Zoophobia - A "Safe" Haven: Book 1: JUNE - SEPTEMBER

Chapter Ten: Like Sister; Like Brother

GUSTAV

I walked the halls, waiting for Celeste to arrive. She finally met me near the art wing with a look of fury on her face

"Celeste, what happened-?"

"Did my mom yell at you?"

"What?! No! That's absurd."

She raised an eyebrow.

I knew lying was a stupid decision. "Yes, she did."

"I knew it! I told her not to freak out. I don't want to strain your relationship. What if you get fired?"

"I'm not getting fired. Besides, we're doing the right thing by telling Zechariah."

"Are we?"

It was really my idea to tell him. Celeste feared that she would get expelled, and I would get fired because we were "irresponsible", which we were, and I regretted it deeply. But Winston and Zechariah were understanding. Surely, something like this had happened at school before.

"I didn't know we were getting new students," Celeste said.

"They seem nice. And why are you so stressed right now?"

"Because I'm mad at my mom. I don't want you to feel like it's your fault, and I don't want you to tell Principal Winston that it was your fault."

I didn't think there was anything stopping me from telling me that it was my fault. They say chivalry is dead but not in my eyes of course.

"I don't think we should do this," she said, once we stopped at his office. She turned around to leave, but I grabbed her shoulder.

"Since when have you ever been afraid of the Principal?"

"I'm not afraid of him; I'm afraid of their reactions."

"You keep thinking that he's going to expel us, but he's not cruel."

"He's the principal. It would look bad for the school."

"This is your last year here; I bet no one is going to even care."

"The first thing that that new girl, Kia, said to me was, 'Are you pregnant?' Are you freaking serious? I don't want to be a student ambassador anymore if the only thing anybody thinks about is that I'm pregnant. That looks bad for me, and especially you."

I sighed, having nothing to say. I understood that she felt sympathy for me, but I felt more pity for her. We entered the office, and I had to drag Celeste in, holding her hand.

"Good afternoon, Celeste, Gustav," Zechariah said.

Celeste remained quiet and then looked at me, expecting me to do all the talking.

"Did you want to speak to us about something?" he asked.

Celeste shook her head quickly.

"Yes, actually. We have something to admit to you, that it-" I looked at Celeste who began shaking in fear. "-pains us to reveal."

"Well then, sit."

We both sat at the chairs in front of his desk.

"Celeste and I, though it is regrettable, have made a very terrible mistake, and..." I didn't know how to put this into fancy words like I'd been doing for the past couple of seconds, so I just wanted to outright say it. "Celeste is pregnant."

Zechariah's eyes lit up.

"Sir, it's my fault. I suggested the idea, and she-"

"-No, it was my fault!" Celeste interrupted.