"Thank you!" Aria said as I held the door for her to walk in. She was looking good as fuck. My eyes went over her backside as she walked in, her curves easily showing in the dress. I had to make my way back in between her thighs somehow, shit she was already pregnant.

We walked right to the waiting area since I knew my parents were already there. I looked around for a moment before hearing my mom call my name. I caught eyes with her and walked towards her, speaking and giving her a hug once I got to her. "Hey!" Aria stood by me with a smile on her face, I could tell she was nervous. I introduced her to my parents, hoping they didn't say anything crazy. "This is Aria." I announced as I put my hand on her lower back.

"So you're the little girl who trapped my son?" my mother questioned with a smug look sitting on her face as she looked Aria up and down.

Aria's eyes widened in surprise, as did mine. "Aye ma, come on now." I barked with slight attitude. She waved me off as she smiled, still looking Aria over. "I'm just kidding, relax." Aria let out a breath she probably didn't even know she was holding as she slightly laughed but everything in her body language showed she didn't find it funny at all.

The pager went off in my mom's hand before the conversation could be continued. We started to follow the host to our table as I grabbed Aria's hand, slowing her walking down as my parents took the lead. I looked down at her, seeing the nervousness in her face. I smiled as I squeezed her hand. "It's going to be cool. Relax." I said only loud enough for her to hear. Shit, I hoped it was going to be, for her sake.

Once we were seated and got our drinks and food ordered my parents started with the questioning. "Why do you want to have a baby by my son?" my dad questioned.

Aria's face easily showcased she didn't like the question but she quickly changed her facial expression, "it's not that I want to have a baby by your son, not saying I don't" she added in looking at me, but I know she only said that to be nice. "I just happened to get pregnant by him. This wasn't planned as I'm sure you know."

"Then why not get an abortion?" My father asked as I damn near spit the water out my mouth I just sipped.

Aria looked slightly offended, "Dad," I started, "No, it's fine Landon." Aria said stopping me. "I don't really believe in abortions. This child didn't ask to be made. So this child shouldn't be punished for our lack of carelessness."

My dad nodded his head, "you ready to be a mother? You know that shit ain't easy." He took a sip of his drink as his eyes never left hers.

"It sure isn't" my mother added in.

Aria nodded her head, "I know, but I have six months to get ready."

"You know Landon's young, he's still going to do what he wants to do and that might not be you." My mom said as she picked up her drink.

Aria laughed slightly, "Well aware and completely fine with that." she said with her eyes placed on my mother.

I butted in, "and she also knows I'm going to do what I have to do for this child." My parents straight up sounded like they were trying to run her away. My mom wasn't happy when she found out I got a girl pregnant. She had this life planned out for me in her head, but shit don't always go how you want and she was going to have to deal with that. This was my life. Aria looked at me and gave me a small smile.

"How I know you not after him for what we have?" my dad asked.

Aria raised one eyebrow, slight confusion on her face. "What you have?" she asked.

My dad laughed, "as if you don't know we sitting on money. You see what kind of car he drives, what kind of life he lives."

She laughed, "things like that don't appeal to me. With all due respect sir, I'd be fine if you all never gave me a penny towards this child."

He laughed as he picked up his drink, tilting his head back, "yeah right."

Aria's jaw tighten, she was getting upset. "She ain't that type of chick pops." I jumped in, now he was doing too much.

He looked at me, shaking his head. "How you so sure?"

"Can you let me out please?" Aria asked as she scooted closer to me, I got up allowing her to get out of the booth as she walked towards the front.

"Seriously?" I asked with attitude once she was clearly out of ear shot.

"We looking out for you son." My dad easily responded as he leaned back.

"How the fuck is that looking out for me? -"

"Landon!" my mom cut in, only because I cursed. "Nahh, fuck that right now. I brought you two here to meet her, to meet the girl who was having my baby not to try and run her ass to an abortion clinic or tell her she only doing this shit for money. We already had these conversations. It wasn't one we needed to have with y'all. I'm twenty-one fucking years old not sixteen. And dad I understand you were trying to peep where her head is at, but if that's how you figure out what a girl about that shit is a dub."

"Landon you're not ready for a baby." My mother said as she ran her hands through her hair.

I laughed, "who ever is? You right, I'm not. But shit, I'm having one. There ain't nothing else to do about it. I have to get ready."

She shook her head as my dad cut in, rubbing his chin, he nodded his head towards the front, "go check on her."

I got up, not because he told me to, but because I was going to do that shit anyways. She was outside sitting on one of the benches. "You okay?" I asked her as I walked towards her. She had her head in her hands. She looked up with tears running down her face, she looked pissed. "I didn't sign up for this shit." She spat, "if I would have known that this was what was about to go down I wouldn't have came."

"Aria I'm sorry —" she quickly cut me off, "is that what you told them? Do you have them thinking I'm some girl trying to do this shit for —" this time I cut her off. "No Aria! What the fuck they just did wasn't cool and I let them know that shit."

Her legs started bouncing up and down as her anger seemed to be increasing instead of toning down.

"Calm down" I comforted as I neared her. She stood up as she let out a deep breath, "I'm going to go to the bathroom and then I'll meet you back at the table." She spoke as she made eye contact with me. I nodded as she headed to go back inside the restaurant.

"Aria." I called out as she stopped momentarily to turn and look at me. "We gon' be good, fuck what they got to say. We decided we having this baby and that's all there is to it." She gave me no type of reaction.

"We don't have to go back in there Aria, we can leave." I added in, "since you ain't come here for all this shit." I mocked with a small smile as she rolled her eyes and shook her head no, "no, I have to face them. Because if I don't do it now, I'm still going to have to do it at some point." She turned and continued walking back inside as I followed this time, she stopped once we got to the door, "can we hit the beach after this though? Cause after this bullshit —"

I laughed, cutting her off I didn't need to hear whatever else she was about to say cause I knew I would do it regardless. "Yeah man. We can go, we can go."

I went back inside, making my way back to the table as she headed towards the bathroom. The food had came out and my parents were sitting there looking like they were waiting to eat.

"Where is she at?" my dad asked, looking as if he was trying to look behind me. "Bathroom" I said as I sat down. "Please don't start no more shit." I added in as I looked at him.

My dad put his hands up, signifying he wouldn't as my mother got on me about my language. Shortly after Aria came back to the table with no more tears but you could tell she had been crying. I got up to let her in. She sat down and my parents gave her a once over as she returned it before focusing on her food. We all begin eating with no words being exchanged.

As everyone finished up there food my dad was the first one to break the silence, he looked at Aria "you still gon' have that baby?" I could have fought my pops right then. I sucked my teeth as she quickly responded with a small laugh as she focused on him . "Yes, there isn't anything you could say to make me change my mind. I'm not asking you for anything, not even asking your son for anything. So if you want no parts, I understand. But I'm having this baby." I grabbed her hand under the table, I knew it was a possibility she would pull her hand away, but she didn't as I rubbed the back of it.

My dad shook his head, "okay." My mom let out a big sigh as she put her napkin on top of her plate. "Aria, honey," she began "I'm not ready for my Landon to have a baby, but it's happening and I wouldn't and couldn't fathom not being there for my grandchild, especially my first. So please know we will be present, we just want to make sure you have thought this through and you know what you're getting yourself into."

Aria tightened her grip on my hand as she responded to my mother, "I understand."

--

"Thank you," I said to Aria as we were pulling out the parking lot. She turned and looked at me, with the seat pushed back, "for what?"

"For not cussing my parents out." I said with a small smile. I know she wanted to, because I had wanted to.

She laughed, as she looked forward. "Well thank you for having my back."

"Man, we have to be a team for little man." I smirked as I looked over at her. "Nooo," she said sitting up, "it's going to be a girl."

I laughed, "I ain't even about to go there with you right now. You still want to stop by the beach?"

"Hell yeah" she responded with ease. I nodded and turned my music up and we just vibed the whole ride, not too much conversation. Since we were only about fifteen minutes away from the beach we got there in no time. The sun was shining bright, and surprisingly it wasn't a lot of people out.

Once we got out the car I stopped at a bench right before the sand as Aria took her shoes off placing her feet into the sand. She stopped and turned around as she looked at me, "you not coming?"

I shook my head, "I don't have on the right attire."

She rolled her eyes, smile on her face as she shrugged her shoulders, "you're missing out" she easily turned back around, making her way to the water.

I watched her from a distance as my phone began to ring, it was Casey. I'd lowkey been avoiding her, moreso trying to avoid the conversation that had to happen. I sighed and sat down as I answered the phone, "yo!"

"Hey," she said lowly, her tone sounding sad. "You good?" I quickly questioned as I watched Aria walk in the water with her dress hiked up.

"Are we?" she asked.

Straight to it, of course. "Yeah," I said with a laugh as I looked over at some girls taking pictures on the beach before bringing my focus back to Aria.

She sighed, "then why does it seem like you've been avoiding me?"

"A lot going on," I said as I took the phone from my ear upon hearing my text tone. "Like what? I'm here for you to talk to Landon." I just decided to rip the bandaid off and tell her, "Aria's pregnant."

"What?" She damn near yelled as I could easily detect the panic in her voice. I let out a deep

sigh, "I'm sorry. I ain't know how I was supposed to tell you that shit."

She was silent, not saying anything. "Casey," I called out. "I gotta go," she said as she quickly hung up the phone. I shook my head as I took the phone away from my ear. That went a lot different than I thought it would, I just knew she was going to cuss me out, yell, something. She was hurt and I knew that shit. I was going to have to go check on her.

I called her back but she was clearly ignoring that shit, I called one more time before just deciding to let the shit go for the time being. I went and checked my messages seeing what they were talking about in the group chat, and shot Casey a text as I waited for Aria to make her way back.

Not too long after I heard Aria yelling, "ready?" she asked causing me to look up as she was walking over to the outside showers to wash off her feet. I nodded as I watched her, she put her sandals back on once she was finished. I got up, waiting for her before I started walking to the car.

The ride back to her place was a silent one for the most part. "You okay?" she asked turning and looking at me.

I nodded my head as I turned and looked at her for a split second before focusing back on the road. "Yeah."

"You sure?" she pushed. This was unlike her, Aria never gave a fuck about whether or not I was good, with valid reasoning.

I laughed slightly, "yeah."

Aria and I were slowly growing towards having a more positive relationship and the shit was cool, I know I got on her nerves sometimes, but shit she got on my nerves sometimes too. That's just how the cookie crumbled. We were joking more, of course we argued, but we could also laugh and shit. I was thankful for the more positive change within our relationship.

It made me truly made me question if she could really never see us together. She acted like she still hated the fuck out of me most times, but when she wasn't on that all was well. In the good moments I felt like I was down for trying the family shit with her.

"You really couldn't see yourself with me?" I asked as I let my thoughts come out my mouth. I was trippin' like fuck but clearly my curiosity was overpowered.

I turned and looked at her as she had her eyebrows scrunched up and then rolled her eyes, "boy get the fuck outta here. After the way you did me?"

I laughed, shaking my head. I was never pressed over no pussy. I got it, it wasn't happening. "Heard you." I responded. I could feel her looking at me, but I didn't turn and look at her. I pulled up to her place, not even putting my car in park as I waited for her to get out the car. I was slightly salty, and that was clear cause I always walked her up even with her protesting it most of the time.

She sat there for a minute as I felt her burning a hole in the side of my face but I continued to focus on my phone but after she continued to sit in the car I looked over at her, "what?" I asked with a straight face. She squinted her eyes as a small smile begin to play on her face. "You not going to walk me up?"

I smacked my teeth as I chuckled, "man Aria, you can't stand when I do that shit, and always remind me you good. Now you want me to walk you up?" She was playing games at this point.

She laughed, "alright then whatever." She unclicked her seatbelt as I pulled into a parking spot putting my car into park as I took my seatbelt off too. She shook her head, "nahh, I'm good." She said as I was getting out the car, "I'm grown as fuck I don't need you to walk me to my door, plus you ain't want to anyways." I gave her a stale ass face as she busted out laughing. See she was playing games for sure. "You over there act stank as fuck. Little ass boy." She concluded.

I ignored her smart ass mouth as I got out and walked her to her door, once we got to her door she lingered for a second after unlocking it. She looked over at me, her face serious; no longer joking. "Why you ask me that shit?" She questioned.

I shrugged my shoulders, "I was curious. You know I fuck with you, was seeing if you still on that bullshit."

She looked slightly offended and then laughed, "bullshit? Landon you fucked me for a bet. That ain't bullshit."

I sucked my teeth, I was tired of hearing this shit. It was months ago. "And I've apologized, but every time I think we getting past it you remind we not so it's cool." I let out getting annoyed.

She rolled her eyes, "whatever." She opened her door as she walked into her apartment. She quickly turned around facing me as she stood with her door open, looking like a thought popped up in her head. "And let's not forget you have a whole girl, so the question was inappropriate regardless if I was still on bullshit or not."

"It was hypothetical." I wished I didn't ask that shit. This is why curiosity kills the cat. "But I hear you Aria.I get it." She did too much sometimes.

"But do you get it?" She asked as she crossed her arms. Now she was dragging this shit, it wasn't even this deep.

I chuckled as I stuffed my hands in my pocket, "yeah Aria damn! I fucked you for a bet, I know." My voice was becoming full of annoyance, "I'm still fucking with Casey, I know! I fucking get it. You think the question was inappropriate but you know I fuck with you on the low so I wasn't thinking about that shit. Or is it something else you hinting at? Cause you dragging this shit."

She rolled her eyes, "alright Landon. Bye." I put my foot in her door, stopping her from trying to slam it in my face. "Don't do that rude shit."

"I said bye." She reiterated. "What the fuck you got an attitude for?" I questioned. She had no reason to be upset.

"I don't have one." She let out with attitude proving my point that she did have one. "Now you dragging this shit." She mocked.

I shook my head, "man say what the fuck you got to say. You clearly still on this shit hard so let's go ahead and hash it out. You be so hot and cold and that shit annoying. We got a baby coming in the next couple of months so say how you feel. Cause I'm not about to keep dancing around this with you for the next fucking eighteen years." Shit, eighteen years? Saying that shit out loud sounded crazy as fuck.

She looked at me and then rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms. "Boy fuck you." She said calmly. "Yeah I still be on that shit cause healing takes time and when I'm reminded of it I get mad as hell. I'm fucking human. And what further pisses me off is the reminder of how much of a fuck boy you truly are. Like the audacity for you to ask about us getting together while you have a whole girlfriend; and I know you used to girls eating that shit up but it's disrespectful as fuck to your girl. Granted it's fuck her too."

I didn't say anything as I stood there just looking at her, "you done?" I questioned which just seemed to furthermore piss her off.

She chuckled, one of those I'm mad but trying to calm down laughs. "Get the fuck on Landon. Bye."

"Nahh man, it shouldn't bother you that much unless you clearly feeling me." I smiled, knowing I was reaching, but I was trying to tone the heat down.

She squinted her eyes, looking at me like I was stupid. "Yeah Landon, that's it." She responded sarcastically. "You are so fucking stupid." She finished with a roll of her eyes. "Way to ruin a decent day between the two of us."

I sighed, "man, calm down. This whole argument pointless as hell. You mad for no real reason. Like just chill out. This went all the way left for no reason."

"You done?" She asked with her arms crossed. I chuckled as I walked closer towards her, I stood inches away from her as the annoyance on her face was clear.

I licked my lips as I watched her eyes go to them, "yeah, I'm done. But you know we not right?" I smirked as she rolled her eyes and closed the door.

I wasn't going to push. But I'd be damned if we didn't at least fuck again.