The Pregnant Scam

Chapter Nine

      My pregnant scam so far seemed possible. Would it be difficult to pull off and seem believable? Absolutely! Over the next few days I planned the scam out, I needed a story, one that everyone would believe. I also needed a way to convince him that this was the only way and that I wasn't crazy. My brainstorming consisted of me mostly pacing my room, biting the end of my pencil, pacing, biting, sleeping, more pacing and biting and a lot of worrying! What if I couldn't pull this off?
        My hands shook nervously as I climbed into my car on a Saturday afternoon. Lexi was out shopping in town and her mom was at bible study which turned out perfectly because that meant Anthony was home alone. Now I could tell him my crazy scam and maybe just maybe he'll agree to help me.
         As I drove every nerve in my body was against my plan. This was a terrible idea! Why would he even agree to help me? He must be as crazy as I am! No one in their right mind would agree to help me. I slowed down as the light turned yellow. Sitting there waiting for the light to turn green I slowly placed my hand to my flat stomach. I wasn't showing yet, which I was thankful for. For right now I needed time to be on my side. The longer I didn't start to show the better. Just thinking of a little life living and growing inside me was terrifying; yet a little bizarrely amazing! The light turned green and I was off again, not quite sure if what I was doing was right.
         Turning off the engine I sat my driver's seat staring up at the Baez' house. What was I thinking?! I should just turn around and go home now and nobody will ever know. I rested my head on the stirring wheel my heart pounding in my chest and my head was ready to explode. Hearing a front door close I jerked my head up from the stirring wheel.
        Anthony was making his way over to me he wore black jeans and a red t-shirt. He waved his hand, "Jules what's up?"
        Crap! I rubbed my eyes with my hands. There was no turning back now might as well get it over with.
       "Hey." Anthony bent down by my open car window his black curls fell into his face as he leaned in.
        "Hi." I placed my hands in my lap.
         "If you're looking for Lexi she's not here. I believe she's out shopping, you might be able to catch up with her though."
          I tucked my eyes in my pocket and grabbed my tan leather purse from the passenger seat. "Actually I was looking for you." I climbed out of my car as Anthony held my car door open for me.
        He raised his eye brows, "Oh really, what's up?"
      Tucking my blond hair behind my ears I glanced around the quiet neighborhood. "Ummmm, can we talk someplace else. Maybe inside?"
         "Sure Jules." Anthony closed my car door then led the way inside.
          Glancing around the living room, I blurted out, "Can we talk in your bed room?" My hands felt sweaty so I clasped them together, "It's just that it's serious and I don't want anyone to over hear it." Letting Anthony led the way we walked up stairs and into his bed room. His bed was nicely made with the dark blue checkered comforter smoothed out. His room was a lot cleaner than the last time I was here. His tan carpet was spotless of clothes. Anthony closed his bedroom door behind us and then the flood of emotions that I've been desperately trying to hold back came pouring out as I burst into tears.
          "Jules! You okay?" Anthony quickly came to me wrapping me in a big hug. "You're shaking!"
         I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around him, I could feel his muscles beneath his shirt and he smelled like aftershave. I buried my head in his shirt and cried letting him hold me.
          He rubbed my back awkwardly, "Ummm Jules? You're freaking me out, what's going on?"
          I sniffled, and pulled away wiping the corners of my eyes. "I'm..... I'm sorry it's just that...." I laughed and motioned, toward his shirt where I've been crying, "I ruined your shirt."
         "Uh?" Anthony looked down at his red t-shirt and shrugged, "Oh that's nothing, but are you okay?" He placed his hands on my shoulders and stared into my eyes.
         Shaking my head no I sobbed and he pulled me against him. I leaned into him and cried some more, "I'm..... I'm so sorry! My hormones are all out of whack and..... I've just been on this emotional roller coaster...... Everything's all messed up!!" My fingers clung to his shirt as I cried. Anthony held me till my crying soothed to a sniffle.
       Then he went over to his bed and patted a spot near him, "Come sit Jules, I don't know how to talk girl talk, but lay it on me I can handle it."
        I placed my hands in my neck and gave him a small smile, "Thanks, but I'll prefer to pace." Quietly I paced his room, his eyes followed me as he waited for me to start. His gaze made me even more nervous, I walked over to his dresser and casually started cleaning it. Placing the loose change in his white glass tray that in its center was an A, then picking up paper clips, candy wrappers, and other odds and ends.
         "Jules, I like that you've cleaning, but stop." When I won't stop he moved over to me, "Jules stop it!" He turned me so that I faced him, "Now what the heck is going on?!"
          "Anthony I...... I've been..... I was raped!" My voice trembled.
           Shocked Anthony stepped back, his face turned red with anger, "What sick son of a bitch did it Jules? I'll beat the shit out of him right now! I swear..... Was it Justin?!Shit! It was him wasn't it?! That pervert can't keep his hands off innocent girls like you! I'm going to kill him!"
          I shook my head, I've never seen Anthony so angry before. He was scaring me, "No Anthony it wasn't Justin." I took a deep breath, "It was.... Salvador." I hated the sound of his name on my lips, it made me want to gag.
           He frowned, "Salvador who? Was he a new guy at our school this spring?"
            "Nooo." I wrapped my arms protectively around my stomach feeling a little sick to my stomach. I wasn't sure if it was morning sickness or just upset nerves. "He.... He was my babysitting lady's husband."
          "What! What the heck was her husband doing alone with you?! Where was his wife at?!"
         Tears brimmed my eyes as I remembered the day it was like it all just happened. "She went to town, and I was upstairs putting laundry away. I hadn't realized he was there and then he locked the bedroom door and...." I covered my eyes with my hands and cried, "I tried to escape, to get away from his grasp but he threw me on the  bed and pulled my pants down." I shivered remembering the feeling of his gross hands groping me.
        "Shit Jules, I can't believe that son of bitch did that to you!"
        I focus my eyes on the floor and wrapped my arms around myself. It felt good to let it out, to finally tell someone; but at the same time brining it up made me relive it all over again remembering every detail, I took a deep breath then let it out, "Anthony, I need your help." I forced my voice to remain calm and steady when all I really wanted to do was cry. Before I could do anything else Anthony took my hand and pulled me towards his bedroom door.
      "Come on Jules, we're going to the police."    
      "Police?! No Anthony!" I tugged back but he was like a bag of bricks with abs and it didn't effect him. "No! We can't!" I yelled.
      "The police will be able to get the evidence off you and put that sick guy behind bars. WE'RE GOING."
       "No! No Anthony Joel Baez!"
       "Come on Jules, don't fight me on this! You know it's the right thing to do." by now Anthony had his bedroom door open.
       Digging my feet into the floor I let my legs give out and fell down to the floor as dead weight which caught him by surprise making him lose his grip on me. He could try to take me, but that didn't mean I couldn't make it as difficult as possible."
       Anthony rolled his eyes as he looked at me on the floor. He crossed his arms and leaned against the bedroom door, "Seriously Jules? How old are you?"
       Still laying on the floor I looked up at him, "Old enough to know that you can't take me if I play dead weight." I grinned up at him, "Just like freshman year."
       "Hey! That was one time! And you didn't play captive fair." He chuckled a smile coming to his face, but then he looked at me his face serious, "But this is serious, Jules. We need to tell the police, they can help."
        I sighed brushing my hair out of my eyes, "Just listen to me Anthony, it won't do any good."
          "Why do you keep saying that? Of course it will they can do test and get his DNA and build a case against him!"
          "Because it can't! There's no DNA left! It...... It didn't just happened today..... It was three weeks ago."
          "Shit Jules, why the hell didn't you go to the police first thing?! Are you stupid!"
         He really pissed me off now, I got up so that when I looked him in the eyes he wasn't hovering over me. Though it didn't help much when he's six feet tall and I'm barely 5'4". "No Anthony, of all the crime shows I watched I knew that rape needed to be reported." 
          "Then why didn't you?"
         I threw my arms up, "I don't know okay! I was scared I...I wasn't thinking clearly....." I brushed my hair back. Closing my eyes I spoke, "You have no idea what I went through. I couldn't breath, his body was  crushing mine and I couldn't get him off...." Tears slide down my face.
       "Jules, please stop... "
      I opened my eyes to look at him, I don't think I ever seen Anthony cry, his eyes glistened with tears of his own. "Why stop? Because it didn't stop there for me! Every where I turn I see him, every dark corner, every door closing, touch, every night he haunts my dreams so why should I damn stop!"
      Anthony took my hand and gave it a tight squeeze, "Hey, I know you're scared oaky? But it's going to be alright. Let's go downstairs and get a drink."
      Numbly I nodded and followed him downstairs to the kitchen. As Anthony pulled us two glasses of strawberry lemonade I realized that this whole time I've been here I've rambled and haven't gotten down to even my plan for why I decided to tell Anthony. I stared at Anthony's back as he poured the drink, "Anthony it gets worse."
    "How can it get worse than rape?" Anthony mumbled, he turned around to hand me a glass.
     "It gets worse because.... Because I'm pregnant, Anthony."
      Glass shattered on the floor at our feet and I jumped back thankful that I was wearing shoes. Anthony on the other hand was barefoot.
      "Shit! I'm sorry," he snatched some paper towels and we both started mopping up the floor. "All these nerves.. You know you really know how to spring something on a guy." He chuckled and threw the paper towel with the broken glass in the trash."
        "You don't have any broken glass in your feet do you?" I asked sopping up the lemonade.
        He took my wet paper towels from me, "No I'm fine." He carefully watched me, "Are you okay? Are you sure you're pregnant and that it's his?"
         "First off yes I'm quite sure three positive tests mean I am, second wow do you really think I'm a slut and just having sex all the time? No! I have never had sex that I actually wanted so of course it's his!"
         Anthony shook his head with a frown, "I can't believe the guy didn't put a condom on."
          I rolled my eyes, "He was too busy attacking me to bother, but enough about him. I need your help."
         "Oh yeah? And what's that?" Anthony took a sip of strawberry lemonade.
        There was no easy way to say it so I just let it out, "Will you be my pretend baby daddy?"
          Anthony spit out his lemonade coughing he choked out, "Are you crazy?!" I grimaced and wiped his spit off my cheek. He looked at me then shook his head, "Why am I even asking that of course you're crazy that whole idea is crazy!" Anthony walked out of the kitchen and back to his bedroom and I followed
        "I'm not crazy, Anthony!" I said closing the door behind us.
       He ran a hand through his hair as he paced his room, "You know you're asking me to do right? Claiming a child is mine that isn't has to be illegal and not to mention my whole life would be gone! Wiped away I'll have to give up everything." He held up his fingers as he counted them off, "My dignity, senior year would be different, I'll have to get a job to pay for a child, and what about college uh?"
       I nodded, "I know what I'm asking you to do is a lot, if there was any other way out I would. This is the only way."
        He threw his hands out to the side, "It's insane!!"
       "Yes, but it's not impossible."
       "How would we even acquired enough detail for it to seem real?"
        "We'll have to create a fake story, and memorize down to the T. If one of us slips up just once, it could raise questions."
        Anthony rubbed his head, "This is crazy, no one will believe that we..... I mean we never..... We never.... You know....." His face turned a light pink.
       I thought about what he meant, and it did make sense. We never ever done IT, so why would someone even believe he got me pregnant? I walked right up till I was standing right in front of him gazing up at his dark brown eyes I said, "Then let's make them believe." I wrapped my arms around his neck and bent his head down to meet my lips and I kissed him. His lips were warm and soft, they brought me back to the night we kissed at Eugene's party because of that stupid spin the bottle game.
      His arms encircled my waist pulling me closer to him, he gave me a quick kiss back then pulled away. "Are you sure?" His eyes questioning mine as he looked at me.
    I kissed his cheek softly, then closed my eyes and whispered, "Shut up and kiss me Anthony." Our lips found each other again. I ran my fingers through his thick curly hair and sighed he tasted good, a hint of strawberry lemonade still remained in his mouth.
     Anthony's hands moved up and down my back and he stepped backwards falling hard against his dresser he let out a moan.
     I laughed and slid my hands under his shirt while kissing him passionately. I grabbed his red shirt and pulled it up over his head and tossed it aside. My lips found his again and I ran my fingers along his abs. Man oh man did he have some! I knew he had some, but I didn't know he was this fit! 
      He pulled up for air, "You sure this is okay?"
      "Yeah, yeah it's fine." I jumped into his arms wrapping my legs around his waist while he held me up I kissed him more firmly pressing myself into him.
     Anthony turned around and placed me on top of the dresser top, his fingers fumbled on my button down shirt. "You're buttons are so tiny." He said with a smile between kisses.
      "Here" I pulled back and undid the buttons myself whiled he  pulled my shirt off me He gave a low whistled as he stared at my breasts that were in my blue bra. I grinned and he wrapped his arms around me and our lips met each other. I slid my tongue into his mouth running my hands down his chest.
       Maybe what I was doing was wrong, maybe I was taking advantage of Anthony in some way. Though by the way he was kissing he was defiantly in to it. I don't know, I didn't really know anything anymore. All I knew was the scam that we had to pull off. My nerves should had told me to stop, I mean here I was having sex with my best friend's brother when my best friend wasn't home! But my messed up emotions were in control.
        Anthony grabbed my butt and with my legs still wrapped around him he lifted me up and carried me over to his bed where he stumbled falling down on me as he laid me on the mattress. We laughed and Anthony moved his legs so they were on either side of me and I pulled his head down to meet mine. Our lips moved together and his hands slid down my back.  His lips started traveling across my cheek and down my neck living a trail of warm kisses. His hands unbuttoned my pants and tucked them down some as he kissed my neck.
      I closed my eyes and tried to enjoy it. But the fact was I couldn't, maybe a normal girl could, but I wasn't normal anymore. His body pressing down on me, his lips on my neck, and his hands down in my pants suddenly I wasn't in Anthony's bedroom. I was back in Christina's and Sal was over me crushing me, his hands and lips in places I didn't want them. I let out a blood curdling scream, "No, no stop! GET OFF ME!" I screamed.
      Anthony pulled back alarm, "I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?"
      I burst into tears, "No, it's not you, it's him he's everywhere!" I sobbed.
      He moved over and laid down beside me on the bed, he gently rubbed my arm, "I'm sorry Jules, I can't possible begin to understand what you went through. Are you okay? Do you want to try again?"
       Wiping my eyes I looked down at my pants that were halfway down my butt. I sniffled and pulled them up I buttoned them, then fell back down against his pillows. I sighed, "No I'm sorry, I can't do this. I thought I could, but with you kissing me and touching me it took me back to that place and I don't ever want to go back there, Anthony!"
       "No, I get it understand." An awkward silence hung in the air between us as we both laid in the bed. Anthony cleared his throat, "So have you told Lexi any of what you told me."
       I gave a sarcastic laugh and shook my head, "Nope."
       "Julia, you have to tell her eventually."
        I fingered my hair, "I know, it just haven't been the right time and everything is just so messed up right now!"
        Anthony took my hand and gave it a tight squeeze, "Well whatever happens you got me, you know that?"
       I smiled at him and not saying a word I leaned my head down and rested it on his bare shoulders.
     Anthony's bedroom door swung opened and in walked the last person I wanted to see when I was shirtless in his bed.
     "Anthony, have you seen  Mamá, sweater? She can't find it and...." Lexi froze as she spotted us in bed both of us still shirtless, her face turning an angry red she fumed, "Julie, Anthony! What the hell!!!"