The 'nerd' is dangerous

Changing attitudes

(Added May 2019) Again sorry!

Anna's POV:
I had convinced myself to ignore anything to do with Brooke and her minions. Stress is something I definitely didn't need at the moment, especially with my baby growing inside me. Luckily she is not in a lot of my classes so she isn't that hard to avoid until break, lunch and any corresponding free periods.

Lucas offered to give me a ride to school in the morning. Rhea was sulking in the back of the car with Rick riding shotgun next to Lucas who was driving. I jumped into the back next to Rhea, pretty much launching myself onto her lap with my bag chucked onto the floor as the car began to move. She shoved me off her with a huff whilst the others laughed.

As soon as we walked into the school building, I immediately saw all the students, even teachers giving me sympathetic glances as we weaved through the corridors of people. I ignored them to the best of the ability but as I saw Brooke's minions laughing like a pack of starving hyenas, looking directly at me, pointing their beautifully manicured talons, my interest was grabbed.

A guy from one of my classes came over interrupting Lucas talk about his karate training as he did.

The guy was a relatively attractive with medium length espresso curly hair poking out of a black beanie. Cocoa eyes and a cute smile. He was average height and lightly muscled. He wore dark distressed jeans, a khaki green shirt and a black shirt jacket accompanied by black trainers.

"Alex, hey. Can we talk?"

"Sure." I smiled a little.

He had always been a fun person to have lessons with. He goofed around occasionally but always worked hard, often helping me with any problems, we had even done a few projects together which were always fun to do with him as my partner.

"I just want to say I'm sorry. About Colton and everything..." I thanked him. "and the baby."

"The what?" I instinctively placed a hand over my stomach as I spluttered with my words.

"Brooke's. She's saying its Colton's. I mean, as if anyone with more than ten brain cells would believe her. It's sick."

"Oh. Well thanks for telling me."

"No problem. See you in class." He walked off.

During one of lessons, a huge huddle formed around Brooke. She had a beaming smile, her perfectly aligned teeth a gleaming white. She gushed to everyone around her about the news, even a few tears rolled down her cheeks. She invited everyone, including me to her baby party at her house. She drilled the note that the entrance required a present into everyone's heads whilst she did. Her father, the principal even had an assembly about it, ensuring that the whole school knew that she was his 'precious darling baby' which 'everyone had a responsibility of caring for' during school hours.

•  •  •  •  •

It had been 6 months since Brooke told the school she was pregnant. She gave up on pretending and even lying that she was ever interested in him after a few weeks. She quickly latched onto the newest student that just transferred much to his his confusion. But even then it didn't stop her calling Colton's phone everyday at least 20 times every half hour and sending parcels to his house.

In the end my dad suggested calling the police, she given a fine and a restraining order against his house and a caution if she continued. Her father was so embarrassed and worried about her mental state she got sent to a residential clinic in the middle of nowhere when I was five and a half months.

Now I'm almost 7 months pregnant with my baby. It's been hard going to all the appointments and thinking about Colton's reaction to it all. I would love to see his reaction to the ultrasound scans and the sonogram pictures. The both of us decorating our son's room, going shopping for all his toys and clothes. Us talking about baby names. I have already decided on his name. I had to honour his father in some way.

I carefully wrote his name on the cover of my scrap book I've been making for the majority of my pregnancy. The black cover contrasting the ombré calligraphy font I wrote in. The grief councillor said the book would be a productive way of channeling my pain.

It starts with photos of Colton and I when we were children then during our relationship before turning to my pregnancy with my scans. My favourite photos are ones of family and friends reacting to the news. One of my dad breaking down with happiness was one of the first. Others had the girls cries or screams of joy trapped inside the frozen pictures. The boys more subdued but nonetheless excited, Lucas and Rick hand in hand in the left side of the group in the photos. Of course Freddie had to have one of him hand painting on my belly once it had developed with a Cheshire grin on his face.

The last photo will be him in my arms before I start one to celebrate his life.

After I let it dry, I placed it into the cram bookcase almost completely filled with childrens books. I rearranged the toys sitting on the armchair near the far wall before sitting down slowly and placed my hand over my enlarged belly, feeling him kick almost instantly.

I can't wait to welcome you into the world Andrew Colton Richard Hughes.