Chapter 7
We got back to camp okay. The panther that Wells had shot was carried by Bellamy and Murphy whilst the rest of us helped carry Jasper.
"Is he?" Monty asked as he saw his best friend being carried.
"He's alive. I need boiler water and stripes of bandage," Clarke explained.
I watched from afar, Bellamy and Murphy throw the bloody panther in front of everyone.
"Who's hungry?" Bellamy shouted.
Their response were cheers, which I could hardly blame them for. I was just as hungry as they were. The baby cravings weren't helping either.
I quickly helped Clarke aid to Jasper before sitting on a nearby rock, and watching the meat cook.
In a short amount of time, dinner was ready. However, it wasn't as simple as that. Bellamy and Murphy had made everyone pay for their food.
In order to eat, you needed to remove your wristband. Mostly everyone agreed to this. Apart from Finn, myself and Clarke. I wasn't worried, though. I knew I could get food the moment I walked over there. How did I know this? Well, it was simple. I was carrying Bellamy's child so he had to let me eat.
I suddenly arose to my feet before quickly collecting my dinner.
"Wait a minute. What, you think you play by different rules?" Murphy asked me.
"Bellamy's not gonna let me starve," I stated, grabbing Bellamy's attention instantly. "Isn't that right, Bell?"
Bellamy didn't say anything and neither did Murphy. I grinned before walking away with my dinner. Finn managed to do the same for Clarke, but obviously in a different way. Out of everyone, we were the only ones who managed to get food without removing our wristbands. We must be the lucky ones.
~
"So, I've got this theory," a familiar voice begun, causing me to jump out of my own skin.
I had been resting as peacefully as I could - despite the fact that I still had my nightmares - to only be woken up by John Murphy. My heart pounded fast, causing my hand to rest over my chest.
"Jesus, John. Why'd you have to scare me like that?"
A grin appeared on his face before he moved a little closer to me. "Scaredy cat".
"Yeah, you would be too if someone tried to give you a freaking heart attack".
His grinned developed into laughter, causing me to roll my eyes.
"Did you actually come here for a reason? Or did you just want to scare me to death?"
"I have a theory that I'd like to share with you".
This should be good. I quickly sat up and begun to straighten out my body. My hair was a mess and my stomach was half showing, which caused me to pull down my shirt immediately. No way did John need to see that.
"You ready?" he asked.
"Go for it".
"So, last night I detected something. An interesting vibe from you and Bellamy".
Oh no. He knew. John knew about the baby.
"Interesting vibe? What are you talking about?"
"He let you eat food without removing your wristband".
"So did you, remember?"
"After Bellamy didn't say anything to stop you".
"And you didn't with Finn".
"That was different".
"How?"
"Because I didn't look at Finn the way Bellamy looked at you".
I was silent.
"Look, I've got to know, has anything ever happened between you two since we arrived on earth?"
I paused for a small moment. "No".
It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth. It was something in-between. No, nothing had happened since earth. But, something had happened on the Ark.
Relief struck his face. "Thank god".
"Were you worried, John?"
"Me? Hell no".
"Sure, okay," I said with a laugh.
"I wasn't".
I nodded with a grin on my face. He was worried... and maybe he had a right to be. I didn't love or even like Bellamy, but if John ever found out about the baby, things could change very quickly.
"I have another theory".
"Go on," I sighed.
"What's with that sigh?"
"Well, I wonder who you'll suspect I'm involved with this time. Clarke, maybe?"
"Well..."
"John!"
He begun to laugh. "I'm just kidding".
"Thank you. Clarke's clearly not my type".
"Oh yeah, and what is your type?"
"Whatever feels natural. Clarke feels more like a sister than anything else. But anyways, you were going to tell me your theory".
"Right. My theory. Actually, my theory is about your wristband".
"My wristband?"
"Yeah. You know, the reason why you won't remove it".
"Okay. Let's here it".
"There's someone up on the Ark that you care about. Deeply," John paused. "Someone you might even love. Father of your child, maybe?"
I shook my head. "No. That's not the reason why I still have it on".
"Then why keep it on? Doesn't it make you feel like a prisoner?"
"In some ways, yes. But the reason I keep it on is for Clarke. She has people she cares about up on the Ark. And if keeping it on helps her reunite with those people then it's worth it," I explained.
"Isn't there anyone you care about?"
"Everyone I did, died".
"I'm sorry".
"Don't apologize. It doesn't suit you. Besides, that was all a long time ago".
Four months ago...
"Quinnie! Let's see the dress," my mom said, sounding way too excited for something as casual as dinner with some friends.
"I'll be right there, mom," I said before attempting to zip up my dress.
I had trying to do this for almost five minutes, and I could tell I was making my mom restless. But everytime I attempted to zip up my dress, failure only followed. It was my little bump's fault. Ever since I got pregnant, I had been gaining weight. But today proved that I could no longer hide it. My bump was on display for the world to see in this dress. I needed to find a way to hide it. And I knew exactly who could help me. It was my best friend, Rory.
"Mom, I'm gonna pop out for a bit quickly, okay?" I asked as I put on my denim jacket.
"But Quinnie, I want to see the dress".
"You will do, mom. I promise. But I need to go out".
"Fine. But be quick. I really want to see my beautiful angel in that beautiful dress".
I dashed down the hall before making a quick left to Rory's. If anyone could help me, it was her. We had been best friends since she was eight and I was five. We loved each other like crazy. And so when I told her I was pregnant, Rory was instantly on board with helping me in any way she could. She had been turning my regular clothes into maternity clothes just by adding some extra fabric, or just sizing up my clothes. Rory had been there for me, every step of the way. After all, it was her baby I was carrying.
~
"What about, Zoella?" Rory asked me as she begun to take my measurements.
"Rory, I don't care. Whatever you want. It's your baby".
She had been coming up with baby names for months now. I could tell how excited she was to be a mom.
"But Quinn, I want your approval. You are he or she's birth mother. I want you to at least like the name. What about, Isabella?"
My body felt like I was going to throw up yesterday's lunch.
"Are you seriously going to name the child after that bitch?"
Rory begun to laugh. "I knew you cared".
"Well, yeah. When it comes to that name anyways".
Rory continued to laugh. "I was just kidding. I've already picked out the names".
Shock struck my entire body. "You have?"
"Yeah. I've had plenty of time to think about it. And because you're the baby's biological mom, I wanted he or she to be named after you".
The sound of that, made my eyes begin to water.
"Oh Rory," I cried. "God, these pregnancy hormones. They're getting me all emotional".
I quickly wiped my tears away just as Rory's arms wrapped around my waist. "You wanna hear them?"
I nodded quickly. "Yes".
"If it's a boy, I'm gonna name him, Quentin, obviously after your first name. And if it's a girl, I'm gonna name her, Rae, after your middle name. I mean, I thought calling the baby, Quinn, would be a bit weird, but it still does relate to you," Rory explained.
"I love them. Both of them".
"Really?"
"Absolutely".
"I'm glad because I really want you to be apart of the baby's life".
"I will be. As much as I can. I just can't let my mom find out".
"She won't. When you really start to show, you can move in with me".
"And that is why I'm a hundred per cent certain you are going to be the best mother ever. Quentin or Rae will be extremely lucky to have you as their mom".
"Thank you, Quinn. No words can describe how grateful I am for everything you're doing for me. I seriously love you so much".
"I love you too, Rory".
~
A week later, I found myself in trouble. It all occurred when I heard the door open.
"Quinnie, we need to go-" my mom said before being cut off by my baby bump.
My heart begun to beat so fast that I seriously felt like I was going to have a heart attack.
"Quinnie, what is that?"
I didn't say anything. How could I find a way to explain this to her?
"Quinzel Rae, what the hell is that?"
Saying my full name only meant one thing. I was in deep trouble.
"Mom, please, just let me explain-"
"I am not your mom, and you are not my daughter".
I tried to take her hand to comfort her. To tell her that I was okay, but she didn't let me take another step closer towards her.
"Please mom. I'm scared. I just need you to tell me that it's going to be okay. Please. Just tell me everything is going to be all right," I begged her.
"You have disgraced us all".
"Mom-"
"I thought I raised you right. I thought that after your father, you'd know better. Clearly I was wrong. You are just like your father. You have both shamed the family, destroying the 'Brady' name completely".
"I'm nothing like dad, I promise. Dad tarnished our name but I won't. Rory is going to raise the baby. After I give birth, that will be it. You won't have to live with the shame because there won't be any. Rory is old enough to have the baby, and nobody has to suspect a thing, okay?" I explained with tears filling up my eyes. "Please mom. Please tell me that you forgive me. Tell me that you love me".
Just as I thought my mother saw the light, she immediately rushed out the door and began to alert the guards. I wanted to run, but the room began to fill with guards too quickly. There was no escape.
"Quinzel Brady, you are under arrest for illegal pregnancy".
"You need to arrest, Lorelei Stone. She helped hide the pregnancy," my mother added.
Rory. There were going to execute, Rory.
"No! Mom! Why are you doing this?" I cried.
"You're mother is doing right by the law," a guard said. "Now, let's go".
"No! Don't arrest, Rory! She didn't do anything!" I yelled.
I was moved from my house to the corridor whilst I continued to scream.
"Make sure the baby is dealt with," my mother told them.
"No mom! No, please! No! I'm your daughter! Did you hear me? I'm your daughter!" I cried.
~
In a short amount of time, I had lost everyone. Rory had died the day after our arrest, and my mother had disowned me before overdosing in her bedroom. I was alone... and it was all my fault.
A single tear rolled down my cheek before I wiped it away immediately.
"Are you okay?" John asked.
"Yeah. I'm fine. Just got something in my eye".