Never say forever (Never series Book 1) (22 page)

I laugh, “No, I most definitely don’t want to deprive my pregnant
princess. I just got home, baby. I will see you tomorrow for dinner. Make sure to bring your appetite,” I teased back.

“
I’ll bring mine and the baby’s. Night Aiden. Love you.”

“
I love you to, my sweet Violet.”

I only call her that in private because that name shows the extent of love I have for her. No one else needs to know. She is my one and only. I hang up the phone and walk in the house. My dad must be sleeping now. He took a day off today from helping with the project. He has been helping a lot, so I understand. I walk up to my bedroom and lay in the bed. It doesn’t take me long to fall into a restless sleep. Visions of my future play through my head making me fall into a deeper sleep.

Chapter 14

Serena

One Month Later

I am now four months pregnant and time is really starting to fly. One
more month and I get to find out if I can dress my little peanut in pink or blue. I am literally counting down the days until my ultrasound. I haven’t been able to see the baby on the ultrasound since the very beginning and this is something I am anticipating. I find myself biting my nails lately just hoping time will fly by faster. Then I realize I don’t want it to fly by too soon because I’m just not ready yet.

I freak out from time to time because I am young. I don’t know anything about being a mom or raising a baby. The only thing that keeps me afloat is knowing that Aiden is here, with him around I know everything will be fine.

I have finally started to gain a little bit of weight and I have a very small bump popping out. It’s not very noticeable right now. I can still wear the same clothes I have been wearing. Not much longer before my buttons will pop though.

Larissa and Abby became quick friends one time when we all hung out. Now when anything is set for a girl’s night, we make sure we can all be there. I have been spending a lot of time with the girls since I haven’t seen too much of Aiden. It’s a good thing I know him and trust him otherwise I would be freaking out right now. Okay, I lied. I totally freak out on a daily basis. I constantly think that maybe Aiden is out with another girl who isn’t sitting at home eating ice cream and getting fat. Maybe he found someone he could have sex with without a belly getting in the way. Then I start thinking how unattractive I am and maybe he’s just losing interest. I start thinking crazy thoughts. Maybe it’s the pregnancy, I’m not all that sure. The one thing I know is that I have never acted this way and I have never felt this way. Am I just jealous? Or am I just too afraid of ending up broken-hearted with a bun in the oven?

It’s a good thing I have my girls. Every time I start thinking crazy, and believe me, they know when I’m thinking crazy. As soon as a tear falls or I get the deer in headlights stare, they know I’m deep in thought. They extinguish that fire before it blazes. They tell me how irrational I am and that it’s just my hormones flying crazy in my body. I want to believe them, I really do, but how can I when the only person I have ever loved is not even present for these important moments?

Abby even told me that Ben has been with him helping him out. I feel a little bit better knowing that because I honestly don’t think that he would cheat on Abby. Even though they are four years older than me, I still see them as the high school sweethearts, prom king and queen. They are the cutest couple you can stumble across. Even their house is cute. It’s a small cozy house fit for a small family. I would love to have a place like that someday, unless I grow a bigger family.

Today has been a little difficult for me. I woke up still exhausted. I have been tired lately and it has been lasting all day. Laziness has taken full effect and without Aiden here, I am bumming around the house. I text him a lot and I get the feeling that I’m bugging him but I can’t help it. I am lonely, even when I have my two best friends, I am lonely as hell. I need that connection we have, which is lacking because he is away from me.

Abby sends me a message to let me know she’s on her way to get me. She is taking me to her house today. I really don’t feel like it. I don’t want to move from my seat but I know that if I don’t I will just worry about Aiden and our relationship and become depressed. That’s not good for me or the baby so I decide to suck it up and deal with it.

I finish what I’m doing and change my clothes. I grab a bottle of water and some snacks I know I will need. I have been hungry a lot lately. It’s March now so winter is slowly dying down so now I can enjoy watching Aiden play football without freezing. I go to his games because right now, that’s the only chance I get to see him. I feel so deprived.

Abby pulls up and we go back to her house. I enjoy relaxing in her house. It’s quite peaceful. I sit down on the chair as Abby is preparing something for us to eat. Whatever it is, it smells very good. I could get used to being here. I browse my phone in hopes to have something from Aiden, but I get nothing. No text, no call. I don’t feel all that great about it.

I decide to call him because I just need to hear his voice. He answered the phone and I hear a bunch of background noise. I can’t quite make out what it is.

“
Hey, where are you at?” I ask hoping to know what is going on to make all that noise.

“
I’m working hunny. What do you need? Everything okay?” he worries.

“
Yeah, everything is fine. I just miss you. I haven’t heard from you and I just wanted to make sure you’re still my boyfriend.”

It sounds quiet on the other end so I am assuming he moved away from all that clatter.

“
I know, Baby. We went over this before. I hate being away from you but trust me when I say this, when this is done, you are going to be happy. This is worth it. Let me do this for you. I love you, I’m not going anywhere, I promise. My heart belongs to you, and you only. That’s a fact.”

I wish I could stop the crazy emotions that flow through me, but I can’t because this baby is still here and I have another five months to drive him insane with my hormones.

“
I know, it’s just that I’m lonely. I miss just laying in your arms. Heck, I just miss hugging you. Can you come and hug me? That’s all I ask,” I whine.

I hear him sigh on the other end.

“
I know, Baby. As much as I want to, I can’t drop what I’m doing to come there and hug you. Once this is done, I will give you as many hugs as you want. I promise.”

That’s just enough to send me into tears. I just want a hug and he can’t even come by here and hug me. I feel so unimportant.

“
Okay,” I say through broken words.

“
I’m so sorry, Baby. Don’t cry. I love you! Always and forever,” he whispers on the phone.

“
I love you, too.” I hang up the phone and look up and Abby is looking at me like she’s ready to scold me.

“
Did you just call Aiden?” She asks.

“
No,” I say quickly.

“
Don’t lie! I know you called him.”

“
Alright, fine. I called him because I wanted to hear his voice and I wanted him to come and hug me,” I say pathetically.

“
I’ll give you a damn hug. Leave the poor boy to do his work. He isn’t going to finish this if he has you calling him every second,” she says.

“
I know. I know. I’m just lonely.”

I still feel sad.

“
Don’t even do this, Serena. He is working on something for you. I have no idea what it is because no one will tell me. Not even Ben. I tried to get it out of him by withholding sex but that didn’t seem to work. Just believe me. He isn’t losing interest, he isn’t seeing someone else. He loves you with all his heart. I have known that boy for a long time and I know for a fact that boy is head over heels for you. As far as lonely... What the hell am I? Chopped liver? Hello Serena, I’m here.” She is waving her hands in front of my face.

I actually start smiling at that. “I know. I just don’t know sometimes. My feeling and emotions seem to override everything. I feel like I’m losing him, like he’s slipping right through my fingertips and it makes me feel lonely. The only thing that can cure it is to be in his arms and feeling that connection we have.”

“
I know. Let’s eat some food. I know baby in there is hungry.” It’s almost as if my baby responded because my stomach started rumbling letting me know I need food.

We sat there and talked while eating. She told me all about her childhood and when she first met Ben. I loved hearing about their love story. They are still going strong. They have been together since they were both seventeen. Hearing stories like that make me optimistic that I could have the same thing. If only I can see my boyfriend. I really hope this project is almost done because I don’t know how much longer I can go without having my other half right alongside of me.

***

Aiden

This past month has been the worst to date. We have been working extra hard but we are almost finished. Through all the long days and pain from working hard will all be a glimmer in the past once I see Serena’s face. This will all be worth it in the end. I feel like a terrible boyfriend at times because she hasn’t seen me and she’s been getting upset lately. My heart breaks knowing that she is sad because of me. I know I’ll see her beautiful smile again, until then I have to deal with the pain of seeing her emotional just a little bit longer.

Football season is almost over and the project is just about complete. Just a little bit longer and she will have nothing but my attention. Although, I do need to look for a job after this. I will still be spending my days and nights making this up to her.

From what I have seen of her, she has a small bump, reflecting our love growing inside her. Being here for this journey with her just makes me fall even harder for her but at the same time scares the crap out of me. We are very young but yet forced to grow up so we can do right for our child. Last year, what I thought I would be doing at this age was so far from what is happening. I never imagined having a kid before the age of twenty. It’s just not something I thought about. But everything is changed and I am now looking at everything differently because ever since I found out she was pregnant, I have felt myself grow up.

I was in the process of finishing up the project today when Serena called. She has been calling a lot, which I don’t blame her for. I know she’s emotional and she needs me. She said all she wanted was a hug. As much as I wanted to just drop my things and run over there, I was dirty from the work and I was almost finished. As terrible as I feel, I know she will forgive me.

After I got off the phone with her I spent the next hour with Ben finishing up.

“
Wow, we really did this huh?” Ben asks while looking at everything.

“
Yeah and it’s exactly what I pictured in my head.” I am mesmerized by our work and anticipate her reaction.

“
Dude, you know she’s going to cry right? She’s in for a surprise alright. I’m glad you found your one of a kind. She is definitely right for you and she’s lucky to have you by her side. You’ve always been a good person and this just makes you even better. I didn’t know you had it in you.” He claps me on the back, “Good job!”

“
I wasn’t the only one that made this possible. I had your help too. Thanks a lot, man. You have no idea how much this means to me. I know she’s going to cry but it will be tears of joy. I just need to finish up a few loose ends here over the next few weeks and then I can show her. Now I can finally start showing her some more attention,” I tell him.

“
I know she’s emotional because she’s pregnant but once she sees this, she isn’t going to even remember that she was upset. That will all be dust in the wind, my friend.”

I sure hope so.

“
I hope you’re right. I just hope I haven’t been losing her this whole time.”