Arranged and pregnant. With two different people.

“Cody what the hell?” I whined, standing out side the bathroom door
“I’m taking a shit, Carter, I can’t help it” He said from inside
I sat on the bed, bored out of my mind. We were supposed to have left for the boardwalk a half hour ago, but we needed to come back and get some money.
And then Cody decided he needed to take a shit.
Must’ve been a big one. Its been eight minutes already.
I heard the toilet flush and a few moments later, Cody walked out. I stood up, walking over to him. He wore jeans and a sweatshirt, the pocket holding all our money. I had on a feminine version of exactly what he was wearing.
As I walked past the bathroom, I caught a wiff of just exactly what he did in there. And started to choke.
“Shit, Cody what the hell happened in there?” I said, making a face at the malicious oder
He shrugged
“Did you shit out an atomic bomb or something?”
“I’m a man. Its only going to get worse, babe”
“Ugh. I can’t wait” I said sarcastically.
We got into the car, finally getting away from the family. Cody grabbed my hand, interlocking our fingers together.
I let him because if he was happy, I wasn’t annoyed. And stress was super bad for your baby.
I wasn’t falling in love with Cody. I probably never would. We were polar opposites and no matter how much I tried, I could never love someone like that. It was cliché but I couldn’t do it. He was like that boyfriend that you dated just because he was hot and brought up your social status a lot.
We arrived at the boardwalk twenty minutes later. I never realized how close to a beach we were until now. Hell, I couldn’t even remember what state we were in.
I’m thinking New Jersey…
Anyways.
Cody grabbed my hand the instant we got onto the boardwalk, a clear sign that I was taken. Because just walking with him and having a baby bump wasn’t enough.
We headed down past shops filled with souvenirs I wouldn’t need. Cody pulled me into a t-shirt shop. A dirty t-shirt shop. My kind of t-shirts.
We entered the dark place, walls covered in possible t-shirt phrases you could get ironed onto the shirt of your choice.
We stopped in front of baby-shirts, laughing at the phrases
“too cute to play with your ugly-ass kid”
“watch your fucking language there’s a goddamn baby in this room!”
“all daddy wanted was a blowjob”
“Carter, look at that one” Cody said pointing to one at the top
I looked “Which one”
“The one that says ‘are you my daddy’?” He laughed
I rolled my eyes “You immature douche bag”
“I need to buy it for our kid”
“No”
“Awh come on!”
“No”
“Too late” He grinned, grabbing a shirt and running off with it.
I stormed after him, upset about that. He smiled at me, holding a bag. I glared at him before stomping out of the store, arms crossed. Cody groaned following me out.
“Carter, come on” He said, wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I shook it off “It’s just a joke”
I ignored him, walking faster
“Am I getting the silent treatment now?”
I didn’t respond
“Please Carts, talk to me” He begged. I leaned against the edge of the boardwalk, looking away.
Cody stood in front of my view. “Don’t be mad. I won’t make our baby wear it”
He put his hands on either side of me, trying to get my attention. I purposely looked away. “Carter. I’m sorry. What if I buy you something pretty?”
I didn’t move.
He pressed his forehead against mine “What if we go on the fairs wheel together?”
Still no response.
“What if we do both?”
He pressed his lips against mine gently. I didn’t move.
“What if we do whatever you want to tomorrow, no matter what?”
I looked at him cautiously, to see if he was serious. He met my eyes hopefully.
After a second, I nodded. Cody grinned, kissing me again.
“That’s my girl. Come on, I’m getting hungry”
He grabbed my hand, pulling me along as we went in search of some funnel cake. I smiled slightly, following after.
Cody pulled me into various stores after that. Most of them were t-shirt shops. I pulled him into a few jewelry ones that I saw along the way.
By the end of the day, we had plenty of things. I had gotten a few pieces of jewelry for myself and a small thing for our mothers. Cody had gotten a ton of shirts referencing inappropriate things (mostly sex and beer) which I cracked up when I read. I think he was trying to keep me on my good side.
It wasn’t working like he wanted for I was still upset about the whole kid thing. So I was trying to keep up my anger while he was trying to bring it down.
Currently, I was in a small shop getting a henna tattoo on my chest. It was a nautical star in the center of my chest. Cody was sitting next to me, bored out of his mind.
The man finished wrapping it up
“Alright. You can take it off tomorrow when you wake up.” He said, cleaning off his hands “And no sex tonight”
“Damn” Cody muttered
I shoved him playfully “Thank you”
We stood up, walking out. I kept pressing down to make sure the bandadge-like thing stayed there.
“Can’t wait for you to take it off”
“What? So you have a reason to stare at my chest now?”
He grinned innocently
“Immature asshole” I laughed.
“I have an idea” Cody said, grabbing my hand. I rolled my eyes as he pulled me along down the boardwalk. We wove in and out of people, his grip tight on my hand.
Cody stopped after a while. I looked up before us.
A Fairs wheel loomed over us, the seats spinning around in the circular motion. I noticed how there was a slight line at the base, couples lined up. The sun was sitting, making it a romantic ride. And I knew fireworks were supposed to be starting up.
Cody walked us to the end of the line, two tickets in his hand. He smirked at me, holding one out for me. I glared at him, taking one from his hands. He shrugged, not phased by my random mood change.
The Fairs wheel creaked as it stopped. The attendant working there, jerked open the door and a family of three got off. I watched them walk away, the little girl jumping around throwing her arms everywhere. My mind wondered if that would be me and Cody soon, talking our child on their first rides.
As the first couple got on, the line stumbled forward, everyone eager to get a seat for the firework showing. I glanced behind us, seeing just how long the line had become. My eyes widened slightly at the shock. Not all of them could get on. But they were going to try.
“Babes, its our time” Cody whispered in my ear, guiding me forward. I snapped my head around, giving the guy my ticket. He glanced down at my bump. I covered it defensively, hoping it looked more like fat than a baby.
I hadn’t thought about the fact that I was pregnant.
Cody motioned for me to go in first. I slide in, Cody following after.
“Keep your hands and feet inside the cart at all times” The attendant said in a monotone voice “Do not jerk the cart. Have a nice time”
He closed the cart’s door, pulling down the lap bar at the same time. There was plenty of room between my belly and the bar, making me feel better about this.
Cody slid over, wrapping his arm around my shoulders as the wheel gave a jerk, sending us backwards. We only moved a few feet before it stopped for the next couple to get on.
“Thanks for the second date, Carts” Cody said.
I shrugged “Whatever. Just don’t get used to this”
He laughed “You’re not as friendly as before, babe”
“You aren’t exactly giving me a reason”
“I’m trying, Carter, I really am”
“Maybe I don’t want you to try”
“Lighten up. You act like something’s shoved up your ass all the time”
“Wow. That’s flattering Cody” I said sarcastically
He grabbed my hand, interlocking our fingers. I didn’t pull away, liking the feeling. Nor did I let him see that I enjoyed this.
The cart jerked again and we backed up a little bit. I counted how many seats remained. Four.
“Anyways, just, thanks for, ya know. Putting up with the whole marriage” Cody shrugged, looking away.
“Uhm. I didn’t really have a choice there, did i?”
“Neither did I, but you could’ve told them you were pregnant before and gotten out of it”
“Still can, can’t i?”
“Well yeah, but they’ve convinced themselves its my kid”
“What if he comes out black?”
“Well, we’ll probably already be married, so we’d have to get a divorce”
“Can we?”
It jerked again. Three more seats left.
“Technically”
“I want one.”
Cody froze “Are you serious?”
“Cody, I don’t want to be forced in a marriage. Its not what I wanted. Hell, I don’t even get to plan it. I’d rather be a single mom than a forced wife.”
He remained silent, surprised by what I said.
“I can’t go to school anymore cause of this fucking kid. If it was yours that’s one thing, but I don’t even know who it belongs to anymore.”
The cart jerked back. Two seats left.
“If you really want a divorce, we’ll get one” Cody said after a moment of silence.
I noticed how he had let go of my hand. His arm was no longer wrapped around my shoulders.
Shit.
“Cody, it’s not like we can’t still be friends. I’d date you if I wasn’t forced into this” It was a lie. Cody was never one that I would be compatible with. I would never have bothered with him and he would never have bothered with me.
“Whatever, Carter.” He said, leaning forward on the lap bar. Cody ducked his head down.
I cussed under my breath “Cody, come on”
“What”
“Look at me” I said
“Why”
“Cody!” I pulled his head my way so that I could look into his eyes.
The cart jerked again, meaning one more couple had to get loaded on.
“Look at me” I repeated, whispering. Cody’s eyes met mine for a moment before they fell again. “Why are you so surprised about this?”
He shrugged, pulling away. “I guess I just thought that you were starting to like me”
I sighed, “I do like you, dude. You’re like my best friend”
“You know what I mean”
I sighed “Cody, you didn’t show any interest in me until you found out I was pregnant. How is that supposed to make me feel?”
“Carter, forget it.”
The cart jerked one last time and we began to move. I noticed how the couple in front of us looked so peaceful together. They weren’t dealing with shit.
“Look at me” I said again. Cody moved his head slightly enough for me to see his eyes.
I played my hand under his chin, pulling his head my way. Cody moved without objection. I pulled him so close that our noses almost touched.
“Cody you’re my friend. And I might feel some attraction to you.” I said as we headed down. “But that doesn’t mean I want to get married at seventeen. Or with a kid.”
“You think I do?” He whispered.
“I know you don’t.” I whispered back. “But…whatever happens to us… I want you to know something”
“What is it?” He asked.
“I think… I think i…”
The wind picked up, blowing our hair in our faces. Cody tucked my hair behind my ear. I closed my eyes, leaning into him.
Our lips pressed gently against each others, moving slowly together. Cody wrapped his arm around my waist and I pressed mine against his cheek.
We pulled away after a moment just in time for the first firework to go off.
I jumped, surprised at the noise. Cody laughed, pulling me into a half hug.
We stayed in each other’s arms the rest of the night.