Under A Paper Moon.

"Oh my sweet Holy Mary, have you read this?" Rian gaped, his eyes widened a fierce amount and I giggled from my position on the couch. I was sat watching Cartoon Network as Rian took it into his own business to search around my living room for things. He pulled out a few pregnancy books my mother kept over time and started reading through the chapter on child birth. He looked absolutely sickened.

"Of course I have, my mom took it into her business to stand over me making sure I read at least the important chapters. She keeps freaking on me over it, especially recently because I have to be at the hospital in less than five days, the little bugger is born in less than a week." I murmured nervously. The topic itself scared me half to death, actually going through with it terrifies me.

"We'll all be there for you," Rian smiled and looked up from the floor before making a disgusted look at a picture in the book and slamming it completely, "School day or not."

"Thank you, Ciara'll also be here soon." I whispered and moved my legs so Rian could sit next to me. Rian smiled and pulled my legs over his lap.

"Alex would be delighted by that, he's been really down since she up and left. Why did she?" Rian pondered and I shrugged.

"She's scared, that's all, crap happened in Cali to both of us and I don't know." I shrugged.

"What happened?"

I sighed and gave Rian pleading eyes, "I didn't even tell Alex what happened, you know I'm close with Alex, Rian."

"I know, but keeping things to yourself just eat away at you, and no matter how close you are with Alex you should know that you can always come to me about things Rayne. Even at three AM or during something important." Rian smiled and patted my knee through my pajama pants. I smiled and nodded, twisting my hands together.

"My ex. Her ex. He's just.. Insane in every literal term, okay? He just has problems and it highly misconceived. I know he's good at heart but he just doesn't shine through. Abuse led from me onto Ciara because she got involved," I breathed, "I'm not saying anymore, okay Ri?"

He nodded and twisted his mouth to the side and settled his eyes back on Johnny Bravo and chuckled, "Where is everyone today anyway?"

I shrugged, "Alex is out with his parents for some reason, Zack is hanging out with Jade but he said he might try come over later, Alice is with Lisa and Jack could be in fucking Afghanistan for all I care." Saying this made Rian let out a loud, melodic laughed. He smiled.

"And when will Ciara be showing up?"

"She should be here by eight tonight, home by quarter to nine at the latest because my mom has to pick her up from LAX. You'll see her sometime tomorrow or whatever but Alex should be staying over tonight since it's a Friday." I beamed.

"Well by the end of the night, Alex will be like a child in an amusement park."



Alex let a groan fall past his lips as I made him get back up off his butt to help me make something to eat, he was lying half on the couch and half on the floor. I rolled my eyes at his grumpiness and placed my hands on my hips.

"Come on Al, I can't do it by myself," I whined and he made a small movement with his hand. I got extremely annoyed at this point and then muttered, "Fuck you, then." I heard him give a small chuckle and for him to shift a little on the couch, but no evidence of movement of him getting off the couch.

I walked away and padded into the kitchen, staring at the open presses I bit my lip and saw a jar of peanut butter on the top shelf. I know that I wasn't supposed to eat nuts, especially if it might affect the baby, but one time couldn't hurt.

I made my way to the counter and reached up for the jar but my enormous stomach was getting in the way and I growled at myself, a craving started to kick in and at this point I just desperately wanted the peanut butter.

Reaching up on my toes, I outstretched my arm and my fingertips brushed off the jar a couple of times as I tried to knock it into the palm of my hand. I let out a long breath and smiled as it almost fell into my palm but the front door slamming shut and a jingle of keys made me jump and the jar knocked completely off the shelf. I yelped and stepped out of the way, enough for the jar to hit the end of the counter and split into shards, landing at my feet.

"Well try not to kill yourself or injure the baby before she's born anyway, I'd like to actually meet my Goddaughter!" A pitch of a girl's laughter followed by a woman's echoed from the door of the kitchen and the smile on my face was so wide that my jaw began to hurt.

"Oh my God!" I shrieked and moved as fast as I could to wrap my arms around Ciara, she was giggling and my mom let out a lively sigh, muttering something about cleaning up the glass, "and your hair looks beautiful red, look at you!"

"Thank you, you look amazing," She bent down so she was eye-level with my stomach, "And you better not be giving Mama a hard time, you hear you little Annoyance? Because Auntie Cee would like to keep her best friend's nether regions intact."

I burst out laughing and pulled Ciara back onto her feet and muttered to her to stay there for a few moments, her bags heaving at the end of the hallway.

"'Lexi, come out, I have someone you might love to see." I poked my best friend who was now face first on the floor and he sat up slowly, and soon regained posture so he was standing and stumbling out towards the hall.

"Wh- Ciara?" He asked, mesmerized and a massive grin yanked at the corners of his mouth. I placed my hand over my mouth slightly, I chewed a little on my nail and smiled.

"Hey.." She whispered uneasily.

"Holy shit!" He laughed and moved forward and picked her up, and spun around. Her hands clasped either one of his cheeks after she was safe on the ground again and she pressed her lips against his and I looked down at the sight in front of me. I felt like a brick of jealously just dropped on my head. I wish I could have that with Jack again, but knowing he moved on from me and the baby just broke my heart thinking about him. But nothing is fair in life, even when you have all the luxuries.