Hearts and Rockets | Hutchpoppe

Chapter 20

Maddie's POV

We are now in the first week of December, meaning my 17th birthday is this weekend. Friday, to be specific. And I will be 17 weeks this Saturday. It's Wednesday morning, and I'm missing school today because I am going to a couple's house for an 'interview'. Caleb is coming with me. I'm still not 100% sure that I will keep the baby, even though there is a good chance I will, so today I will be talking to couples who are looking to adopt.

If I do give the baby up, I want to be sure that he or she is going to loving parents and will be raised in a good home. I have also been working at the movie theater, and got my first check yesterday. It has been tiring working from four until ten, but it pays well- ten bucks an hour, four nights a week. I do as much homework as possible before so I'm not up after midnight doing homework.

I hear a knock on my door, so I stand up from the couch and open the door for Caleb. He is dressed nicely, and I notice he is wearing the same thing he wore the first day I met him. Flannel shirt, jeans, and his boots. I smile to myself, thanking myself that I spoke to him and helped him that day. I am wearing jeans, too, with a sweater and ugg boots.

"Ready?" Caleb asks.

"Yeah," I smile at him. I get in the passenger side as he gets in the driver's seat, "I feel fat."

"You most definitely are not," he tells me, "You are beautiful. She is really growing, though."

I smile, "Yeah. Week after next, I'll find out if you're right about it being a girl."

"Can I come?"

I grin over at him, "Of course you can."

The GPS then leads to a house that is rather nice.

"I'm nervous," I sigh.

"You'll be fine. And I'll be right there with you," he tells me.

I smile at him as I get out, and Caleb follows me to the door. I ring the doorbell and it doesn't take long for a long haired, brunette, woman answers the door. A man appears behind her a few moments later. She gives me a warm smile, "You must be Maddie."

"Yes. You must be Lindsey," I smile back before looking at her husband, "And you must be Eric."

"Come in," Lindsey tells Caleb and I.

We go in and walk over to the couch as Lindsey offers us a glass of water, and we politely decline. The couple sits across from us, soft smiles on their faces. Lindsey's eyes meet Caleb's, and she speaks softly, "Are you the father?"

His eyes widen, "Uh, no. I'm not, I'm just a supportive friend."

"Extremely supportive," I add, smiling over at him, "I'm lucky to have him."

"Oh! I thought he might've been your boyfriend. My next guess was your brother."

I laugh at that. Everyone thinks that we look alike for some reason. Talking to Lindsey and Eric went great, they are very nice people and weren't rude or judgmental to me at all. It turns out that they have tried to have a baby for almost four years, but weren't lucky.

I talk to five couples in total, and by the end of the day I have already decided that if I do give the baby up, it will be to Lindsey and Eric. But they know to not get their hopes up, because I told them that there is still a pretty high chance that I will keep the baby.

There was one couple who was extremely disrespectful, and I couldn't take it anymore. Caleb went off on them and I was crying. Good thing I don't have to see them ever again.

Court was a couple weeks ago, and Jake and his mom was told the results, that the baby is in fact his. They still didn't speak to me, though. And they left as soon as court was over. Jake does not want to be in the child's life, but I wasn't expecting him to. But he will have to help me financially.

The next day at school, I'm walking to my locker and I hear the usual, 'whore', that the kids usually call me. It's been happening for a few weeks now, because I can't hide it anymore.

As I'm getting my English book out, I'm surprised when Ashley comes over to me.

"Can I help you?" I say, blankly.

"I know you're having my boyfriend's kid, but I'm telling you now that he is not going to be in your child's life."

I glare at her, "First off, that's not your decision. Secondly, I don't really want him around my baby, anyway. So, just mind your own business, bitch."

She doesn't say anything as I close my locker and make my way to English class. I don't see her again until later in the day. I don't talk to her, though. She's in band class, and I see her through the window of the door to the room as I walk down the hallway.

I was sent by my science teacher to take some paper to one of the teachers whose room is upstairs. That's where I passed the band room. After doing what Miss Lytle had asked me to, I make my way back down the hallway. I open the door at the end of the hallway before I hear another door open. I pay no attention to it, though. As I'm at the top of the staircase, I feel hands against my back and suddenly I am falling down the stairs. When I'm at the bottom of the stairs, my arm really hurts, and my tummy is starting to hurt a little, too.

I look up towards the top of the stairs, and see Ashley with her arms crossed.