The Pregnant Scam

Chapter Thirty-Six

Valentine's Day had come and gone in a blink of an eye. Anthony had taken me out for a romantic dinner that night. I had dressed in a red maternity dress and he had wore nice pants and nice button down shirt. He had looked so handsome and was so sweet he gave me a bouquet of red roses and took me out to town to Cheddar's. I felt really warm and happy with him that night which was really betraying my heart making me feel again like we could make this a real relationship.
I walked down the school hallway towards my next class. I stopped at the bulletin board where since Lexi was class president her and the other prom committee members had posted a beautiful poster for prom. It was a navy poster with gold stars all around, in elegant writing it said Harrison High is reaching for starts at Prom. February 26th at 6-12 p.m.
They've been posting them up all around school, on every single bulletin board, in the cafeteria, on the gym doors, classroom doors, even on the outside doors to get students hyped and excited for Prom. Why wouldn't they be? After all Prom is the last dance for the seniors at high school, it should be something to be remembered.
I wondered if Anthony would ask me to Prom? And not just through text or in person, but actually go out of his way to make it a memorable occasion. Maybe I was being silly, but I always thought that a cute guy would be really romantic and ask me to prom, like he'll take a bunch of rose petals and arrange them so they say Prom? Or he'll write in chalk prom and then place a big rock that says no and a little rock that says yes and say bring me your answer to school tomorrow. Something like that, I wanted it to be romantic, I don't want him to assume just because we're 'fake' dating that we're just go together just because that's what normal couples do like what we did for Valentine's Day. I wanted him to ask me out and make it romantic.
"Hey aren't you excited for Prom?" Jennifer asked coming up beside me."
I sighed, "Don't remind me." I said wearily.
"What's wrong? Don't tell me you and Anthony are having relationship problems again!"
"No it's not that. It's just." I stopped to look at my friend since she had her baby she had dropped all her baby weight and was now just as skinny as before. She even had rejoined the cheerleading team which I was so proud of. "Okay, this may sound crazy, maybe it's my baby hormones talking, but I want Anthony to ask me out to Prom."
Jennifer gave me a look, "Umm yeah, he's your boyfriend so of course he's going to ask you! Don't worry."
"No it's, not just that. It's the way he asks me, I want it to be romantic you know? And mean something." But how can it mean something if he doesn't have real feelings for me? I thought to myself gravely.
Jennifer laughed, "Girl don't worry every girl is right there alone side you in the same boat. We all want a romantic gesture, I mean it's Prom! Hello?"
I smiled slowly, "I guess so."
"Don't worry he'll get there. Guys are slow about asking girls out, we usually want it before they even think of it. But he'll do it soon, I mean Prom is still two weeks away. Which reminds me want to go to the mall later this week and go shopping for gowns for prom?"
"Oh my goodness Jennifer that'll be awesome!" I looked down at my large baby bump and then at her skinny body, "We'll probably have to go to way different size sections though."
"I don't have a problem with that, we'll both going to look hot for Prom. I'll be a prom cheerleader and who knows maybe even Prom Queen, and then you a hot pregnant soon to be mom at prom. Besides just think you're due in a month and then by graduation you'll have all your baby fat gone too and can wear something sexy under your graduation gown to knock Anthony's socks right off his feet!"
We laughed as we walked the rest of the way to our different classes to split up.
Since Anthony didn't have basketball classes that afternoon he asked during lunch if I wanted to go get bubble tea with him after school.
My heart leaped, maybe this was it! He was going to ask me to prom when we went to get some tea. Of course I said yes, so right after school let out I met Anthony at his locker and we walked together hand in hand like a normal couple would do. I admit I was tired of putting on a show of pretending to be boyfriend and girlfriend just so others would believe he's the father.  Especially since now I wanted more than just to be pretending.
We road to Miss Sugar which was a cute little bubble tea shop set in down town Lafayette. The closer we got there the more my heart began to pound. I day dreamed of how he'll ask me out to Prom. Maybe he'll have them write it on the plastic cup, or he'll put a ring in the tea and when I had drank all of it I'll notice it!
Miss Sugar was squished between two buildings and had a little umbrella covering over the front door that was green and pink. Once inside there was a counter with a register, along with a case of delicious looking moon cakes and other desserts. Two tv's hung above the case with their menu on it. Towards the back of the shop was a restroom and a restricted door for employees only. Off to the right were a couple tables and chairs to sit in.
Anthony ordered a black tea with bubbles while I got a fruity strawberry cheesecake tea with bubbles. We walked over to one of the tables with our teas. I glanced quickly around my plastic cup looking for a hidden prom with a question mark on it. Feeling dismayed that there wasn't anything on it except for the sticker that said Miss Sugar I tried to hide my disappointment by pasting a smile on my face instead as Anthony pulled out a chair for me, "Thank you." I murmured taking a seat as Anthony went around to face me on the other side of the table.
We slurped our bubble teas quietly, Anthony looked out at the busy street of people walking in their winter coats. "I can't believe how cold it is. I'll be ready for when it's spring."
"Mmm." I said as I slurped my drink as the little tapioca balls came up the straw and into my mouth I chewed on them slightly before swallowing them. "Prom is coming up soon." I said trying to sound casual all the while I was bursting inside wanting him to ask me. Even if it was just for show at least I'll still be going to prom with the guy I liked.
"Oh yeah Eugene told me he asked Jennifer to the prom." Anthony smiled weakly, "I can't imagine how Justin feels about all this, especially since she turned him down when he had asked her."
"Justin's a tool, I'm glad Jennifer didn't give him a second chance." I said feeling even more down than I already was. This wasn't where I was wanting the conversation to go! I didn't want to talk about Jennifer and all the boys that had swoon over her, I wanted to talk about us and what he wanted to do for prom. I stopped slurping my tea as a horrid idea came in my mind. What if Anthony hasn't asked me because he's regretting agreeing to be my fake boyfriend?! What if he secretly has a crush on a girl from our school and wants to ask her, but feels like he can't since he's supposedly dating me? What if Taylor and him straightened things out and he's wanting to take her to prom?! Is that why he hasn't even considered talking with me about prom and asking me? Once again I felt guilty for getting him looped up in my crazy scam. Anthony could have any girl in this school and is wasting his life and missing out on the opportunity to be with a girl all because of me.
"Hey, earth to Jules, are you okay?" He asked breaking me out of my thoughts.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts, "Yeah, I'm fine." I said giving him a quick smile and then hiding my lips on my straw as I savored the strawberry cheesecake tea.