And Let Fate Lead You

Chapter Forty-One

"I know but, it's not like the baby is born yet. All I have to do is eat right and not stress and--" At this, she suddenly became quiet, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

Elias gave a soft, sympathetic smile and pulled her across the seat into his lap, his lips grazing the top of her head. "I know how hard this is for you, princess. But you and I both know there's no way you can go through even one school day without taking any stress."

"Yeah, but--"

"But nothing. I'm not risking my child's health, Eira. That's final," Elias said, trying to be as gentle as he could with his words without scaring or saddening her. "I know how much you want to continue school but right now, the most important thing to both of us should be our baby."

Eira sighed and nodded slowly, playing with the sleeve of his shirt. "Yeah," she whispered after a moment. "You're right. I'm sorry."

Elias smiled. "For what?" he muttered, kissing softly behind her ear and making her squirm.

"Stop," she whispered, giggling and leaning away. "Someone might see."

"And?" he mumbled, never taking his lips from her skin. He kissed down her neck in small, roaming little patterns, causing her arms to come around his shoulders and embrace him in a hug.
Too short a time later, she pulled away with a gasp.

"Elias, look what you've got me doing! I need to go! Some of my teachers might leave if I don't," she cried, climbing over him in a panic to snatch her bag from the backseat. He grunted as her full weight shifted onto his upper body.

"Crushing...lungs...Eira," he managed to get out, placing both hands on the backs of her legs in an effort to pull some of her weight away. Fortunately, she scrambled off of him herself only a moment later, bag in hand and hair splayed across her face messily.

"Sorry," she mumbled softly, a playful grin dancing on her lips. "Didn't see you there."

Elias made a face and mock laughed before pulling her towards him for one last kiss.

"Okay I'm going now," she said once they had pulled apart. "I'll see you at seven."

He nodded and watched her get out of the car, closing the door behind her only to reopen it and stick her head through. "Oh and if you see my textbook--"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll bring it by," he said, rolling his eyes at her, a smile nevertheless pulling at the corners of his lips. She smiled back at him in return.

"Thank you, Elias," she said, closing the door again. "I love you."

"I love you too, princess. And remember, seven sharp."

"Seven sharp. Got it. Bye!"

Waving, Eira turned and began skipping away, her hair bouncing behind her as she went, leaving Elias wondering what had gotten into her.

One minute she was dark and angry and another she was sunshine and rainbows. He sighed, starting the car and beginning to drive away, left with the realization that, if this whole mood swing thing was something that came with pregnancy, God was he screwed.

~

Eira smiled and waved one last time at her professor as she left her lecture room. She had been lucky that all of them had been teaching today or else she would have had to make a second trip another day to speak with them all.
Even though she had already talked to her adviser about leaving, she also wanted to be able to meet with all her teachers before actually signing the papers that allowed her to officially withdraw for the semester.

At first, she had been afraid to tell anyone except those that would be involved in her withdrawal procedure. But then she realized that she at least owed it to her professors to inform them why. She didn't think they'd really care. After all she was practically just a number amongst all the other hundreds of students they taught each day.