ANOUSHKA
I sit in my bed with a warm cup of tea and one of my favourite true crime shows playing. I was exhausted. I may have tried to tire Creighton out today but I think it's me that is actually suffering. My legs are fucking killing me. I'm also still surprised that he actually held all my bags. I expected him to shove the bags in my hand and tell me to hold them myself but he didn't.
Creighton appears at my door and I smile gently at him and he didn't return the smile. He looked slightly pale and I raise a brow.
"Creighton?" I ask.
He clears his throat before walking up to me and dropping beside me on my bed. "Someone dropped this off." he whispers, handing a piece of paper over.
I look down at the photograph of me and Creighton sitting on the bench, speaking to that elderly woman. Creighton was kissing my cheek. Oh my god. My stomach churned and bile rises to the back of my throat and I swallow hard. "What." I manage to finally say.
"Turn it over." he tells me, his brows furrowed. It looked as if he was going to be sick.
In all caps it says was the last message not clear enough Anoushka?
"Oh, my god." I breathe out, slapping a hand over my lips.
He doesn't reply. Instead, he takes the picture from my hand and grips my chin so that I can look at him. "I'll sort this out for you Anoushka." he reassures.
I shake my head. "What do they want with me?" I choke out, my throat drying.
His eyes soften. "I'm not sure." he admits quietly.
He brushes a tear away from my face. "I'll go get Wren," he says. "She'll stay with you tonight."
He pulls away. I didn't know how to tell him I wanted him to comfort me. The first night I received the photograph of me. Creighton held them tightly that night and refused to let go. Instead, I clear my throat and I nod my head at him.
He smiles gently at me but the way he was looking at me was almost like he wanted me to tell him to stay but I didn't.
He leaves my room and a few seconds later Wren enters. "Creighton told me you were upset and you needed company." she whispers, getting in my bed.
I nod stiffly. I'm glad he didn't tell her the truth. I don't know how I would break it to Wren that she might be in danger. What if she's in the dorm alone and someone comes in? They clearly know how to get in and out without a trace.
"Yeah. Just some things with my parents." I murmur.
"Anoushka. I need to tell you something." she whispers.
"Hm." I reply.
"I'm pregnant." she finally chokes out.
Oh God.
"Luca?" I quietly ask.
A tear runs down her cheek while nodding her head. "Wren." I whisper. "Look at me."
She meets my eyes. "I can't do this." she whispers. "I can't be a mum."
"Then you don't have to." I say, smiling softly. "Have an abortion."
She smiles sadly. "I told Luca and he told me to get rid of it," she says, crying. What an asshole.
"Fuck him, Wren." I snap. "You have me. And even Creighton. We'll help you through this." I reassure her.
"He said the same thing." she says, sniffling with a small smile.
"You told him before me!" I gasp dramatically.
As if it was in cue, I hear that stupid voice speak. "She prefers me over you." he says, amused. I look up at my door and Creighton was leaning against the door frame, his arms crossed.
Wren glares at him. "No I don't." she mumbles but her tone was amused.
"But what Anoushka said," he says, his tone is serious. "I'll speak to Luca and knock some sense into him."
I was shocked he was saying this. I would have been convinced that he would take Luca's side over Wren's.
"But for now Anoushka and I will help you out." he finishes off and I nod in agreement.
"How will I tell my Dad?" she asks, her voice trembling.
"Your dad loves you," I whisper. "From what you have told me that man adores you more than anything. He's your dad. He won't disown you over a baby." I reassure her.
I hadn't met her dad but I knew enough. She admires her dad and he loves her. Unlike my own dad, he wouldn't disown her over this. He knew the importance of being a good dad.
She nods. "I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. Can you come with me?"
I nod. "I would love to."
"I'm keeping it." she murmurs, caressing her stomach. "It is my child. I won't let Luca force me to get rid of it." she murmurs angrily.
That's the Wren I know. She doesn't take shit from anyone, especially anyone that tries to tell her what to do.
•••
To cheer Wren up, we decided to go on a drive to get food. If we were to get caught, we would get in a shit ton of trouble but you only live once, right?
We took my car and I drove. Creighton was dead set against the idea of me driving in the dark but Wren voted for me to drive so here we are.
We play Taylor Swift loud. Creighton was sulking in the backseat. We finally arrived at the fast food place and we ordered. Creighton slides into the booth beside me and Wren sits opposite us. "It's fucking cold," I murmur, rubbing my hands together.
Creighton drops his hand onto my thigh and my eyes dart to him. He was listening to whatever Wren was saying but I couldn't pay attention because his hand was burning through the material of my trousers and warming my whole body.
I drop my hand on top of his and I drove my attention back to Wren. "Luca's been calling me all day." she murmurs, glancing at the vibrating phone on the table.
"Answer it," Creighton says. "What's the worst that can happen?"
She bites her lip before murmuring fuck it. She answers the phone. "Hello," she says, her voice as strong as it can be.
I hear distant mumbling but Wren rolls her eyes. "I'm at home."
"Order number 27." the server yells.
Shit.
"You aren't my boyfriend. You don't have to know where I am all the time."
Oh.
"Baby daddy...right?" she says, rolling her eyes again.
God.
"Surely if you really cared about my baby, you wouldn't tell me to abort it."
She has a point.
"Whatever," she mumbles. "This isn't your baby anymore," she whispers, her voice trembling.
Creighton's hand grips my thigh harder and I glance at him. His jaw locked and he was watching Wren carefully.
She eventually hangs up. "You shouldn't do that." Creighton finally mutters. "Yes what he said was fucked up but don't take him away from your baby's life. They need their father no matter what."
"It's my baby." she says. "I'll do whatever I want."
"As much as you hate it, the baby is also his. You are taking away his chance of being a dad. You were raised without a mum, weren't you? Why would you put your child through that." he says.
"Creighton." I mumble, warning him.
He looks at me and shakes his head. "No. She has to hear this. Yes what Luca said was fucked up but did he really mean it? I spoke to him and he's sorry. He is so sorry but you won't talk to him. He's all in Wren. He wants to be a dad."
"No." she says. "He's just going to end up leaving."
"Then you're just stupid." Creighton snaps, standing up and leaving.
Shit. I glance at Wren, who was watching Creighton leave. "Do what you want Wren," I mumble. "It's your baby."
As much as I hate to admit it, Creighton had a point and I hope Wren will realise it before its too late.
Wren needed to go to the bathroom and I left the fast food place with our food. Creighton was sitting in my car and I slide into the back seat with him.
"Are you okay?" I ask.
"Yeah." he mutters. "I got too angry. I shouldn't have gotten involved."
I nod. "Yeah but you did. Why?"
He glances at me. "Luca has problems," he says. "Whenever he gets stressed he says things he doesn't mean but I know him. He was raised without a father and he refuses to be like him. If Wren takes away his choice of being a father it's going to kill him." he admits.
"I can talk to Wren." I murmur. "She's upset and she has every right to be. It is going to take time but Wren isn't cruel. She won't do that to her child."
He nods his head. "She's coming back now."
I turn and watch as Wren walks to the car. "Be nice." I tell him.
He grins. "I am nice."
"Wren can beg to differ."
He shakes his head with a smile.