i can't help it (mj fanfiction)

Chapter 17: The One I Love

Penny-

It has been a week since we got back from New York. I had been looking into colleges against Michaels want, and my mom had bought me a pregnancy test she wanted me to take. Michael paced around the bathroom as I opened the package and sat on the toilet. As much as he had been comforting me about the situation he was almost more nervous than I was. He turned away as I peed on the stick. I set it down on the counter and wished my hands, Michael rushed to the test watching it. "Michael calm down."

"I'm nervous Penny." He squeezed my hand. We hadn't been as intimate since the first night because we wanted to still take things at a steady pace, especially since we could be pregnant. Minutes passed and a line began to appear, I gripped onto Michaels arm as we stared down at this stick of technology that could change our whole future. One line appeared, and we began to wait for another. It had been a minute "Michael. I don't think I'm pregnant." His face didn't read anything.

We just sat on the bathroom floor staring at the test in silence. I looked up to see a tear rolling down his cheek. "Michael? Are you okay?"

He sniffled and reached over to hug me. "I'm relieved Penny I really am. But I think part of me wanted you to be pregnant. As crazy as it sounds, when you brought up leaving for college I thought that if you were pregnant you couldn't leave me." He whimpered into my neck.

"Michael, I understand it's okay. You just want to always be with me. But we don't need a child to keep us connected, our love keeps us connected." I said as I threw the test in the trash. Michael kisses my cheek and walked to sit in his bed.

"Well what do we do now?"

I sighed and responded to him "Michael I submitted a college application to Otis College of Art and Design. I actually was very intrigued by the modeling agency so I thought I should do something with fashion. It's in Los Angeles, it's a four year program." He didn't respond.

"Michael say something."

"I don't know what to say. I'm happy for you, I really am. I'm sure you'll get in." He faked a smile.

"Michael school starts in late August. We have about three months before I would leave."

"Then what would we do?"

"I don't know. You will still be at Hayvenhurst so we wouldn't be far."

"No Penny. I'm leaving to live in New York in September." He's leaving? My heart pounded as my previous plans of a not so long distance relationship flew out the window.

"Michael why didn't you tell me sooner? Why are you leaving?" I began to panic this wasn't supposed to go this way.

"I will be working on my first solo album with some people in New York, my father says I should live there. It will be good to be away from the family to focus on work."

"You didn't think to tell me?"

"I thought you would join me."

"How the hell am I supposed to join you if I'm going to college?" Tears began to flow, I could barely see him but I could hear his whimpering.

"Michael I can't do it. I thought it would be good to go to school in LA. But I can't do long distance, I have to see your face Michael." I said as I reached to hug him, my tears dripping on his button up shirt.

"I know Penny, but we still have three months. Things will play out. It will be okay."

"I thought you were the one worried but here I am crying!" I smiled weakly.

"Penny I am worried. I've been staying up late thinking about not being able to hold you or touch you. I'm scared Penny."

"Let's just enjoy these three months, and when the time comes we will know what to do." I kissed his neck as he held onto my waist and pulled me to lay next to him.