Rydellington, Pregnant!

Chapter 6

Ellington's POV

When I woke up that morning I heard someone in the bathroom throwing up and my first guess was that it was Rydel. When I went to check, I was right. She sat next to the toilet in her bra and she looked so beautiful but so broken and beaten, I just wanted to make her feel better, I always wanted her to feel better. She was my best friend. I loved her. I still wasn't sure whether it was in a friendship kind of way or more than that but I constantly relive the night Kelly broke up with me.

When I first showed up she took one look at my face and swooped me up in a bear hug and then I kissed her and it was perfect. I’m sure it was the single greatest moment of my life. I completely forgot everything and it was so easy to just be there with her that I never wanted to leave. In the morning when we woke up no one was back yet from wherever they'd been but I knew they would be soon and that I needed to leave.

Rydel was lying next to me under her purple blankets and I didn't want to wake her. So I left. And every day since I wished I hadn't. It was so weird to be around her and I knew if we tried to be together the guys wouldn't like it, so we stayed friends and after a couple weeks it went back to being kind of normal.

At least until that day Rydel had that nightmare. The look on her face, I could just tell she was feeling exactly what I had been feeling that night, and I knew I needed to repay the favor of comfort. But holding her it was so peaceful and just felt so right that I couldn’t believe she wasn’t mine.  After that she always seemed so worried and then she got sick and that's why this moment I find myself sitting on the bathroom floor giving her my shirt so we can talk aabout whats going on without her shivering to death. Here goes nothing.

~~~~~~~skip over everything that happened in the last chapter~~~~~~~

I'm going to be a dad.

I'm going to be a dad.

I'm going to be a dad.

I can't be a dad.

This is crazy. She's pregnant how could I do something so stupid and with Rydel? I'm a horrible person. How could I put us through this? Put a child through this? I'm too young to be a father, she's too young to be a mother. This can't work. What will we do? What about the guys? Oh god… Riker's going to kill me.

He's always so protective of her. But I have to be the one to tell him she can't do it by herself I promised I'd help her. I have to be there for her. And for her kid.

For my kid.

For our kid.

"Um Rydel?" It comes out hesitant which probably makes her even more anxious. Come on Ratliff you have to be strong. She’s got enough to worry about on her own. You’ve got to be strong for her. I cough, this time my words come out clearer, more sure of themselves. "Do you want me to tell your family with you? Rocky, Ross, Ryland, and you know your dad and Riker?" those last two names come out fast. Damn it. She knows I'm worried about their reactions but she stays calm.

"Yeah, yeah I think that would help. And my mom said she would help too. Um I have to go back with her when she leaves this weekend to go see a doctor so we have to tell them by then. It really only gives us today and tomorrow." She looked at me. She had a strong face on but I was her best friend I could read her eyes perfectly. They were scared and sad and most of all worried. Then she looked away.

I grabbed her cheeks. "Hey, look at me everything's going to be fine. We can tell everybody tomorrow, they'll be fine, they just need to warm up to the idea. I'll go with you to the doctors too. If you want me there?” I look at her for an answer. She gives me a tearful nod. “Ok, so we’ll go there and it'll all be ok. Your family will always love you no matter what. We'll be fine." At least I hope, but Rydel needs support right now not anymore on her plate.

"Ok, we'll do it tomorrow and if they get mad just promise me you won't leave me."

"Rydel they're not going to..." I was trying to reasure her but she cut me off.

"Just promise me." she looked so determined to find out my answer and so worried it would be no. It was heartbreaking

"Of course. Of course I'd come with you. I'd follow you anywhere. We’re going to be a family. Just like I said earlier me you and our kid ok?"

"Ok." she hugged me and it felt so good I didn't let her go. That is until I heard footsteps and the door to the bus opening. The guys were coming back.

I ran from the bathroom and into my bunk so fast I was winded. I knew I was telling them tomorrow but for now tomorrow is a long ways away. They couldn't find me and Rydel on the bathroom floor together, her wearing my t-shirt and us hugging was way too suspicious even for best friends. So for now I pretended to be asleep. I knew sleeping wouldn’t be easy for a while. Whether it was worry, a pregnant best friend, or a crying baby, something would be keeping me up. So for now pretending was going to have to do.