The Outcast

Trouble

While the two brothers were walking home, Jacopo stopped Damiano and led him into a corner shop, buying them both a drink and some chips. The elder offered to buy the younger a beer, but Damiano winced and instead pointed to a bottle of lemonade. If Jacopo noticed how nervous Damiano seemed, he didn't comment.

They walked the rest of the way home eating their chips and sipping on their chosen drinks, in comfortable silence apart from the odd occasion one of the two pointed something out, usually Jacopo. Damiano's head was filled with nerves. He was simply relishing the calm before the storm.

Jacopo opened the door with his key, letting Damiano pass through first. Damiano smiled as a thanks, dropping his bag down on the floor, the elder doing the same. Damiano headed straight for the living room, where he slumped on the crisp white sofa, holding a pillow to his chest.

Jacopo approached him, and sat cross legged on the coffee table in front of the other, so he could address him properly. "Okay. Now tell me what's wrong, because something is. You've been quiet ever since you exploded at me in your English class. You're never quiet, or at least, you're never this quiet. Tell me what's up, and I'll resolve it for you. Did somebody hurt you?"

Damiano shook his head. "Nothing's happened yet, and it might not, but I'm scared it will." Jacopo was quiet while he waited for his younger brother to elaborate. Damiano sighed and took a deep breath, readying himself to tell Jacopo.

"Jaco...Ethan and I... w-we did some things earlier, I-in the bathrooms...and I think I'm pregnant." Damiano put his head down, readying himself for the worst. And it came.

"WHAT?!" Jacopo shouted. He looked furious, absolutely livid. Damiano struggled to make eye contact. "I-I'm sorry Jaco, I-"

"Save it. This is ridiculous Damiano, you are foolish. What were you thinking?! You know that you're not normal, why the hell would you think you can get away with this?" Jacopo flopped on the armchair, head in his hands, muttering to himself.

Damiano willed himself not to cry, but failed. He sobbed quietly into the pillow, curled up into a tiny ball like a sleeping kitten, wishing the ground would just open itself and swallow him up. Jacopo had never shouted at him before, and it hurt. He felt like a failure making his big brother angry.

The two of them made no interaction for a little over an hour. Jacopo busied himself from the thought of it all by bustling about doing things he wouldn't normally do, such as doing his homework. It almost cheered Damiano up to see Jacopo David doing homework.

Damiano himself didn't move from the sofa. He sniffled into the pillow, back turned to Jacopo when the other said he was going to the store. He just lay there, moping, until Jacopo came back.

"I got you a test. To be sure. You've only got like 20 minutes until mama comes back, so be quick." Jacopo thrust the test into Damiano's hands and turned away before Damiano could say anything. The younger sighed and shuffled toward the bathroom. He locked it behind him and did the test, the pit of anxiousness in his stomach growing by the second. He placed it on the counter and waited, trying to calm himself down by breathing.

He sat in silence for the two minutes it took to complete the test, and, praying to the heavens, he peered down at the test.

pregnant.

"Shit." Damiano run his hands through his hair. He bit his nails in worry, feeling fresh tears spring to his eyes. He wasn't ready. He didn't know what to do, he had absolutely no idea of how to keep himself and a baby healthy, or how to raise one. "Cazzoooo." He groaned, whimpering with the tears.

Jacopo knocked on the door. "Hey, uh, Damiano, are you done? Mama's car is pulling up in the driveway." Damiano breathed deeply, grabbed the test and unlocked the door. He stepped out, not making eye contact, fingers tight around the test.

Damiano POV

I felt so terribly scared, my heart throbbed and my chest heaved. I wouldn't let go of the test to show him, I just kept my head down, mumbling the results.

"I can't hear you, Dami." At least he's saying my nickname again. I hate when people say my full name. I spoke louder. "It was positive."

Jacopo sighed, running a hand over his face. "You're in trouble, I hope you realise that. Mama's not going to be happy, Dami. She really won't. But, look, come here." He held his arms out for a hug. Oh, how I craved a hug from my big brother just then.

I nearly knocked him over from the force of which I ran to him. I have a feeling he didn't care, as he stroked my hair whilst attempting to hush down my rather loud sobs. I just felt so confused, I shouldn't have been so careless. This is all my fault.

It's almost like Jacopo heard my thoughts, as he muttered, "it wasn't your fault, you couldn't have known. I'm sorry for how I spoke to you earlier, that wasn't nice of me at all. I'm sorry Dami. I'm here to help you. I'm your big brother, I'm not going anywhere. You'll always have me." It felt nice to hear him say that, at least I had somebody to help me now.

"What's going on?" I heard my mother's voice from behind Jacopo. Suddenly I was tense again, knowing I had to explain all over again. But a squeeze of the hand from Jacopo told me clearly, I'll do it. He gestured for me to go upstairs, and I did, silently putting the test on my chest of drawers next to my bed. I flopped down on it, feeling tired, and before I know what was happening, my eyes were drifting closed.