The President's Daughter

The light of the TV reflected off the surfaces of Tyler's living room where I sat sprawled out across the couch flicking through the channels trying to find the right channel. Soon the picture of the game on the TV illuminated the dark room. I watched intently as the camera followed around players during their lap on New Jersey ice before the national anthem would be sung. Tyler and I have now been dating for only two weeks, but it felt as if I've known him my entire life. However, these long road trips were definitely terrible.

Before I knew it, it was the intermission before the second period with the Bruins taking a 2-0 lead over the New Jersey Devils. Tyler scored a goal from a breakaway and netting the puck in the back of the net. I still sat in my spot in the couch wrapped in a blanket drinking the bottle of water I held in my hand.

Loud knocking on the door broke me out of my trance. Confused, I stood up slowly as I walked toward the door. The knocking continuously got louder as I got closer to the door. I hesitantly opened the door as my curiosity got the best of me.

My jaw dropped as the figure on the other side of the door registered in my head. Her blonde hair was a mess, and it looked as if she had been crying for hours on end covered by the sleepiness in her eyes. Black smudges around her eyes made her look even worse if that was possible. On the other side of the door stood a crying Candace, Tyler's sister. I instantly recognized her from the numerous pictures of I have seen of the two together.

“Uh hi,” I said quietly as I opened the door wider.

Candace looked up from the floor appearing to be startled by my voice. Her red teary eyes met mine as she asked in a strained voice, “Is Tyler here?”

“He's in New Jersey for a game,” I started but was cut off my a tear falling down her cheek. “Hey, are you okay?” I asked while pulling her into a hug trying to comfort her. As I wrapped my arms around her she began to cry harder. I walked her into the apartment with my arms still wrapped tightly around her as I closed the door behind us.

“I'm sorry,” she said while releasing me from her tight grasp.

“Don't worry about it. Are you okay?” I asked while tucking a piece of her loose hair behind her ear.

“Do you think I could stay here until Tyler gets back...Oh! I'm Candace by the way! I promise I’m not some creep stalking my brother,” she rattled off hastily.

I laughed. “Relax, Candace I know who you are, and of course you can stay. If anything I probably look like some creep stalking your brother being here while he isn't. I'm Ashton. I'm Tyler's...friend.”

Candace sat down on the couch where I had been sitting only moments ago. I followed behind her and sat down too. “Friend? I'm not stupid, I know there's things that Tyler doesn't tell us. Ashton, you're his girlfriend aren't you?”

“We've been keeping it low key,” I mumbled while looking at the TV only to realize the second period of the game had already started. I could tell Candace was trying to focus on other things to avoid breaking down crying again. To most people it may have not been as obvious, but that was a trick I knew all too well.

We both sat on the couch silently while we watched the rest of the game. Tyler ended up scoring another goal to help lead the Bruins to a 4-1 victory over the Devils. As the after game commentary began to play, I looked over at Candace. Her eyes were still glossed with tears threatening to fall which caused me to wonder what exactly caused her spontaneous visit to Tyler's.

“Candace...you're okay right? Not in any trouble or anything?” I asked beginning to wonder if her mom knew where her seventeen year old daughter is.

She looked over at me with a face expression that said it all. She was not fine. “My mom's going to kill me. I'm so dead, Ashton.”

I scooted closer to her so I could wrap my arms around her to hold her as she cried. At this moment she didn't seem like a seventeen year old girl about to graduate high school. Instead I felt as if I was comforting a little sister who lost her doll. I'm not sure what caused her to trust me as much as she was, but I was glad she did. Whatever she did, she didn't deserve to go through it alone.

“I'm sure whatever you did can't be that bad,” I spoke trying to calm her.

“I-I might be pregnant,” she stuttered out causing my heart to drop for a split second.

I rubbed her back as she cried harder. Whispering comforting “it's going to be okay” things to her, I struggled to keep my composure wanting to breakdown for her. I couldn't even imagine being in her position...at only seventeen.

My thoughts were broken as a loud ringing from Candace's phone on the coffee table brought both of us back to reality. I looked at the screen and noticed the caller id said 'mom'.

“Candace you need to answer this, just let her know you're here and that you're okay. You don't have to say anything else, but just let her know you're okay.” I said while picking up her phone to hand it to her.

“What no! Ashton, I can't talk to her! I will break down. Can't you do it for me!?” she pleaded while still crying.

Standing up from the couch, I answered Candace's phone. “Hello?”

“Oh my gosh, Candace I've been so worried about you! Where are you?” Her mother spoke from the other side of the phone.

“This isn't Candace, but don't worry she's fine. I'm Ashton. I'm a friend of Tyler's. Candace showed up here in Boston a little over an hour ago. Don't worry she's fine,” I began to ramble a little unsure of what exactly to say.

“What! Why is she in Boston? Can I talk to her?” she asked.

I looked at Candace trying to think of an excuse to say no. “Uh well she is in the shower right now, I can have her call you later.” I fibbed.

“Oh okay, thank you.”

And with that the conversation was over as I hung up the phone as quickly as I could. Candace shot me an appreciative look from her spot on the couch.

“Why don't you go clean up your make up,” I said as I began to look around the apartment for my keys.

“What? Why?” She asked frantically like she thought I was going to ship her back up to Canada.

“Because we have to go to the store to get some tests,” I replied while throwing one of Tyler's hoodies over me. Candace walked into the bathroom following my request. I slipped on a pair of flip flops and put my phone in the back pocket of my skinny jeans before I grabbed my wallet putting it in the front pocket of the hoodie. Candace walked out of the bathroom with a now clean face although you could still tell she had been crying.

After a quick drive to the nearest Walgreen’s, Candace and I walked into the nearly empty store. Walking through the aisles, I could tell Candace was nervous.

“Hey, no matter what its going to be okay,” I said while rubbing her back.

She nodded her head as we continued our trek to the back of the store where the pregnancy tests were located. Just at we reached our destination, my phone went off from my pocket. I pulled it out. Looking at the screen, I noticed it was Tyler.

Looking up at Candace, I suddenly got nervous. I couldn't lie to Tyler, could I?

“Please don't tell him,” she asked quietly. “not yet.”

Sighing, I answered my phone. “Hello?”

“Hey babe. I hope I didn't wake you,” he spoke softly in a way that I knew there was a light smirk playing across his lips.

I could feel Candace's eyes on me as I talked. “No don't worry I was still up. Great game by the way. You played awesome,” I spoke trying to keep the topic and my mind off the fact that I was now bent over looking at different pregnancy tests for his seventeen year old sister.

“Thanks, Ash. I know I’m awesome. I scored those goals for you,” he replied jokingly.

“Oh really? I'm so honored,” I quipped back.

Grabbing a few different kinds of tests, I threw them into the basket that I was carrying. Nodding my head, I signaled for Candace to follow me as we walked toward the front of the store.

“Anyway, what are you doing?” Tyler asked from the other side of the phone.

“You know just at the store getting a late night snack,” I replied knowing that he could probably hear the background noises of the store.

I heard Tyler's laugh as it went through the phone. “Alright then, I'll let you go. Text me when you get back to the apartment so I know you got home okay,” he spoke.

“Okay will do. Bye, Tyler.”

“Bye, Ashton. I can't wait to see you tomorrow.” He replied before ending our conversation.

Grabbing some chocolate, I threw it in the basket while looking over at Candace. Now I didn't really lie. I did get a snack. I just happen to leave out what else I was buying at the store.

The guy at the register gave us a weird look as he rung up the chocolate and numerous amounts of pregnancy tests, but at the moment I really didn't care. Using my card, I paid for the items before we quickly left the store.

Driving silently back to Tyler's apartment, I could feel Candace's breakdown coming as she stared out the window. I drove through the streets of Boston before we finally reached the apartment. I think Candace and I got up to the apartment in record time even with the bag that for some reason felt way heavier than it actually was.

I walked into the bathroom with Candace following behind me. I took all the tests out of the bag and sat them on the counter. I gave Candace a tight hug before turning to walk out of the room.

I was stopped by Candace's weak voice, “Ashton, please don't go. I know we don't know each other very well, but I don't think I can do this alone.”

“Okay,” I agreed to stay. I sat with on the counter with my back to Candace as she took five of the tests.

After she was done, she sat all the test out on the counter and the waiting began. We waited for five minutes although it felt like hours. I sat next to Candace on the bathroom floor as she sat there silently with a blank expression on her face. I didn't know whether to be happy or worried that she finally stopped crying.

The beeping of the first test caused us both to look up suddenly. I held Candace's hand as we looked at the result. My heart instantly leaped with joy as the test came back negative, but was quickly shut back down by the beeping of the second test which showed a positive result. The first four tests seemed to be divided as two were positive and two were negative.

“Tie breaker,” Candace whispered as we waited for the fifth test.

Within a second, the test beeped and Candace began to breakdown crying as a pink positive symbol flashed upon the test.

I instantly wrapped by arms around her as she fell to the floor. “Hey these things are wrong all the time,” I spoke trying to convince her that it was going to be okay. “I'll take you to the doctor tomorrow, okay? There's still a chance that you're not pregnant.” I said while rubbing her back.

I continued to rock Candace back and forth for about twenty minutes before she finally fell asleep. I struggled to lift her up, but somehow I managed to wrangle the sleeping Candace into the bed of the guestroom. After she was safely in bed, I walked into Tyler's room and laid down on his bed.

Sighing, I ran my fingers through my hair. Like Tyler, I haven't known Candace for long, but already am concerned and care about her. I just really, really hoped that those tests were wrong. Just the thought of the tests being right caused tears to well up in my eyes.

My thoughts were yet again interrupted by the ringing of my phone as Tyler's name flashed across the screen. Crap, I forgot to text him to let him know I made it home.

“Hey sorry I forgot to text you,” I said answering the phone.

& & &

Tyler's POV

“Hey sorry I forgot to text you,” Ashton said answering my call. I quickly thanked god that she was alright, but my mind quickly sent to the strained tone in her voice.

“Ashton? Are you okay? What's wrong, babe?” I quickly asked.

“Don't worry, Tyler. I'm fine, but I think we need to talk when you get home tomorrow,” she said causing my stomach to drop.

“Need to talk? Ashton, you're not breaking up with me are you?” I asked worried as I stood up from the hotel bed no longer able to sit down.

“No of course not, Tyler. Somethings happened today that we need to talk about,” she spoke softly.

“Okay,” I said sighing not knowing what we would have to talk about. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too, Ty. But you need to get up early tomorrow so you can come back. So go to sleep and I'll see you tomorrow.” She said on the other side.

“You're right. Night, Ashton.”

“Night Tyler.”