DOIN' TIME→ n. archibald [1] ✔️

1.13 chapter thirteen

     Dan pulled his phone out, eyes widening at the number of calls and missed texts. "I haven't checked my phone."

     "You haven't checked your— whatever. What the hell is this?" Amelia demanded insight as she shoved the Gossip Girl post in Dan's face.

     "Oh— Oh! Oh that. Yeah, no that's false news." He replied nonchalantly.

     Amelia let out a deep breath of relief. Thank god, she thought. The girl was definitely not ready for anything involving a child. "Oh thank the heavens. I thought I would perish." The girl dramatically spoke.

     "Perish? Also why were that worried. It's not like it would be your baby." Dan rolled his eyes at the dramatic girl.

     She arched a brow. "Excuse me? You would probably die of stress or whatever, and I'd be forced to raise this baby in your stead with Serena. And I don't know about you, but I'm really not ready to co parent a baby who's father died before they got here."

     "What? I would not die, you're so dramatic. And why would that automatically make you the step in?" Dan questioned.

     "It's obvious? I'm obviously the best choice. What, would you rather it be Chuck?" Amelia retorted.

     "No! It literally makes no sense that my only two choices are you or Chuck? What about dad, or-or literally anyone else." Dan replied.

     "The fact that we have to even discuss this makes me doubt your ability as a dad." The Hopper girl teased. Dan scoffed loudly. "Fortunately for you, there's no baby. At least not yet."

"You're stressing me out more than enough, I don't really need to add a baby to that equation. Besides, I think I just messed things up with Serena anyways." Dan sighed as the two began a trolling into the school.

Amelia furrowed her brows at the Humphrey. "How so? Last time I checked, Serena was completely in love with you."

Dan cringed at her choice of words. "Yeah, well not in love enough. . ."

"Spot being cryptic and just spit it out already." Amelia demanded, arms crossed over her chest.

Dan shifted uncomfortably on his feet, embarrassed to recall what he had told Serena. "When I thought she was pregnant, I told her I loved her. And before you ask, I do, I really do. I've never felt this way about anyone ever before. But I said it at the completely wrong time and now I've messed it all up."

Amelia couldn't help but to smile at the news. She wrapped the boy into a tight hug. "This is huge news, Dan! I'm so proud of you!" The girl squealed, almost jumping in excitement.

"Proud, why?" The buzzcut boy questioned.

"For being vulnerable." Amelia replied.

Dan shook his head. "I wasn't vulnerable, I was stupid. I didn't think any of it through, it just came out."

"You said something risky about how you feel without knowing how it would go. That is being vulnerable. Who cares what happened after, it's a milestone in itself to be able to admit one's feelings out loud! What did she even say anyways?" Amelia queried at the end. She was feeling a genuine mixture of happiness and pride for her friend.