Quinn POV

Hanging out with my Dad the other night was weird.

There was no surprise catch to the dinner at all, it was just us. The whole time I was expecting Richard or one of his work friends and their daughter to pop up, but no. It never happened.

He asked questions about me, which I wasn't used to. My Father even asked about my plans after high school and if I need help applying to any school since I haven't done any of that before.

Not once did he compare me to my sister, which I'm used to my Mother doing a lot. He just genuinely seemed interested in my plans and what I want to do.

I'm just waiting for the ball to drop about something and him getting to know me is only for whatever plan he's been stirring up.

I stand in the kitchen Monday evening sipping water. I'm planning on going to the café to grab some coffee and possibly a muffin if I feel up to it.

I don't feel like staying in the house today. I want to go out and do something. If getting coffee and hanging out in the shop does it, so be it.

My Father walks into the kitchen with a small smile on his lips. "Hey darling." He greets me.

He hasn't called me that since I was eleven. Maybe he actually wants us to be close after all.

"Hi," I reply. I slip my phone in my jean pocket and grab my coat. "If Mom asks, tell her I'm going out but will be home in time to help take down the tree and all." I say. She's very persistent on taking it down this week so the house doesn't seem tacky.

"Will do." My Father answers with a smile.

I soon leave my house, still having a lingering thought about my father in my mind.

***

I ordered my coffee, and now I'm waiting. My eyes linger around the shop, admiring every piece of art on the walls as well as new photographs and such.

I love this place so much, and I don't even know why. Maybe it's because I love the atmosphere and the café? Who knows, the place is just great.

"Order number 12." I hear a voice say. I give the person calling my order number a friendly smile while taking my coffee and putting the slip in the basket.

I turn around and look out the clear, glass door only to see Harry wrapping his arms around Destiny.

It looks like a tight embrace that only makes my eyes sting and heart break.

She hugs Harry back the same way, almost like they're holding on to each other. I bite my lip and move to a booth close by, not wanting to leave out of the door where they're at.

I sit down and place my cup on the table top. I bite my lip and close my eyes.

Harry POV {20 min earlier}

I sit across from Destiny in the café she chose to meet up at. Coincidentally it's the same one Quinn wanted me to go to for the longest time.

"What did you want to talk about?" I ask my ex who is staring at me with soft eyes.

Destiny remains silent and swirls her coffee around in her white, plastic cup. Her front teeth graze over her bottom, plump lip that's glossy looking, and her eyes close a little.

"Before we uh, discuss that. Can we just catch up?" My eyebrow raises at her request. "Please?"

"Why?" I ask her.

"Pushing away the fact that we were a couple, you were my best friend for more than half of my life. And, we stopped being in each other's lives. I just wanna know what's new with you—my old friend Harry." Destiny explains. A twinkle of hope is in her blue, bright eyes.

"Uh," I pause, unable to say much. "I got a job working at a hotel restaurant. I'm still a babysitter to my siblings. Uh," I don't know what else to say. "That's about it. Nothing has really changed since you moved—besides of course me dating someone new," I add. Destiny nods and stirs her coffee around. "You?" I ask.

"A lot," She responds in a sad voice. "Three months ago my Grandmother died, and that doesn't really add well to what I have to tell you later."

Sadness rushes over me by the news.

Destiny and her grandmother were really close. So close they called each other every day at the same time. I remember meeting her for the first time and it was like talking to an older and wiser Destiny. It was amazing to see their relationship and see how much they were alike.

"I'm sorry for your loss." I say with sad eyes.

She looks to her lap and smiles softly. "Thank you."

"How did she pass?" I ask.

"I don't know. She died in her sleep." She says with a small sigh.

"How did your grandfather take it?" I ask.

"Not well." Destiny tells me. "He lives with us since my Dad thinks it wouldn't be best for him to be alone."

I can only imagine what type of pain he must be in. Destiny's Grandmother, Donna, and her husband, Samuel, have known each other since their childhood. Knowing someone that long, and having a family with them, only to lose them would be heart breaking. It is heart breaking actually.

I hear the bell of the café go off, which catches my attention. It's a very loud bell I noticed.

"Anyways," She clears her throat. We both take sips from our near empty drinks. "Uh, I'll tell you now." Her chest rises and falls a little more quickly, which makes my eyebrows furrow. "Can I tell you outside? I feel very hot right now."

I remember that when she's nervous she starts to heat up a lot, which makes her pale cheeks red and sweat come from her hands, and forehead a lot.

I nod, and stand up. We throw out our cups before stepping outside into the cold, winter air.

I dig my hands into my coat pockets and look to my ex, who's staring at me with gloomy, timid eyes.

"I lied to you when I said my parents got divorced and that's why I moved," She starts. "They're in fact still married, and told me to tell you that lie for a cover. I uh," She stops talking to collect her thoughts. "I was pregnant when I moved. I was three months nearly four months, and uh yeah. The b-baby was yours by the way."

My heart falls and I feel a pit form in my stomach out of sickness. Destiny continues to speak. "I was having complications. I was bleeding a lot a-and I felt like every week I was having a miscarriage because of the pain. During this time I was going to tell you, but I knew there was something wrong, and I didn't say anything. So my Mom took me to the doctor and that's when we found out I had cervical cancer," Her eyes fall to her feet and my eyes sting with tears. "But later on, while doing chemo a-and treatment they found the cancer in my ovaries and they took both out." I cover my hand over my mouth.

"I-I had the option to either carry on with the pregnancy and die. Or terminate the baby and live..." Her voice travels off and I see Destiny wipe her eyes.

"You terminated the baby, right?" I ask. My voice is low sounding and sad. Destiny nods. "Why didn't you tell me this was happening?"

"Because I knew if I told you that we were having a child, I wouldn't want to make the option I did. I would've wanted to keep on with the pregnancy. When I moved, I did chemo and surgery's to be cancer free." Destiny says to me.

I don't know how to feel. I don't even know what to think. "Do you have any photos of..." She cuts me off by taking out the ultrasound photos from her pocket and giving them to me.

I feel my eyes sting again and my teeth bite my lower lip. I see the head, body, and a small leg. "By the time I knew I had the cancer, I was four months along exact." Destiny tells me.

"I could've been beside you during this." I tell her.

"I can't give you a family." Her eyes are welled up. "You deserve that, and me not telling you was my way of letting you go."

"You shouldn't make that decision for me," I tell her. "I loved you. Don't you think I would've stayed no matter what?"

"I do, but I didn't want you too," She says. "You deserved more than either having a dead girlfriend and a child to raise on your own at 17, or a possible wife and no kids."

"You should've told me when all of this was happening." I say through a murmur.

"You have to understand why I didn't tell you," She says in a timid voice. "Please, don't be mad at me."

"I don't even know what my feelings are to know if I'm mad. I'm just—I don't know what I am." I say while tugging my hand through my hair.

Her blue eyes peer down to her shoes where she stares at her laces. I bite my lip and hear her start to sniffle.

I hug my ex girlfriend tightly, allowing myself to comfort her and also myself in a way. She hugs me back, gripping onto my body more. "I'm so sorry Harry." Destiny says into me.

"Shouldn't I be saying that?" I ask.

"No, if I didn't get pregnant I wouldn't have known until it was possibly too late." She says against me. I stroke her lower back with my thumb and rest my chin on the top of her head.

Thinking about the possible life we created makes my eyes throb with fresh tears.

We hug each other for a long time it feels like. I just feel numb currently.

A://N

Hello!

Here is the update I promised (:

TYSM FOR READING

Comment goal: 50???

~lauren