Week 20: The baby's movements are now felt. Each week going forward they will grow one centimetres. The baby is now the size of a grapefruit.
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I woke up and turned to see the windows and curtains already opened. The light almost blinding me, I cursed whoever opened the curtains.
"Good morning." Ari said softly. I followed her voice and she was seated in one of the chairs near the windows eating breakfast.
"Hey." I said getting up stretching myself.
"How was your sleep?" She asked.
"I have had better nights." I said dismissively.
"I'm sorry to hear that." She said drinking her tea.
"Not to be rude but what are you doing here Ari? Did Caleb send you to tell me how much of a disappointment I am?" She shook her head.
"Quite the opposite actually. Breakfast?" She offered but I shook my head.
"I'm not hungry." I said getting out of bed. "What do you mean the opposite? I know Caleb hates me right now." She sighed.
"Can we not talk about your brother? Right now he's busy avoiding me, shutting me out and I would like to do the same." I sighed and dropped myself on the other chair.
"I'm sorry about that. I hope you guys don't break up again because of me." I said.
"Kyla not everything is your fault. Caleb chose not to talk to me and instead shut me out, so that is his fault." She explained. "And no. I'm not going to leave him. I love him so much to leave him when he needs me the most again. I just want to make sure you're okay as well." She said taking my hand into hers.
"I just wish my brother would understand how much I love Zach and trust him." I cried. "I don't want my child to arrive in this world when Caleb cannot even stand me right now. Not when he hates his best friend with everything he has." Ari rubbed my hand.
"I understand. I'm also sorry it turned out this way. To be honest I can say I understand what you are going through because I too once hid a pregnancy from your brother. I realise now how much I hurt him by just hiding the truth." She said.
"I didn't know how to tell him. I always got nervous every time I looked at him and thought of telling him. The worst part is I know he's not mad I'm pregnant. It's the fact that whose baby this is." I wiped my tears slowly.
"I think the only thing that can resolve this is if they talk it out." She suggested.
"I don't think that's a good idea or have you forgotten how last night turned out?" Let's just say it ended up in fists making contact with their faces and other body parts. Well honestly Zach wasn't doing much besides avoiding the attacks since he didn't hit Caleb back. He only wanted them to talk it out unlike my brother filled with rage. Ari was the only one that managed to stop him from wanting to kill Zach.
"I don't want you to ever come close to my little sister again.!!" Was the last thing he yelled before he stormed out to his room and that's the last time I saw him.
"I haven't forgotten but I have known them for years. They have fought in the past but reconciled again. Countless times. That's what best friends do anyway." She giggled and I remembered Meg and I.
"You're right. Meg and I fought about a month ago but look at us now." I said letting out a chuckle.
"You see. They will reconcile again one day don't stress yourself about. It may be today or tomorrow who knows?" Yeah right. I just hope it happens before I give birth like Em said it would happen.
"I will try not to. The best thing to do if I don't want to stress out though is to go back to campus today because not seeing my brother and knowing that he doesn't want to see me while we are under the same roof is hurting me." Ari gave me a nod.
"I understand. Maybe the space will do the both of you some good." I nodded.
"Maybe."
...
I opened the door and walked into the room. I spotted Caleb on the couch drinking slowly and staring out of the window at nothing. He didn't even look at me. I closed the door and walked towards him slowly. I looked at my wrist watch. I saw my hands shake but I took a deep breath thinking it would go away.
"Hey." He flinched like I startled him. He must have been miles away.
"Hey." He responded as I sat down. "If you're h-"
"I'm not here to beg you to forgive Zach. He's a grown man and he can do that himself." He glanced at me. "I am worried about you. Ari told me you have not eaten since last night. All you do is drink."
"Well you don't have to worry about me. I am fine. Tell that to Ari as well." I let out a chuckle.
"I think you are trying to convince yourself more than me because from where I am standing, you look horrible." I was being honest. He looked like he hadn't slept a wink with huge bags under his red eyes. He let out a chuckle after gulping down his whiskey.
"I asked you if Zach was making a move on you and you lied to me." He finally spoke.
"Caleb I'm sorry. I couldn't tell you since I was already in love when you asked. I was scared of losing him." He scoffed and drank again.
"Love?" He let out a chuckle shaking his head. "Kid I don't think you should be here right now. I want to be alone please." I sighed.
"I'm not going anywhere." I said.
"Fine. I am going to find another peaceful place then since you have already taken this one." He placed his glass on the table getting ready to stand up.
"Caleb I am not going to break up with Zach." I said and he glared at me. "Even if you tried to tear us apart it won't work so whatever you're planning stop it." He scoffed.
"Even if I tried? Wait till I actually do something before saying that." He said that as if daring me to dare him.
"Don't try me Caleb. You're not the only Davison who can spiral out of control." He looked at me for a moment before shifting back to seat comfortably.
"So tell me Kyla. Zach is more important than your own brother now that you even have the guts to tell me that?"
"He's the father of my child what do you want me to do? Kill the baby?" He inhaled sharply. "I can't do that." I took a deep breath. "I know you still love your best friend it's just that you're angry a-"
"We're not best friends anymore. He betrayed me Kid. Using the one person I love the most in this freaking world. I trusted him so much." He said looking deeply hurt. "How do I forget that?"
"Ari left you with your child at your most vulnerable moment and you and I know very well what it did to you, but you still love her. Even stronger than ever. You can still do the same."
"It's not the same." I scoffed.
"It actually is. Ari even betrayed you and kissed another man but you two still love each other." He looked away again failing to look me in the eyes.
Another quiet moment until I spoke again. "Listen all I need from you is for you to be a good uncle to my child. I don't care if you don't want to be friends with Zach or you end up reconciling but I just need my brother with me right now and forever. It hurts you that I slept with your best friend I know but please don't deny my child the uncle he deserves because of that." I stood up. "I love you big brother and honestly I hope you make the right decision otherwise I don't see a reason for you to meet my child."
"What do you mean by that?" He looked at me confused.
"Caleb surely you don't expect me to raise my child here with all the hate and anger you have not to mention the sight of you drowning yourself in alcohol. If seeing me everyday will bring out the worst in you then I can't stand you like this and I will move out if we still don't stand each other or if you still haven't talked to your best friend." He stood up and came closer.
"You want to leave me? For Zach? Kid how many times should I tell you he is not good for you. He-" I cut in.
"He has been nothing but good to me for the past six months." He looked at me surprised. "Yes. We started a relationship shortly after he came to live here. Caleb I don't even know why you are upset. I mean what did you expect? You'd leave us for weeks together knowing he couldn't control himself whenever I was around."
"So now this is all my fault? He fucks my little sister and I am to blame for that?" I sighed looking deeply into his beautiful eyes.
"No it's not your fault. We fell in love like normal people do." He shook his head vigorously.
"No. You mean he manipulated you into sleeping with him. It's not love Kid, I won't accept that." Okay that pissed me off.
"He never mentioned sex for at least two months of us being together. I was the one who convinced him I was ready in the first place. You clearly don't know your best friend like you think you do." I said.
"No you're lying. You're only trying to make him look like he didn't manipulate you to sleep with him." He started pacing in the room.
"You know I actually feel sorry for Zach for having you as a best friend. You always think the worst in everyone. You think you know better right? Why? Because you're Caleb Davison?" I spat and he stopped pacing.
"That's not true."
"You always assume the worst in people just because you have trust issues. You cannot even trust your own best friend just because of a silly past which you also had yet no one thinks of you as a horrible person." My words must have stung since he looked hurt.
"Kyl-" I walked to him.
"You know I am telling the truth here. You need to learn how to trust. Not only your girlfriend Caleb. Trust me to have made a good decision by loving Zach. Trust Zach to love me truthfully. And most importantly trust yourself to make the right decision by accepting Zach as the father of my child." The door opened and Ari appeared.
"Kyla can I talk to you?" She gave me a nod and I nodded back. I walked to her and got out of the bedroom.
"Hey." I said closing the door.
"Brie and I are confused. We don't know if you have any particular foods that you cannot stand at the moment, with the pregnancy. She wants to make food for you to take to school." Oh how thoughtful.
"Oh yes um. Anything that has beef in it. Especially beef sausage. Initially I thought it was only beef sausage but any beef smells horrible to me." She giggled as we came down the stairs.
"Now I am tempted to ask what you eat the most." I smiled.
"Oh my God I cannot stay away from cheeseburgers. Someone please order me a double cheeseburger from McDonald's." I said making Ari laugh.
"I will do that don't worry they will deliver." I kissed her cheek.
"You're the best." I walked to the girls room when we reached downstairs. I found them cuddled up on the bed watching a movie. "Hey guys." I sighed and dropped myself carefully next to them.
"How did it go?" Meg asked and Hazel paused the movie.
"I don't know. We argued obviously since we don't see eye to eye but I don't know though, I guess he'll come around." I shrugged.
"Yeah I think he will come around soon. I mean he has no choice but to accept what is going on." Said Hazel.
"Don't worry Ky, we're here if you need us." Megan said.
"Thanks guys. I honestly don't know what I would do without you two." They smiled and Meg gave me a hug.
"Everything will be fine. Just hang in there a little longer." She said.
"How are things between you and Zach since the fight?" Hazel asked.
"Nothing has changed. We're still together despite Caleb punching him like that." I giggled. "We talked and he still loves me the same. Actually more than before. He told me he might have lost a friend but he's not losing his family." I explained.
"That was so sweet." Megan said.
"He's really a keeper Ky. I am happy you have someone like that as the father of your child." Those words formed a smile on my lips.
"I am glad too."
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