Under A Paper Moon.

The following week I refused to leave my house. My mom tried to coax me into leaving, telling me that I literally had to spend one more week at school and that she was treating me to a day out. I still refused and stayed at home and let it all pass, I couldn't go back, not when everyone found out so abruptly. Especially becasue it would have been around the whole school in a matter of texts and IM's, not to mention whispers and rumours.

On the plus side, my dad came back, apologised sincerely. I see Jack and my friends almost everyday and I still head to the guy's band practice when I feel up to it. My mom's been helping with trying to sort the newly coming morning sickness and weaker bladder. I also got my hair cut and some new clothes.

On the downside, morning sickness is frustrating me. I'm even more tired recently, I have to remember I'm feeding for two even though food just turns me off. When I pass by people from school that would have known who I was I get looks and not forgetting that Ursela lives a block away, I've been getting hurtful messages shoved through my letterbox, texts and through email. The most recent one was an email telling me how I was "going to end up living alone because no one will want me, not even Jack." Sigh.

"Rayne?" I looked up and Jack snook his head from around the door of my bedroom. I smiled and put down my P.C. Cast book and motioned for him to come over. He smiled and shut the door with a soft click and sat opposite me on the bed. The blinds were closed over and the lamp was on, it gave the room a dark beige colour, it was nice.

"Living like a hermit?" He chuckled and looked over my laptop which was playing Marilyn Manson's "This Is Hallowe'en." softly. I have a Tim Burton fascination and it's the song from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Therefore. Also, my phone was lost in the bed covers along with my earphone's and some CD and DVD cases.

"It's nice, actually." I laughed and pecked his lips and running my fingers over his cheek.

"How've you been?" He smiled and pulled me to him so his back rested against the board at the foot of my bed. My back was to his chest, my legs slightly tangled in his while he rubbed his hands over my stomach through the fabric of my dress. He dug his face into the crook of my neck, slightly nagging on the grey soft material of my cardigan.

I lightly sighed, "Been better to be honest. I constantly feel sick and stressed."

He soothed circles into my growing-bloated stomach and kissed below my ear, "Well I'm here to talk any time, so calm down, you have me and the guys and girls to take care of you. And my parents on top of your's. You have us; your family."

"Sometimes it doesn't feel like that." I looked back at him, honesty running over my features.

"I want you to remember, you'll always have me to hold onto."

I nodded and he pressed his lips to mine then creating a passionate kiss that made my chest feel lighter and my whole body tingle. It made me feel refreshed. He pulled away and kissed the top of my nose.

"Thank you." I whispered, pushing myself into him, resting my head on his chest. I breathed in deeply and his scent built up in my nose.

"No problem." I heard the smile in his voice. We stayed there like that for a few minutes before I sat up and pressed my lips to his again sweetly.

"What was that for?" He smiled, I shrugged as my reply. We ended up watching Hot Fuzz together until blacked out in sleep.



I ran my fingers through Rayne's newly-short hair and kissed the crown of her head. Needless to say I was pretty pumped about everything that was happening recently. I'm scared, but nonetheless happy.

Rayne's all I could ask for, she made me happy, made me stay grounded. I have never told her this, or anyone - not even Alex, but the fact that she was pregnant actually made me excited. Yeah it scared the shit out of me but nontheless I couldn't wait until the due-date.
One thing that made me scared though was that if she decided the undecided and wanted to keep our kid, it would put strain on everything. This is senior year and Rayne basically dropped out, she wanted to become a photographer. But she insisted the she could become one through the internet or something. It still worries me though, this is her future she's talking about and putting on the line.
I wanted to be in a band, things are getting semi-serious for us now. Regardless our ages we want to become big. We need to try. During the next few weeks we're going to try book shows, we have mastered covers of songs so far and we have almost nine of our own songs at this point too. We want to get out there and show what we can do, we're planning on it.

I sighed and kissed her forehead and watched her brow slightly crease as I wiggled myself out from under her, resting the light covers of her bed over her. I wrote a small note and left it on the fluffed pillow beside her head before leaving her room and bringing my stiff body down the stairs. I walked into the kitchen to find it empty as I checked the time, it was a quarter after seven.

I decided to leave, I had to go meet up with Alex anyway to go over something and he'd be at my house within the next fourty minutes or so. I shrugged on my jacket and my beanie before leaving, twisting the handle of the door up so it was securely locked. I started walking in the far direction of my house and I felt a few dribbles of rain hit my neck when I looked towards the ground so I picked up my pace.

"Hey!" A girl's shreaky voice made me jump, I turned around and rolled my eyes. I turned back and started walking again.
The girl caught up with me and grabbed my arm, twisting me around to face her. Ursela.

"When I call you, Barakat, you wait."

I tore my arm from her grip, "I don't want to fucking wait." Grumpy, I started walking again. She stayed a little bit behind me but still carried on blubbering.

"You know, it was only coming to her that this was all going to happen, right? I just made it happen quicker. I mean, c'mon Jack she doesn't even want you!" Ursela was really getting on my last nerve now, I had everything in my right mind to backhand her but that would be terribly wrong. I was raised better, not like an animal. Not like her. "I mean, she has you fucking grounded with some kid that might not be even yo-"

"Jesus!" I twirled around, "Get stuffed Ursela. I love her and it's going to stay like that, OK? I know the truth when you made the bullshit up so get fucked!" I was panting.

"You don't know a single thing, Jack. Wait 'til it all comes back and bites you in the ass."