--- 18 ---

ANDY:

My face was getting itchy because of the tears that had dried on the cheeks and my legs were getting cramped because of sitting in the same posture for so long. I didn't know how long I've been sitting like this but all I could think of was how bad I could curse my life!

I no longer had a sense of why life was such a crap to me? Or was I just feeling it?

I lost my virginity to an arrogant bastard known as Austin Blake.

And next thing I knew I have to get married to him just like that!

I tried to end this up but eventually end up falling for him, knowing that he too loved me... or that he only said it.

And despite of the fact that he said he loved me... he goes around hurting me even more!

I just sat there thinking why did I ever at first place have sex with him? Would it have changed anything? Everything? Maybe... or maybe not! I didn't know if Austin or Paul was even out side my room, hopping for me to open the door. They must have gone while I was cursing myself in my mind.

I tried to stretch my legs but like they were jammed in the place, hugging my chest so closely, afraid of letting go as if they know I'd break again.

'Veronica kissed me... I didn't...' Austin's voice ranged in my ears. I shut my eyes tightly, trying not to imagine it. Every time I hear it ringing in my ears, my heart ached and my eyes got ready to shed tears.

Damn it Andy! Stop thinking about Him! He's still not everything in your life...

Only that he is!

I got startled by a knock on the balcony door. I tried to look through the glass door, who it was but I couldn't because it was dark outside and inside too. I didn't even know when it got dark and that I was sitting in the dark for how long.

I blinked my eyes a couple of times to adjust and see who had not used the door to come in and instantly his face came in my mind. Paul. I sighed.

"Open up princess..." he said. I smiled to myself because in just a second I thought that my life isn't just as worst as I think it is. I've got Paul. And he can make me happy anytime.

I took time to get up because each and every bone in me was cramped together, but Paul stood there waiting, not saying to hurry up. He understands me so greatly. As I stood up straight I groaned with the pain that passed through my legs to my stomach. My head spun as the pain rose and I had to clutch my stomach, shutting my eyes tightly together to let a scream from escaping my mouth.

But just as soon it came, it went as quickly. I straightened up and slowly stumbled to the balcony, unlocking the door.

Paul looked at me, his eyebrow hanging up on his forehead and his face thrown a little back like he was expecting me to do something. "Aren't you gonna snap me to leave you alone?"

"Yeah!" he grinned as I gawked out. Shit! My voice! I'd been sitting too long shutting up that my voice was gone! I cleared my throat. "What part of Leave me alone you don't understand Pup?"

"All of it." he grinned and then froze at his place, looking at me weirdly. I looked back in his eyes, which just stared at me with a strange amusement.

"What?" I whispered.

"You just called me Pup."

"Huh?" Oops... I totally did, not knowing why. "No I didn't!" yet I denied him, turning around.

"You totally did." He walked in the room. "I liked it. Pup. Hmm nice nickname for a man like me!" he laughed and I giggled with him. Why did I nickname him 'Pup' of all good names?

"I can change it if you don't like it..."

"Nah, it's cool. It sounds a little normal."

"Well, 'Normal' people usually use door to come in, not the balcony."

"Only if you're watch man would let me in..." he snapped.

"Is Austin out there?" I panicked. "What is he doing? Waiting for me to come out?"

"I don't think he's out but I didn't wanna risk being caught. Besides you wouldn't have opened the door for me. Plus princess, climbing out the balcony to get to you seemed more romantic." He chuckled.

"Not so funny pup!" I giggled.

"Hey! Why is it so dark? It's killing all the romance!" he went over to turn the lights on and hit his knee on the bed side, shouting in pain. "Urgh! Fucking damn bed!" he cursed.

As he turned on the lights and looked at me, he noticed the tear tracks on my cheek and his light lit face turned low. He kept looking at me and his body got stiffened and his emerald green eyes turned crazy with anger that was rising in him. His face turned red and his fist tightened showing all the veins in his arm. He was remembering the pictures we'd seen earlier of Austin kissing someone that had hurt me. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it instantly, gulping in all the anger.

I felt a lump in my throat because the intensity of his anger was so much that I felt everything was closing in and it could explode any minute. Paul sensed my fear and smiled slightly composing himself.

"Go fresh up princess. I've got you something to eat." He showed a paper bag which I didn't knew he was carrying and suddenly felt hungry. My stomach growled at the sight of it, making me realize that last I ate were some pancakes on breakfast. Damn! How can I survive without eating for so long!

I quickly went in the bathroom and washed my face thoroughly, not leaving any mark of tear which would upset Paul. I looked at myself in the huge mirror. My light brown eyes stared back at me, directly in my eyes like seeing my soul. My sensitive but brave soul. How can I let anyone crush me like that?

"You'll come out today or I'd have to wait another year?" Paul called out loud, bringing back to life. I wiped the water off my face and composed myself, walking out.

"I'm old enough to be a grand parent! Thanks to you." he joked when he saw me coming out.

Paul had set out the dinner - still in the paper bag - down on the carpet using my blanket as the cover.

"That's my blanket Pup!"

He grinned at me, waved me to come sit down. I sat opposite to him crossing my legs. He opened the paper bag, took out two cheese burgers and cola cans. My stomach growled again at the smell of the burgers. I blushed as Paul chuckled noticing how hungry I was.

"Isn't this a perfect date princess?"

"A cheese burger date. Impressive." I said sarcastically, biting the burger. Ah it was damn good. I took another bite and then another. Damn I was hungry like a dog!

I looked up at Paul who was staring at me amusingly. I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment because I know I looked like shit. My mouth was totally stuffed with the food. He chuckled as I tried to mumble "Sorry."

"If you allow me to take you out for real... I can guarantee a perfect date with whatever you like instead of cheese burgers." He said kinda seriously but then chuckled it off himself like knowing it wouldn't happen.

I gulped in all of that was in my mouth with the help of cola and breathed out big. "You know Pup; I love this cheese burger and this date more than anything." We both smiled. "Uh, if you're uh... not eating that... can I have it?" I said shyly.

Paul chuckled, giving me his burger. "Sure."

"Sorry. I'm just really hungry." I felt my face burning again.

"I can see that." He laughed, sat back looking at me while I finished mine and his burger too. Urgh damn! Now I'm so full that my tummy hurts. Paul started laughing at my expressions and I laughed at him. My tummy really hurt.

"I think I'm gonna throw up!" I manage to say.

"Use the bathroom princess." He chuckled getting up.

"I'm serious Paul." I started to feel nauseated as the stomach ache returned. "My stomach is hurting really bad!" I said through my teeth, clutching my stomach.

"You need a good walk to get two cheese burgers down your little belly." Paul stood before me, giving me his hand. I took his hand and that's when I felt that my palms were sweaty. As I stood up, Paul stared at my face. I felt my body burning and my forehead was leaking.

"Why are you sweating?" Paul asked looking at my face dumbly.

"I-" just as I opened my mouth to say something, I felt a volcano erupting from my belly to my throat. I quickly covered my mouth with my hand and ran in the bathroom. I vomited out whatever I had ate. I let myself slip down on the floor, as all my energy got drained out. I felt light.

"You okay in there?" Paul asked worriedly.

"I'm fine." I got up, rinsed my mouth with mouth fresher and walked out. Paul had cleared up everything. I walked to my bed sitting at the edge. "I guess I shouldn't have been so greedy!"

Paul came and sat beside me, curling his arm around my shoulder, pulling me near. "I know your upset princess." He whispered. How'd he know eating was just a cover up for my mood?

"You think it's easy to feel for someone and then get hurt by them?" I sniffed. My body was trembling a little. A moment later I felt hot and now it was so cold. I pressed myself much closer to Paul. He was kinda warm.

"Who could know that better than me?" I looked up at his face. It was sad and full of emotions. "Whatever those pictures were..." I flinched at it. "... I'm sure Austin has a good reason for it."

"You're taking his side?"

"I'm not taking anybody's side. I know Austin and I know Jake. I really think it's a trap."

PAUL:

I don't know why I was saying that but that was the way it was. Austin was messed up these days and Jake was doing everything to get his money back. I know these pictures were just a trap but the thing for which my blood boiled and flames of anger rose in me was the question that why the hell Austin kissed those girls at first place.

So he was really cheating with Andy?

Sweet little Andy who had tucked herself to me like I was her blanket.

"Paul? Do you think Austin will ever love me?" she asked in a small voice.

"He loves you princess..." I hate to say it. It was cutting through me but it was true.

"Yeah? Then why..." she didn't finish her question but I knew what she would ask. Her eyes started to sparkle more than usual and I realized that those were tears. "I saw him kissing Bianca at school... I saw him fooling around with someone else before our engagement and you know what he did on the engagement day?" her voice was trembling.

"Shh..." I kissed her hair. The tears hanging on her eye lashes rolled down and dropped on my hand. "You were not this sensitive Andy? Never." I didn't know it but I was sure of it.

"I wasn't!" she sniffed. "I don't know why I always cry now! Stupid tears." she mumbled, wiping her eyes. "I know why it's happening..." she quickly stood up and walked out the balcony.

I followed her quietly. She leaned over the railing, looking at the pool then she looked at me with a strange sparkle in her eyes.

"I'd run back home after the engagement dinner and slept. Then when I woke up, I changed in my pj and there he was. He apologized and told me he loved me and then..." she paused, looking at the pool again. "Austin took me to a date there..." she pointed out. Her voice was so excited that a smiled curled across my lips. "There were lights and flowers and dinner and then he proposed me again." She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes, like remembering the words. "It was the best thing that ever happened!" she opened her eyes which were sad now. Heavy tears rolled down.

"Why-" I opened my mouth to say but she suddenly rocked back and landed on the cold floor. I sat beside her, holding her tight to me. "What's wrong princess? I don't understand.. Aren't you happy that Austin did all that for you?"

She sobbed harder. "Only that he really would've done that!"

"Huh?" I sure didn't understand anything.

She looked at me teary eyes. "It was a dream Paul! It was a dream so real! The next day I woke up, I was in my room, in the same dress and there was nothing." She choked. I hugged her tightly. There was nothing I could do.

I felt my eyes becoming heavy too. She was so vulnerable and fragile in between my arms. I wish her dream would have been true.

I sat there for long holding her to me, until her choking stopped. She pulled herself back, looking at me in the eye. Her expressions painful, her face turning pink and purple. "Are you okay?" I asked stupidly looking at her face as a stream of sweat rolled down from her forehead.

She shook her head. "I think I'm sick!" she quickly got up and ran in the bathroom. I ran in too. She was fine one moment. She was leaning over puking out everything.

"Princess-"

"Stay out Paul." She managed to say. As she pulled herself back, raising her head, I saw her face was filled with relief. Although it was nasty, I still walked to her, kneeling beside her. She wiped her mouth as I gave her the Kleenex. "Really Pup, I'm alright. You can go before you get sick." She tried to smile weakly. I removed her hair from her face and forehead, keeping it tied in my hand.

I lightly stroke her arm. "I'd sue that burger maker for making you sick!" I joked but before she could even laugh properly she groaned in pain, clutching her stomach. Her face went white and lips went deadly pale. Diamond like respiratory drops appeared on her forehead and she threw up again.

I looked away gulping in a lump that roused in my throat. Wait!

I quickly glanced at her face. My heart raced faster, as my sight dropped to her tiny stomach which she was holding tightly. I looked at her face back again. She was staring at me strangely; her eyes turned horrifying when she saw the look on my face.

This can't be!

"What is it?" she breathed out the words. I again glanced at her stomach and jumped up.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" I was pacing here and there, running my hand through my hair. My mind wasn't working. I felt my stomach turned. "No! No!"

"What the hell is wrong Paul!" she shouted. I looked at her innocent face and kneeled down to her.

I meant to say something but I couldn't. It was all so sudden. I was losing my mind. She waited for me to say something. I breathed heavily.

"You're freaking me out Paul! What happened?"

I stared in her eyes, wanting her to understand without me saying anything. "Karen felt the same when..." I dropped my eyes at her stomach and that's when her whole body froze.

ANDY:

My eyes got huge and my mind froze. It was like the earth got sucked from beneath me. It can't be! But it is....

Paul's emerald green eyes stared at me, waiting for me to respond. But I couldn't.

"Andy..." Paul whispered my name.

"Am I...?" I was still dumbstruck.

"I'm not sure but this was how Karen was..." he couldn't finish.

My eyes stared tearing up. Damn! Why? Why now?

I wasn't even sure if I was happy or not! Paul looked at me with unsure eyes but then they were sparkling. My hand was still on my stomach. How did it happen? I had never expected anything like this.

The more we've tried to get out of this mess, the more Austin and I were tying up in a strong knot. We were becoming a family! Shit!

"It's going to be okay. We'll have the doctor check you tomorrow okay?" Paul said smiling but then he looked at my face.

"Austin..." I whispered and it was like a wave of tension passed through my body. I shivered. "It's Austin's."

"It eventually had to happen once you both were married."

"No it wasn't supposed to be like this!" I shouted as tears appeared again falling like stream. "We were to make sure we never got married nonetheless have a baby! You know nothing Paul!" I was shouting at an innocent guy in front of me who wasn't innocent anymore.

Paul's face got angry. "Then educate me please!" he shouted right back at me. I backed a little. His face got soft as he saw the fear in my eyes and he pulled me to him, hugging me tightly and closely, mumbling sorry over and over again, kissing my hair. I sat quiet and scared in his arms.

I was scared he was mad at me. I was scared that I got pregnant. I was scared that Austin's going to be a dad. I was scared whether he'd accept or not. Most of all I was scared for the little thing in me that its dad was an arrogant, careless, hurting jerk!

A lot of emotional flickers were passing my mind. I was happy and I was sad and I was excited and I was scared. I had no control over my emotions anymore. Tears didn't seem to stop flowing.

"I'm so sorry princess. Really sorry." He lightly strokes my hair. "You have no idea how happy I am right now. It's like... I'm reliving the moment except that it's not Karen its you." he kissed my cheek now. I felt his eyes were teary. I suddenly felt my heart aching... for Paul who'd lost his own baby.

I am such an ass to shout at him like that! I tried to say something but before I could open my mouth Paul held me up. "You should sleep." He mumbled.

He watched me as I washed my face and then I quietly slipped in my bed. Paul tucked the blanket around me and stood to leave but I gripped his wrist, sitting up.

"I'm sorry for shouting at you." I mumbled. Paul sat beside me smiling widely.

"Shrug it off princess. I kinda like the wild side of you." he smirked. He looked so much like Austin right now.

I looked in his soft emerald green eyes which were still shinning with happiness. No matter what happens, I know Paul will always be there with me. I smiled as his lips curled up in a smile, making a shallow dimple on his right cheek. I quickly looked away from him.

"Austin made a deal that we'd not get married, just pretend all the way." It just came out of my mouth. Why did I say it?? Damn me!

"What?" like he spat the words.

"You heard me. I just don't know if Austin's still sticking with it..."

"Shit Austin!" he stood up. "Damn Andy! You both are so stupid you know? And crazy!"

"I know." I said hiding my face in my hands.

"There's no running away from this. It's no joke! You both are going to end up marrying no matter what especially..." his eyes dropped at my stomach. "...now!" he sighed frustratingly and sat on the bed again. "Look, forget whatever stupid deal you both made and-" he stopped as we both heard a car parking in the driveway with a screech.

I caught my breath and Paul quickly looked at me and whispered. "Looks like the devil daddy's here."

"What am I going to do?"

"Start using your brain. He's gonna come straight here but you're gonna maintain your attitude." He looked at me with understanding eyes. "Trust me. It always works. The more you're gonna let go Austin, the more he's gonna come to you. It's going to be a little hard but I'd be here to give you a shoulder to cry." He said quickly, half standing up to leave before Austin find us.

"Is it gonna work?"

"You want Austin?"

I nodded.

"Then do as I say. Be strong because I know you are." He leaned in and kissed my forehead, then turned and reached for the door.

Am I supposed to tell Austin about it? Now?

Like reading my thoughts Paul said. "Daddy doesn't have to know it yet." he smiled and got out closing the door behind him.

I sat there just thinking what Paul had just said. Was he trying to make us work? I was confused. What attitude do I have to maintain? The night I lost my virginity to Austin came flooding in my mind.

Loser! I suddenly smiled to myself. That's it. I just have to make sure Austin know he is pathetic loser like he always was.