty; he was silent on the other side and said in his coldest voice.

“No thanks.” He hung up. I glared down at the phone. What the f**k did he want from me? We did not even know what the hell we were. Did we have s*x, or were we together!? My stomach knotted three laps, and I hugged the poor unicorn around the phone.

“Your arrogant bastard!” I angrily threw the phone on the bed and sat on the swivel chair before my computer. I did not want to beg him either, but my mother would be suspicious if he did not. Plus, she had already expected him to show up now because why wouldn't he? Officially, he just helped me from the crash, not f****d me so hard that my brain was exploding!

Why was it so damn hard?! I glanced at the phone and felt the familiar irritation bubble in me; I welcomed it when I was rather angry than sitting in the bottomless pit he had left me in.

I swiped his name once more, ready to scream my face blue, only to burst my rage like a balloon as he rejected my call. I sat staring at the floral wallpaper in my room, and I knew it.

I had finally managed to drive him away. The whine from my chest didn't sound like my own, so I leaned forward toward my knees and let the sound increase in force. I kept my hands desperate over my face; I hated myself. I had no right to demand anything from him, as I could not give anything back. I knew this all too well.

I heard my mother's anxious voice on the other side. I blinked quickly and cursed myself for not crying into the pillow where no one could listen to me; now, she would be worried.

“Don’t worry, Mom, I'll be out in a minute!” My voice was broken by crying, and I quickly wiped my eyes on the blouse I had borrowed from Dylan. I looked at it and forced away the tears, trying to come up again because his face was burned in my mind.

“Is everything okay, sweetheart?” I stood up and forced myself to smile before answering her.

“Yes, I just stumbled my toe into the bed frame.” I rolled my eyes at my lie. There was no chance she would believe it where she stood, her head pressed against the door with anxious, big blue Bambi eyes.

“Oh… okay ... I'm down here if there's anything…” Mom stopped for a few more seconds, waiting for me to say something. Still, I couldn't say another word when her steps finally disappeared, and I stood alone in the mess I had created.

I threw myself on the bed and the light pink bedspread I hadn't chosen rippled underneath me for a few seconds. I laid my head flat, pulled my knees up to my chin, and closed my eyes.