Chasing the Moon

“Oh God!” I yelped, my eyes darting to the door and then to Aiden a few times. “Marshall!”

“Oh, shit!” Aiden hissed. “Here, I’ll go out the window!”

I rushed him over to the window and struggled to open it. The latch wouldn’t open! I rattled it relentlessly, begging it to open. My prayers were finally answered when it flung open and I pushed Aiden to the window sill.

“I get if you’re mad at me for the other day and—”

Aiden stopped climbing out the window and dropped to the floor, his eyes at his feet. Marshall stood gaping in the doorway and I gulped. This couldn’t end well.

“What is going on?” he demanded, narrowing his eyes at Aiden. I decided to try feigning childish innocence.

“This is a boy I know.”

“Gabriella, you better tell me what the hell is going on!” he hissed, stepping further into my room. “I came to apologize, but now I want to throttle you!”

“I—”

His facial expression soon changed and I grimaced as his brow furrowed and he stepped up to me. Aiden growled low in his throat, nearly silent, as Marshall grabbed my hips and pulled me to him. He was staring at my stomach, seeming confused. He bent down and pressed his forehead to it.

“You little whore!” he bellowed, rising gracefully and striking me across the face. I cried out, stumbling backwards. Aiden caught me quickly, probably out of fear of me losing the baby. “It had better not be this bastard’s!”

I bit my lip, knowing that what I was about to say would shatter Aiden’s heart into a million—if not more—pieces. I only hoped he would forgive me.

“No, it’s not.” I glanced over and saw Aiden’s eyes go wide. He looked absolutely terrified. “It’s not his baby.”

“Then whose is it?” Marshall demanded, unfazed. Aiden was staring at me through tortured eyes and his hold on me slipped, so I had to hold myself up. I reached for his hand, but he moved it just out of reach.

“I’m not sure. It could be a number of guys’,” I muttered as nonchalantly as I could.

“Why is the love of my life such a slut?” Marshall sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Then who is this dope?”

“He’s my boyfriend.” I ignored the threats Marshall muttered on my breath; I had more important things to worry about, like how miserable Aiden looked. I had to blink away the tears.

“Why would a teenage boy want to raise a kid? I know I wouldn’t if it wasn’t mine.”

“That’s the difference between you and him. He’s just that nice and sweet and adorable.” I sent a pleading glance at Aiden, but he refused to look at me.

“I don’t believe this! I’m not fucking taking care of a kid that’s not mine. You, Gabby, are a lost cause.”

Yeah, it stung, but it was worth it to see him leave and hear him slam the door behind him. I looked over to Aiden, a small smile on my face. He left my side and collapsed on the bed.

“Aiden...”

“How could you do this to me?” he asked, looking up at me for the first time in what seemed like forever. He had bloodshot eyes already.

“Aiden, you have to understand. Please. Forgive me?”

“How the hell could I forgive you?” he asked, his voice cracking.

“I was bluffing!” I screeched, running to him and throwing my arms around him.

“And I’m supposed to believe that?”

I didn’t think getting Marshall off my back would also mean pushing Aiden away. Oh, me and my horrible ideas!