My Little Girl

December 11, 1996
5:30 am

Although she was fussy at times, Brayten was sleeping through the night. Well for the most part. It was like watching a person with cancer. We have good days and we have bad days. Last night was a good day and she allowed me to sleep for about 4 hours, then needed fed, then another 2 hours of sleep. Today is my first day of school since she got here. She's a month old now, and it's my 16th birthday. I always get up at 5:30 on a school day, so I changed Brayten and went downstairs. I fed her and gave her to my mom to go get dressed. I only lived about a block from the school, which was a good thing. And the babysitter lived across the street.

"Do you have her stuff?" Mom asked as I was getting ready to leave.
"Yes Mom. I do. I'll see you tonight" I said as I slung my backpack across my shoulder and started down the street. Brayten was getting heavier, that was for sure. Brian was waiting at his house for me.
"Dude, let me take your bag." he said taking my backpack. We told jokes as we walked to Jimmy's.
"Hey! Zacky! Brian!"a girl said, not noticing to the grey and pink baby carrier I had.
"Brian, go get Jimmy. I don't want Brayten to get to cold." I said. He nodded and trudged up the stares. I mean, we live in California and all, but it was fucking cold.
"Is this your sister Zacky?" the girl said.
"No, My daughter. I'll admit it. Who are you again?" I said. She made an "O" with her mouth.
"I'm Jordyne Clark. I'm Erica's cousin. I just moved here. Have you seen Erica?" she said.
"Erica moved to Texas, Jordyne." I said. She nodded.
"Okay. Can I walk with you to school." she said.
"Uh, sure" I said.
"Zacky! Brian dumped water on me!" Jimmy complained. I laughed. I had god damned stupid friends. Jimmy glared at me and I smiled at him. I could hear Brayten start to get fussy. I bent down to pick her up.
"Aw! Daddy's little girl." Jimmy sang.
"Hardy har har. Get her carrier. We gotta get to school soon and I still have to drop her off." I said as I started walking down the path towards the school, rubbing her back. She was still tiny, only weighing about ten pounds. I had asked her doctor about it last week and she had told me it was pretty normal for a baby her size and she would soon catch up to other children her age, which was a relief. Finally, we were at the babysitters and I was knocking on the door.
"Hello. Mrs. Bret right?" I said.
"Yes. You must be Zacky?" she said.
"That would be right. This is Brayten. Here's her feeding schedule. I have to feed often because of her size, the doctor wants her to gain weight. Um, she hates sleeping on her back, just as a warning, and she is, for the most part, a happy little girl." I said. She took her from me.
"I'll see you at 3:30 then?" she said. I nodded and walked across the street where Brian handed me my backpack.
"I've never seen a guy like you, Zacky. You found out you were a dad a month ago and have taken on the responsiblity of being both Mom and Dad for that little girl. Admit it, you would do anything for that girl" Jimmy said.
"Yea. I would. She's my whole world guys. Don't make fun of me. This is going in my locker." I said showing them a picture of me and Brayten that I took last week. Well, she was laying on my shoulder and I had tilted the camera so I could see her a little bit better.
"Aww. Daddy's little girl!" Brian and Jimmy said, at the same time. I walked into the office.
"Mr. Baker. Glad to see you're back. Everything good at home?" the principal asked me.
"Uh, yea. Just tired." I said.
"His kid's been keeping him up a lot." Jimmy said. I shot him a dirty look.
"Your kid?" the principal asked me.
"Her name is Brayten Jade Baker. She's a month old. Her mom left me with her and I'm a doing the best I can. It's hard because, you aren't really ready to be a parent until you are one. Even then, you are not completely ready. At least I wasn't. But then again I'm 15." I said.
"Actually, you're 16" Jimmy said.
"Not until 1:32" I said. He made a face and I rolled my eyes.
"Well, I wish you the best of luck, Zachary. Would you mind speaking to our 7th and 8th graders about teen pregnancy during 7th period tomorrow?" he said. I nodded and head towards class.

- 7th hour: Math-

I played nervously with my shirt.
"Mr.Baker, is something wrong with you." The teacher asked me as I kept glancing at the clock. I gulped.
"Um actually. I really really like uber majorly need to go check on my daughter." I said, bouncing my knee.
"Your daughter? I was unaware you were a father." he said.
"Yea. She's a month old." I said.
"Theres only 25 minutes of class left, Mr.Baker. I usually don't do this, but you can go. I grabbed my stuff and went to my locker.
"Yo, Zacky. Where you heading man?" Brian asked coming up. He had free period. I looked at him.
"I can't do this Brian." I said.
"Do what?" he said.
"Be away from her. She's my life. " I said. He looked at me and smiled.
"I was beginning to wonder how long it was going to take you to realize this." he said. I shoved him and went down to guidence office.
"Mr. Baker. How can I help you?" Dr. Smith asked me.
"Um. I need to switch to online classes." I said.
"Any perticular reason why?" She asked.
"I can't leave my daughter" I said.
"Single parent?" she said.
"Yea." I said. I pulled the picture of me and Brayten out and showed it to her.
"She's adorable. So do you want to take all of your classes online?" she said. I nodded. 5 minutes later, I was enrolled in online classes. I walked out of the school and across the street to get my little girl. I could here her crying as I knocked. Mercedes answered the door.
"Thank god you're back. She hasn't quit crying all day!" she said handing her to me and getting her stuff. I rubbed my daughters back slowly and started to gentle pat it until she fell asleep. I sat her her carrier right as school let out.
"Let's go home baby" I whispered to her as she slept. I thanked Mercedes and started home. As I did, my phone rang. Erica Maya Jameson
"Hey" I said.
"How is she" she said.
"She's sleeping through the night, for the most part, now. She has the got the biggest green eyes ever, Erica. She's my world." I said.
"I have to go." she said and hung up quickly. I saw my grandma's car in the driveway and inwardly groaned. She didn't know about Brayten.
"MOM! We're home!" I said.
"What does he mean by we're?" Grandma asked. I sat Brayten down on the couch and started unbuckling her. She wasn't too happy about that. I went into the kitchen to make a bottle.
"Brayten, you wanna go to Grandma while I make your bottle?" I asked my screaming daughter. My mom took her.
"Now, miss Brayten. Don't give your daddy a hard time. He's working hard with you" My mom scolded her laughing. I finished the bottle and took her back, sitting at the table.
"How was school?" Mom asked.
"Horrible. I switched to online classes. So I can stay with Brayten during the day." I said. Brayten was now asleep in my arms.

I'm not leaving you again, baby girl