As soon as we got out the doors of the school and were alone, I pulled Elle in for a long kiss before asking, "How are you feeling today?"
"Seriously? I've been better." I caught Elle's eye roll as she shot back, annoyed with my question.
We started walking hand in hand towards the bleachers at the football field. I knew a spot where we wouldn't be able to be seen from anyone inside the school. "Well obviously. I just meant, are you feeling sick or anything? Have you had any morning sickness?"
Elle took a deep breath and gave me a small smile before apologizing, "I'm sorry I snapped, it's been a rough couple days." She looked at me guiltily as she went on. "As you know since you're going through this with me. God Noah, I shouldn't take out my frustration on you. You've been great since I told you."
"Don't worry about it, Shell." I wasn't going to let something like that get to me, I understood what she was going through.
"In answer to your question, I've been feeling fine so far. No morning sickness or anything. And as far as everything else goes, I actually feel a little better today now that everyone knows."
"Even though everyone's pissed at us?"
"Even though it really sucked, what I had in my head was somehow even worse so I'm glad it's over."
When Elle and I reached the secluded spot in the bleachers, I sat down sideways with my legs on either side so Elle could sit in between my legs as I put my arms around her. Before we came outside, I bought a bunch of Elle's favorites from the vending machine. I knew from experience that Elle tended to get a little grumpy when she was hungry and I wasn't about to let that happen. Plus I really didn't think she should skip meals now that she was pregnant. I offered her the peanut butter and jelly sandwich I had gotten for her but she just shook her head. When she turned it down, I opened it and started eating, figuring it wouldn't be long before she would start mooching off me. In between bites, I asked, "How has Lee been today?"
"Weird. It's like he's trying to keep his distance because he's mad at me, but he's also been strangely protective. Have you two talked at all?"
"Not a word." I smirked as Elle stole the sandwich just as I was getting ready to take another bite. She shot me a look, as if daring me to tell her I told you so, which I totally knew better than to say. Instead, I opened the bag of chips and the bottle of water and set them both in front of Elle as I went on, "So do you want to talk about how things went with your Dad? I mean I know you told me it was bad on the phone last night but we can talk about it if you want. Or Lee?" Elle nodded and she filled me in as she ate.
Elle
Sitting with Noah on the bleachers of the empty football field during our lunch hour, I wanted to sugar coat what I told him. I know he wants to protect me from all of this but there isn't really much he can do. Noah has always been protective of me, but it has been next level today. Other than when we had to go our separate ways for class, he has had ahold of me the whole time we've been together. And even when he walked me to my first class, for a minute I thought he was going to follow me into mine. It sucks that we're going through this, but at least we're going through this together. That's all I can ask of him, to be there for me.
I scooted closer to Noah, staring out onto the football field and trying to keep my tears from falling again as I started to tell him about the talk with my Dad last night. I know Noah wanted to talk to my Dad with me but I wouldn't let him. My Dad and I were so close, I naively thought I could explain everything to him and he would understand and be supportive, like June. Though, I could tell right from the beginning that wasn't going to happen.
I didn't want to get into all the detail with Noah, we only had the lunch hour and would have to go back to class after this. I didn't need to start crying again, I felt like that was all I had been doing lately. Instead, I hit the high points, or I suppose you could call them the low points. How surprised Dad was to hear that I was dating Noah, someone he had known all his life and maybe knew a little too much about – having heard Matthew complain of every fight he's gotten in over the years. How mad my Dad was when he realized Noah and I had been sneaking around for months. He was frustrated that he had thanked Noah for driving me around when we were both lying to him. Then, when I told him I was pregnant and heard his shocked "What would your mother think of this?" It was downhill after that. Yelling, a lot of yelling, and new rules about what I could and could not do from now on – basically I could go to school but I couldn't do anything else, including spend any time out of school with Noah. I was devastated by the time we were done. I had always been a Daddy's girl and I hated how upset my Dad was with me.
The bell signifying the end of the lunch period came far too early and Noah and I made our way inside. I was glad the bell had interrupted us before we got to my talk with Lee. I had already given Noah a rundown on how it went before I left his house that day and I felt like that was enough. I had told Noah the truth, Lee was upset to hear about the two of us dating but was a lot nicer about it all once he found out I was pregnant. I had told Noah that Lee was still really pissed off at him, since I knew that really wouldn't bother him much. But I hadn't told him the things Lee had said to me when he thought my only confession to him was my relationship with his brother. Comparing me to Noah's make-out girls and saying how naive I was to think Noah would want me for anything more than to mess around, that that's all our relationship must be about. Those comments really hurt me. But at this point I needed my best friend and if he was going to somewhat stand by my side I wasn't going to think about his comments, at least not right now. And I really didn't want Noah to hear them if I ever want my two favorite guys to have a good relationship again. I knew Lee didn't really mean them anyway. Or at least he would know they weren't true once he really sees Noah and I together. That is, if we ever get to see each other outside of school again.
As we go out separate ways after lunch, lunchtime tomorrow feels like a long way off before I can spend any time with Noah again. We were used to having to go long periods without seeing each other, since we couldn't always come up with an excuse to get away. This felt different though. Now I felt like Noah was the only one who really understood what I was going through and I needed him so much right now. I'm hoping my Dad will realize soon enough that trying to keep me away from Noah isn't going to do anything to help with the situation I'm in now – it's not like I'm going to magically become unpregnant by staying away from Noah.
Noah
I was more than a little surprised to hear how hard Mike had come down on Elle. I knew he would be mad about our lying and the pregnancy. But I had always thought Mike was a lot more down to earth than my Dad and had expected him to be a little more supportive, like my Mom. The rest of the week at school had gone much the same for me and Elle. We spent every available minute we could together, avoided Lee, and tried to ignore everyone else around us. I'm sure people were still talking about what was going on between us but everyone had stopped bothering me about it. By the end of the week, Elle had decided she wanted to feel a little more back to normal and went to soccer practice after school. There was only one game left in the season and she wanted to be able to play. I decided to skip my workout and pay a visit to her Dad. I wasn't looking forward to it and I wasn't sure it would help but I knew I had to try.
As I pulled into the driveway at Elle's house, I almost talked myself out of it. And again as I got off my motorcycle and rang the doorbell. This was the last place I wanted to be right now. Elle hadn't said much about her Dad's mood the past couple days, I'm not sure if I've given him enough time to cool down. I only knew that Elle was still upset about the way things had gone when she told him.
Mike looked at me in surprise as he answered the door. "Noah, Elle's not here."
"I came here to talk to you actually." I put both hands in my pockets after realizing I had been nervously scratching the back of my neck.
Mike's expression clouded as he retorted, "I'm not sure that's a good idea right now."
"Please, Mike, just give me a few minutes," I pleaded. I did not spend the last 20 minutes driving around working up the nerve to come here only to have him dismiss me already.
Mike stared at me for a full minute, and I had to force my hand to stay in my pocket rather than move to the back of my neck under his stare, before he finally conceded, "Okay, just give me a second to get Brad occupied. I'll be right back."
I stood in front of the closed front door, surprised he hadn't even let me in. Although, I guess I get him not wanting to have this conversation in front of Brad. And once Brad realized I was here, there's no way we would get any privacy.
When Mike came outside, he crossed his arms, giving me somewhat of a death glare. "What do you want, Noah?"
"I wanted to apologize for everything Elle told you the other day. For the lying the past couple months and obviously for being irresponsible. I take full responsibility. I know I should have been here when she talked to you. I wanted to be there but she asked me not to come."
"That doesn't surprise me. I know how independent Elle is."
"Me too." I grin as I let myself think of Elle and the times I've run up against her independence. My smile dropped, though, once I think about why I'm here. "Listen, Mike, I need you to know that I'm in this with Elle. I'm sorry that we lied and I'm sorry we're going through this when we're so young. But I love her and I'm not going anywhere."
"Noah, there's a big difference between thinking you're in love and being a parent."
"Elle and I both know that this isn't going to be easy and we know that it's a big deal. But we need to be able to do it together. I know how hard this week has been on Elle and I wish I could take some of that off of her. I see her stress and I just want to be there for her. I understand why you don't want us to see each other right now but she needs me right now. I hope you'll reconsider."
"I don't know, Noah, I think you've done enough for Elle."
"I'm just asking that you let me be there to help now. We both have a lot that we need to figure out right now about our futures. And believe me, my Mom will be watching us like a hawk now. We have a whole new set of rules at my house also."
"Listen, I'll think about it, okay. I just want what's best for Elle."
"That's all I want too." I gave Mike a nod before turning and walking back towards my motorcycle hoping I made some headway with Mike today.
A/N - With everything I wanted to include before we catch up with the timeline of the original story, this chapter got a little long, so I had to break it into two parts. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this and I promise that things will lighten up for them a bit as they get through with all of these difficult conversations!