The Baby Project *unfinished and discontinued*

Chapter Five

"What do you mean Tyson cheated on you?" I almost spat into the phone. I heard a sob from the other line and almost felt sorry.

"I've been going out with Tyson, for weeks now May may. I don't know why he- he" and then I heard the sobs begin to start again.

"Calm down Sarah, it's not the end of the world." I said calmly, pulling my knees to my chest. I heard her sobs stop before she answered me.

"Maya, when I was late for form and period one it wasn't because I was with the principle, I was skipping form with Tyson and we tried to skip period one but we were caught, and I managed to pursuade the teacher not to call my parents." Sarah whispered into the phone. I scowled, I thought my bestfriend was better than this. But I didn't judge her, I was here for her.

"Listen Sarah, can we talk about this tomorrow? I have to sleep and so do you."

"Maya, oh maya I'm with Tyson for the project. No, I can't please-" I cut her off before she could continue, "We'll talk tomorrow. Night." And I hung up the phone.

-

The next morning I left very quickly, even though I was not looking forward to the project. I just wanted to see Sarah and have everything explained to me. I said my goodbyes to Mum, insisting that I walked to school even though I had to pull a giant suitcase behind me. The walk was peaceful, like always really. The houses were quite, the birds flew from tree to tree, like a storybook morning. When I got to school though, it was a little bit of caos. Teachers were surrounding a large bus, rushing around with bags and files. The students in my class who had already gotten to school sat on the curb casually chatting with eachother. Sighing, I walked up to the bus  and straight away a teacher rushed up to me. 

"Your suitcase will come with me, I'm taking the bags." said a male, a teacher who I've never seen before. I nodded, walking over to the curb and sitting down slowly. Then I waited for Sarah. Eventually I saw her in the distance, walking just like me, pulling a suitcase behind her. As she reached the bus, the same teacher took her bag away and then she rushed on over to me. I stood up briskly as she flew into my, and I wrapped my arms around her. I could tell she was over crying, but she still needed comfort.

"Maya you have to swap partners with me." she whispered and I felt my stomach flip. That means I'd have to go with Tyson, and Sarah would go with Rowley. As much as I hated Tyson, the answer came naturally. She was my bestfriend after all.

"Yeah, ofcourse. Let's go talk to Mrs. Holler now." I said easily, letting Sarah go and looking around. I spot Mrs. Holler straight away, and both of us make our way over. It took some time trying to convince her that it was the best thing to do, but eventually she let us trade partners and then everyone was ushered onto the bus. We had to sit next to our partners, so Sarah sat down next to Rowley a little up the back. Since Tyson was nowhere to be found I chose a seat in the middle, fiddling with my hands. And then I see Tyson out the window, arriving late ofcourse.

I wait anxiously, knowing that Tyson will have to sit next to me. I feel myself shaking, but I mentally scold myself and stop. I steady my breathing, and take the phone out of my pocket once again. Maybe if he thought I was busy, he’d just leave me alone. But I look up as I feel footsteps coming down the aisle.It was Tyson. But he didn’t stop at me, he continued all the way up to the teary eyed Sarah. He was about to sit down when Mrs. Holler’s voice rang through the bus.
“Tyson! Next to Maya please, there has been a partner swap.” 
Oh no, why didn’t she just let him sit there. But wait, that would have been torture for Sarah. I slap my forehead, the things we do for friends. I don’t hear him coming.
“Are you actually being serious?” I hear his voice ask, clearly a hint of anger.
I hear his friends laugh from somewhere at the back of the bus.
“Go on Tyson! Sit near her!” one of them shouts and I sink into my seat. Mrs. Holler looks at Tyson sternly.
“Yes, Mr I’m-Too-Good-For-Her, sit there now.” her voice was sharp and Tyson would have been an idiot if he objected. I felt the bus move and suddenly the chair sank down and a strong smell of cologne filled my nostrils. It actually didn’t smell that bad either. My eyes darted back down to my phone as I stared at the screen, pretending to press things with my thumbs.
“Interesting text you are writing there.” Tyson states and I look up quickly. But his face was closer then I thought and I was left staring into chocolate brown eyes. I quickly look back down, not answering.
“Ah, Sweetheart, the silent treatment aint going to work. I’m too good for that.” He probably winked at me, but I didn’t even look up. ‘Keep your head down Maya’ my brain was telling me.
“So, why did you and blondie swap partners anyway? Oh, I know, you wanted to be with the hottest bad-a** around right? I understand.”I hear him chuckle lightly and this time I look up.
“Her name is Sarah, and you should know that since you broke her heart. And no, way. I’m doing this because Sarah is my best friend.” I felt confidence in my voice untill I saw him smiling at me.
“And so she speaks.” he said with a wave of his hand. I scowl, he was so immature. I put my phone back into my pocket as the last few people boarded the bus. The bus grumbled to life. The rumble rocked me a little but I wasn’t phased, instead I turned my gaze to look at the window as we began to drive off.
“I bet you can’t wait to live with me, can you? It’s probably what you dream about, being in the same house as me.” Tyson says suddenly.
I turn to look at him, my eyes narrowed.
“You never come into my dreams, unless, I don’t know, I’m killing you? Yeah maybe then.” I turn my head once again and close my eyes. Please lord, let this month go fast.
Tyson stays quiet for a minute, which confuses me to the point where I turn around. He’s staring at his lap, and there’s a look on his face, sadness? Did I actually hurt his feelings? He doesn’t look up, but continues to stare.
“Ah Tyson I don’t really -” but I’m stopped by his laughter, his dark brown hair being rocked back and forth.
“You actually thought I was sulking over you?” he mocked, turning his head to look at me.
“You’re just too easy, Sweetheart, too easy.” he pulled his phone out of his pocket and began to do something so I turned around.
It’s like he’s a robot, a thing with no feelings. I don’t even know why he was brought into the world.
I decide to take in my surrounding. We are leaving my tiny little town of Oakwood and entering the outskirts. I have never been here before, mainly because this is where all the new adults who just got jobs and just moved out came to live. I guess that’s where they got the houses.
We drive over a hill and then I see them, ten houses sitting neatly in a field. Each have a small fence around them, with a small backyard and frontyard. Barely a metre wide I’m guessing. The houses look like they have around 5 rooms and they are pretty close together, not even another house length apart. I look over to Tyson and even he has lost interest in his phone as he looks at the houses. The bus pulls up infront of them and Mrs. Holler stands up.
“Alright Everyone. here we are, stand up, follow me. Let’s go meet your babies.”
Tyson’s POV (Just to add some spice)
Let’s go meet your babies? Can she say anything more lame? I sigh to myself as people stand up around me. Well, I’m in no hurry to get off. Might as well sit here and wait… I glance over at Maya and notice she’s not paying attention to me. I chuckle, this is going to be a fun month. The end of the line nears and so I stand up, slipping into a spot behind that Rowley dude. Maya stands up also and takes up a spot at the rear of the line. As I un-board the bus I take a deep breath of fresh air in. Finally out of that h*** bus.
I look around untill I find my buds and when I do, I make my way over, standing with them and listening to their stupid jokes and dumb punch lines. I roll my eyes before I tell them all to shut up and smile happily when they listen to my command.
Mrs. Holler gathers us all up as she takes the roll, I have no idea why. She took it when we got on the bus. What would one of us be able to do? Jump out one of the windows that didn’t open? Teachers these days.
After she’s done she gives us an order.
“Alright, stand next to your partner please.” I grown, please no. Not her again. I look around, trying to find her figure amongst the crowd. I spot her, she’s standing next to her friend. Blondie, no ah, what was her name? I just dated her. I seriously couldn’t remember. I shrug and make my way over, reluctantly standing next to her. 
“Alright. In a moment, Ten amazing women are going to exit the house on my right holding a cute little baby. I’ll say the baby’s name and then I’ll call the couple who will have the owner of parenting the little one for a month.”
I absentmindely kick the dust, watching it be carried away by the wind. My eyes linger on the clouds for a moment untill I hear the ‘awwws’ coming from the girls. I look down as ten women exit the house, each carrying a baby.
Maya’s POV
I try to ignore the fact that Tyson isn’t even listening as they women come out. The first one’s holding a cute little baby who has black hair. I can’t help but smile, they really are cute. As the women line up, I can’t help but wonder. Which one will Tyson and I have to parent? They all look to cute yet so different.
“Okay, the first baby. Little Jack Frederick Ross. The couple parenting him for a week will be Missy and Ferald. Please come and take your baby, you are in House 4 your bags will be delivered.” I watch the two come forward. Missy takes the black-headed boy and holds him securely in her arms. The mother says something to her quickly before the couple head over to House 4, then they are out of sight.
She keeps going through the names, each couple coming forward and taking away a baby. Eventually it was, once again, Sarah, Tyson, Rowley and I left. The two babies who remained were actually adorable. One was a girl, you could tell by the dress. She had light blonde hair and was laying in her mothers arms quietly.
The second baby was a brown haired boy who was wriggling in his mothers arms, letting out cries now and then. I sigh, I hope I didn’t get him. That’d make this month even worse. Being put with the person I hated most, and having to look after the worst baby.
“Okay, Maya and Tyson.” she says, looking up at us.
I listen closely, here goes nothing.