ChapterThree
Harley
It’s been a while since Justice and I have seen each other and I’m excited she’s invited me over for dinner.It’s hard for us to get time together by ourselves with everything we’ve got going on, but tonight I need my sister.
I need her opinion and for her to tell me everything is going to be okay.It’s usually the other way around since she got kidnapped, but this time I’m the one asking for advice.Just being around her makes me feel better than when I walked in.She looks at me with suspicion in her eyes, though.I haven’t been my normal self and she can see it, but she hasn’t asked yet.I’m biding my time because I know it’s coming.
As we sit down to the nachos she’s made for us, I brace.She’s got this look she has when she’s about to call me on my bullshit.
“What’s going on with you?”She asks, shoving a chip full of refried beans into her face.
I shoot her an annoyed look.“Maybe wait until you stop chewing to talk to me.”
“We’re twins.”She laughs.“It doesn’t matter how we eat in front of each other.We know each other’s deep, dark secrets.”
My eyes flitter down to the food on my plate, thinking of the secret I’m hiding from her right now.I’m used to the two of us hiding things from others, but not from each other.It feels wrong and dubious.
Like she always does, she ignores me, carrying on.“Or do we?With the way you averted your gaze right there.That’s one of your tells.”
“Is it?”I’m torn, knowing I want to tell her, but questioning whether I should talk to her before asking Bishop about spreading our news.The only people who know what’s going on are me and Bishop.Do I tell her before I tell my parents what I think is going on?But she’s my best friend and I’ve always confided in her.Why stop now?
She takes another bite, chewing carefully and waiting me out.She’s more patient than I am.I’ll never be able to wait someone out.But she’s a lot like Caelin, which is why they get along so well.They can both sit for hours, shoulders straight and looking their prey in the eye.They’re great at staring others down while they wait.
Me?I can’t stand the silence.It makes me nervous and gets my anxiety going.She knows this because she knows everything about me.Quickly, I put a chip in my mouth.“Stop.”
“Weren’t you just on me about talking with my mouth full?”Her tone is that of a smart ass.
Carefully, I swallow and, before I think about what I’m even going to say, I blurt it out.Which says more about how much I need to talk to her more than anything else does.“I took a pregnancy test and it was positive.”
Her eyes are wide, mouth hanging open with shock.“You did what?”
This time, I’m the patient one.Slowly and carefully, I say it again.“I took a pregnancy test and it was positive.”
“Harley, what are you going to do?”
Shrugging, I try to play it off as easily as I can.“I went to the doctor to confirm.I’m waiting on the test results then I’ll see what’s going to happen.”
“What do you mean you’ll see what’s going to happen?Like, what are your plans?”
“I don’t have any right now.I never thought this would happen.”
Justice glares.“You do know how to keep it from happening, don’t you?Were you and Bishop not taking precautions?”
Now, I’m uncomfortable.Not wanting to answer questions that are judgmental.Not that she’s trying to be judgy, but there will be others who are.I’m not used to people asking me to explain myself and, no doubt, there’s going to be a lot of questions.“We’ve been together so long.Sometimes things just happen.”I use it as an excuse.
She eyes me critically.“Even on birth control?”
There’s a sinking in my stomach because I know I have to take responsibility for the mistakes I’ve made and what I’ve done.“I am on birth control,” I acknowledge.“But I’m bad about taking it and we haven’t used condoms in a long time.I mean, we’ve been together for over a year.I know where he is every night.I know he’s not cheating on me with some other chick and we got lax.One thing led to another.I guess I missed my birth control a couple of days in a row.We had sex and I didn’t tell him he needed to take precautions and this is where I am.”
“Harley, are you gonna be okay?”
I shrug.Right now I’m scared, not sure what’s going to happen.A lot of it will depend on who supports us and what we’re able to do on our own.“Everyone else in our family besides grandma has been able to avoid being a teen parent.Here I come along being the ultimate failure.”
“You’re not a failure.”Justice grabs hold of my hand, her eyes soft.“It was a mistake.”
Reaching down, I cup my lower stomach.“But was it?Who wants to say their potential child was a mistake?I’m all kinds of conflicted about this.What if I really am pregnant?How am I supposed to tell mom and dad?Dad took Bishop out of a situation that was dangerous.Now we’re gonna be teen parents.Like, what if he decides that Bishop is no longer allowed to be a piece of our family?”
Justice levels me with a gaze.“Regardless of what dad thinks, we’re adults.If you are pregnant, Bishop is a member of our family anyway for the rest of our lives.So who gives a fuck what our parents think?”
Grinning at her, I giggle.“My how the tables have turned.”
She laughs along with me.“Being with Caelin has given me confidence I never had before.And I mean, if you’re happy…who cares?”
Smiling down at my plate, I play those words in my head.
If I’m happy, fuck everybody else.