Grand-Slam

∞Chapter 28∞

Mom shot me a sad smile, wrapping her arm around my shoulder. "I'm sure you guys will make up. You love each other."

Yeah, I do love him. But I doubt he loves me.

I thought as I nodded, and mom kissed my temple before standing, flattening her skirt. "Nate had to go to the studio, and I have to meet him there, so we'll be back later."

Mom left the house, and I sighed, realizing I was alone once again. The silence in the house was deafening, and for once, I didn't feel like tuning out the silence. Everything I watched on TV reminded me of Nate, no matter what I watched, and every song I listened to reminded me of us.

I was just about to walk up to my room when the doorbell rang. I walked to the door, and when I opened it, the mailman was standing there with a box tucked under his arm.

"I have a delivery for Nathaniel Jackson." He said, smiling at me, and I smiled back. He then held out a clipboard and a pen to me. "I just need someone who lives here to sign for the package."

I signed my name, and when I handed him back the clipboard, he smiled again as he handed me the box. "Thank you, ma'am. He is supposed to get that package immediately."

The mailman left, and once he was back in his car, I closed the door, taking the box into the kitchen. After breaking the seal with a knife, I slowly opened the box, and what I saw inside confused me. There was a stick wrapped in plastic and a note, and when I flipped the stick over, I realized it was a pregnancy test. When I opened the note, the test slipped through my hand, clattering to the ground, and my heart stopped. Time seemed to move slower as I read the note, and it became harder to breathe with every word my eye caught.

Nate,

I didn't know how to tell you in person, which is why I sent this. I was late after the party, and when I took this, it was positive. I took two more to be sure. You're going to be a father, Nate. We're going to be parents.

Love, Jamie

A single tear trickled down my face as I read the words, over and over, until it finally clicked. Jamie was pregnant, and Nate was the father. As shocking as that was, what shocked me the most was how she signed the bottom of the note. Love. Had he told her he loved her? If he had, I didn't know if my heart could take it. I thought he loved me. I was so ready to tell him how I felt, and yet, he probably hadn't even felt the same way. Which was probably why he never said those three words.

I was just about to call him, when a noise from the living room caught my attention. When I walked into the room, low mumbles were coming from the TV, and Nate's picture was on the screen as an interviewer talked. I quickly turned it up, and I wished I hadn't.

"This just in! Reporters recently received a rumor that Jamie Baker is pregnant by international heartthrob, Nate Jackson!" The reporter announced, and I froze, tightening my grip around the remote. "Here's Jamie with us now!"

The camera panned to Jamie, and she smiled widely. "Yes, it's true! Nate and I are going to be parents!"

Jamie smiled at the camera, holding up another pregnancy test. It also read positive. My heart shattered as my breath caught in my throat. Nausea swirled unrestrained in my empty stomach. My heart felt as if my blood had become tar as it struggled to keep a steady beat. My jaw unhinged as I attempted to catch my breath, but the pain was too immense.

I had never had my heart truly broken before, so I had never felt that kind of pain, but it was the worst pain I ever felt. It felt like someone was ripping my heart out of my chest with their bare hands and then, after they watched me suffer, they would throw it to the ground and stomp on it. Nate was breaking me. I had never been broken before, until that day.

"Well, there you have it!" The reporter exclaimed, breaking into my thoughts again, and I let out a frustrated groan. Tears cascaded down my face, and as soon as the front door opened, I whirled the remote against the wall, sending the pieces flying everywhere. Nate walked in, shooting me an incredulous look as he glanced between me and the broken remote.

"What in the actual hell are you doing!?" He hissed, and I stormed to him, shoving his chest. Nate stumbled backwards slightly, his eyes wide as he looked at me.

"You got her pregnant!" I screamed, angrily wiping away my tears as more fell. "Jamie is pregnant because of you!"

Nate glared, regaining his balance. "I couldn't have! I don't even remember anything from that night!"

"How can you not remember getting a girl pregnant!?" I sobbed, glaring at him the best I could with tears streaming down my face, and he threw his hands in the air, glaring harder at me.

"I just don't! You need to calm down!" He yelled, and I wiped away the tears again, bitterly laughing.

"Calm down?" I hissed, glaring back. "Calm down!? You cheated on me, and got her pregnant! How the hell am I supposed to be calm!?"

Nate stared at me, as I breathed heavily, and for a second, he held so much regret in his eyes, I almost believed he was sorry. I almost believed he regretted what he did.

But that was the thing about almost. It wasn't an absolute answer. And my faith in Nate was slowly simmering down to an almost-- just like the thought that he loved me like I loved him.

"We are through." His eyes grew wide as his mouth opened and closed, trying to form words. For a second, we stood there staring at each other, and then Nate stepped closer to me, attempting to touch my arm, but I moved away.

"Brooke, think about what you're doing." He warned, and I actually thought about it for a moment. But then I remembered he not only cheated on me, but got Jamie pregnant. My supposed best friend.

"I know what I'm doing." I breathed, attempting to calm myself down, and then closed my tear filled eyes. "We're through, Nate."

He stared at me, completely speechless. A lump formed in my throat, and I wiped away more tears as I turned to walk away. Before I moved, though, I glanced over my shoulder at him. He was still standing there, shock and hurt etched into his face, but I wouldn't give in. The wound he was carving into me was too immense for me to handle. It was too much all at once, and for the first time, I finally realized why people were afraid of love. Why they were afraid of commitment. The pain was too overwhelming, and sometimes, it left you with a wound that could never be healed as a scar. It was always open, emitting more pain than you could ever imagine possible.

"I should have listened to you," I whispered, biting my lip as another tear trickled down my face, "About avoiding love at all costs."

I turned around, walking towards my room. I wasn't sure if I hear right, but what I thought I heard him mumble went through me like a knife.

"I guess I should've listened to that advice too." 

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Hey guys!

It literally broke my heart writing this chapter. Lol

You probably all hate me and that's okay. I'd hate me too, honestly. 

Teaser: A major softball game that doesn't go so well, and then a terrible way to end the day... 

I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING HOMECOMING WEEK WAS CRAZY AND I AM VERY EXHAUSTED

Make sure to comment, vote, and spread the word!

Thanks for reading!

Much love, 

-Abby