Hoodwinked | Calum Hood AU

27.

"Tell me about your day." It was just Alfie and I tonight because Dad's on night shift. Today's Alfie's actual birthday but we did cake and presents last night with Dad and Alfie.

"Madison Freely gave me a birthday card," he says, grinning over his plate. We're having salad and leftover lasagne from the night before.

"Ooh," I coo. "Do you like her?"

His face falls slightly, "Yeah, but she likes Matt Golding. He's really good at sport and he wears stuff in his hair to make it all spiky. All the girls like him the best."

My heart breaks a little. It's only going to get harder, kid. "You know, it'll just be you and Finn for dinner tomorrow night. I think he was going to order pizza." I say to change the subject, hoping it might cheer him up. He's far too young to let a girl stomp all over his heart.

"Is Mikayla coming too?" He asks with an eye-roll and I shrug. "Where are you going anyway?"

"To the movies with Luke," I answer casually, staring at my lasagne as I stab it with my fork.

"Like a date?"

"No," I frown. "We're going with two other people from school."

Alfie's eyes widen, "So a double date?"

Part of me knows that Alfie would be ecstatic if Luke and I were to actually start dating. He adores Luke so much, which is what worries me and the reason he can't know anything about mine and Luke's current relationship. Alfie's lost enough people in his life. He doesn't need the extra confusion.

"We're going as friends."

"Madison's big sister had lots of boy friends. Now she's going to have a baby and she yells at everyone and eats weird food in the middle of the night. Madison also told me that means she'll be an aunty even though she's only just turned ten. Is that going to happen to me?"

I laugh, "No. You don't get pregnant just from being friends."

"You get pregnant from having sex," he says bluntly. It makes my cheeks flush a little.

"Luke and I aren't having... we aren't doing any of that. Now finish your dinner. Pepper's been eying it off for the last ten minutes."

I'm laying on my bed after dinner watching Teen Wolf when I get a Facebook message from Michael.

michael: have you talked to joss lately?

me: I talked to her at school today. She's been a little distant since you two broke up though.

michael: i was hoping it was just me that she'd been avoiding

michael: i'm really worried about her

me: What? Why?

michael: she just ended things so suddenly. even before we broke up she was acting hell weird. she kept snapping at me for no reason. it was like she constantly had her period or whatever. what if she's like depressed or something?

Something Alfie said earlier suddenly pops into my head about Madison's sister being pregnant and the mood swings and weird cravings. What if Joss is pregnant?

It makes so much sense: the sudden break-up, the reason she's been avoiding everyone and it would explain why today I saw her scoffing down a donut at lunchtime when she's usually convinced that sugar is the devil.

michael: ruby? if you know something please tell me. i'm going crazy here.

me: I don't know, honestly