Harry

There are moments in life that really stick out in your mind. There are a few for myself that push past my memories and constantly play in my brain. The second time I was diagnosed was the main memory. The time I broke my arm, or when I found out I was 'cured' were other big ones. The day I met Alex, and the first time we had sex and most importantly the day she told me she was pregnant. Those were the more clear pictures in my brain.

Becoming a father was something I never thought about at eighteen years old. And I never thought of being a father to a baby girl either. But there on the screen, the doctor pointed out the sex of the baby and it was confirmed it was, in fact, a girl.

Even in black and white, fuzzy, and barely visible as she rotated in the womb, she was beautiful. It was our baby, and I had another woman in my life to take care of and love with every ounce of my body. She would be the love of my life from now on, no matter what happened between her mother and me.

"Are you disappointed?" Alex's voice brought me back to reality as we sat in the doctor's office alone.

"Of course not baby, I'm happy, it's just crazy and keeps getting crazier every time they point something new out. Her heartbeat and her toes and now we can name her and one day she'll be home with us and our baby will be real." I might have been rambling now, but she squeezed my hand in reassurance that it was okay to be nervous. I always felt safe with Alex in times like this.

"I'm nervous too, I had a strange dream a few days ago that we would have a girl, I can't believe that it is actually happening."

"Now we have to tell everyone, or do you want to keep it a secret?" she shrugged.

"No, I guess my mom wants to buy me some stuff and she told me as soon as I find out the sex, we should tell her." I agreed.

The doctor came back with photos of the ultrasound and we left the office holding hands. I helped her in the car and began driving home.

We were left alone at home so we went to lay down for a while. I rubbed Alex's feet while she rubbed her belly. If you asked me a year ago if this is where I saw myself, I would have laughed. "I think I want something simple like Grace." I almost had forgotten what she was talking about, but of course, she meant the name for the baby.

"I don't know baby, maybe we can be a bit more creative, give her a strong name." she nodded. "You know like your name is strong, Alexandria."

"I'm not too sure about a strong name, I just want something pretty and sweet." I didn't really care what we would name her, I just hoped that she would be as beautiful as her mum.

"I hope she looks like you-" we said at the same exact time, laughing. "I'm serious Harry, I want her to be pretty." I rolled my eyes.

"Are you insisting you aren't pretty because you are the most beautiful woman on earth in my eyes." she didn't respond, a sure sign she was thinking. When Alex thought too much, she would end up with a migraine.

I sat up and crawled over her, kissing up her stomach and in the middle of her chest to her neck. She tilted her neck to the side, letting me reach the spot that made her weak. She giggled and wrapped her arms around me to signal me to continue.

Sex was different now, but it was way more intimate. It was almost as if we didn't appreciate it enough before. Once she was naked and we were connected, it felt so amazing and like nothing else in the world mattered. No schoolwork, jobs, bills, or future.

Just me and Alex.

But then I felt it, against my torso as I hovered over her gently pressing my body against her stomach. The baby kicked and had kicked me hard. We both paused, nothing feeling stranger than this, there really was a baby in there and it had mildly freaked me out. Freaked me out enough to become soft at least. "Did you-" she stopped looking down.

"I'm sorry, it caught me off guard and my body reacted." she kept looking down between us, well tried to, and frowned.

"Am I that big?" I rolled my eyes.

"It's not you, you look very beautiful. The baby kicked me and I don't know." I sat up and groaned as I rested my head on my hands. I felt her shift, her head landing on my shoulder as she sat up. I felt her shaking beside me and for a moment I assumed she was crying. I was wrong. "Are you laughing?"

"Yeah." she giggled. "Sorry I just- it's like finally having cake and someone telling you that you can only eat it on your birthday." I raised an eyebrow. "Like we just began having sex, and I'm sure it's gonna be different now. I mean we never really got to experience it like normal people."

I sighed feeling a bit guilty for getting freaked out. "We will baby. Maybe not while you're pregnant but afterward." she leaned her head against mine. "Yeah, there's always time...hopefully."

Graduation was a few weeks away and Alex was past seven months by the week before prom. She was staying with her mom for a few days as her appointments became closer and closer together. I tried to be there as much as I could, but with school work piling up, her mom wanted to take her to her check-ups.

She came home late one night, the house ready to go to sleep, when she came in and had a bag with her. "Oh, someone went prom dress shopping." my mum cheered.

"She did, it was harder because of the belly, but we found something." Alex rolled her eyes at her mother's slightly passive-aggressive tone. She left right afterward, Alex showing the dress to my mum but not me.

"It's not a wedding dress, let me see it."

"No it's a surprise, just know it's red and you have to wear red." I saluted her. She laid down and tried to get comfortable but failed after a few tries. "Baby stop kicking me so hard, please." I reached to put my hands on her stomach and felt the baby push up against my hands.

"Little lady, it is past your bedtime." Alex giggled at my stern voice. "You have to let mummy go to bed sweetheart. She has work in the morning." Alex groaned at the thought of work.

We got comfortable in bed and turned down the lights, slowly drifting into sleep, until I was poked in the chest. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," I responded half asleep.

"Well I was talking to my mom and I know we know a lot about each other but she was asking if you had any religious beliefs because I want to baptize the baby."

I was baptized as well as a child because of my dad, but as long as I could remember, there wasn't much talk about religion in our household. "I'm fine with it, but I'm a bit confused as to your mother's beliefs if she told you to abort the baby and now wants to have you baptize her." she was quiet so I turned to her.

"It wasn't my mom's idea, it was mine. She just stated that not everyone wants to do that." I nodded. "It's your baby also and I wouldn't do anything you wouldn't be comfortable with."

"Well, I think it would be great." I shrugged.

"I thought of a few names, and I think you might like them too." I nodded slowly falling asleep, I was so tired constantly and today was no different after a long day of work. "Goodnight Harry, I love you."

"I love you too baby."

Alex

"I can't believe you're having a girl, oh my God she's gonna be so cute." I had decided to tell the few girls that hung around with Mary and me about the baby. They seemed happy for me but I couldn't help but keep my guard up at all times.

Kids weren't the nicest when it came to the pregnant girl, which didn't make sense. How can the school bully, drug addicts, and annoying people in general, get more respect than someone who is just trying to graduate while pregnant.

I had gotten used to the stares by now, but the constant name-calling still hurt my feelings. For instance, today I went to the bathroom, for the tenth time, and two girls came in and were talking about me as they came in. They spoke about how I shouldn't even be allowed to go to prom or graduation because it wouldn't look good for the school.

It was hard to ignore them, all the mean people and their opinions, and it sucked to think that any of my so-called 'friends' are talking behind my back.

"I have to pee." I suddenly said, standing with my stuff. Harry was at the library studying for a test next class, so I decided I would join him instead of being here and talking about the baby. I didn't mean to sound like a bitch but it's all I ever talked about. I wanted to change subjects already and just ignore the fact that I'm pregnant for a day.

I walked out of the cafeteria and was walking when I was suddenly pulled by the back of my hair and a hand covered my mouth covering my screams. I was dragged backward, my heartbeat racing and my stomach hardening as I was pulled back into a utility closet in the hallway.

I wasn't surprised yet still terrified as I stared into the eyes of the boy who had been making school a living hell. "What the hell did Mary tell you?!" he screamed into my face. I was stuck, completely frozen in place in shock. "Huh! I know she told you about this weekend!"

"I don't know anything, please! Stop!" he pinned my hands back and began calling me names. I was even more confused as to what was happening, what had Mary not told me?

I felt a sharp pain go through my back and I was beginning to panic. "Do yourself a favor and mind your own business!" he seethed. I looked up into his face and it looked like he hadn't slept in days, his eyes red and dark. He had to have been on drugs.

"You're hurting my baby! Please let me go!" I begged. He scoffed and opened the door, looking around the empty hallway. I was suddenly shoved out and fell, landing on my side. A pain ripped through my body and I knew something was wrong.

He walked away and I was left there struggling to get up until a teacher walked by and helped me by calling an ambulance.

Thank you for reading. Xx

-k