Prego and the Phoenix 🐇↩️✔

Bourne - Three

A/N: the last name Carondelet is pronounced care-on-deh-lay not karen-dell-it

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They say that fools rush in and the wise take caution. This is true of many things but a lot of the time, people don't realize that with infatuation, fools are better than the wise because they say what they mean and mean what they say. Those who keep silent, often regret it.

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I watch Arabella leave as I look at the Tupperware container full of soup in my hands. I can only vaguely remember telling her that I wanted some of it. Humphrey looks at the soup I my hands and then at me.
"Are you going to eat it?"
"Why wouldn't I? I told her to bring me some last night."
"They why didn't you remember?" Lochner asks, looking over his twin's shoulder.
"If you do remember, I was shot last night. I'm surprised I even remembered to ask."
"What do you mean?"
"Have you seen the lunch that she has at school? It always looks so good."
Humphrey and Lochner both stare at me as if I have gone nuts. They would never know it, but I have always had a bit of a crush on her. Ever since she asked me that question in class, I've kind of had my eye on her. Sure, she's pregnant but from what I hear it wasn't like she did it on purpose. The place where she grew up got married at eighteen but her man decided he just wanted to become a citizen and then dumped her. She had lots of friends but they've all just thrown her to the wayside because she got pregnant.
I think she looks even more beautiful as she is... but the twins will never know that until I'm good and ready for them to. They seem to think that because of the way I am, people will forever be scared of me. They're a weird duo, those Carondelet twins. I think I agree with Arabella in that they remind me of gargoyles as well. They live with me but I have yet to understand their dynamic closeness and all around eeriness. I know they protect me, but they can sometimes be downright creepy.
The bell rings and I take my food with me to put in my locker. Luckily, they have microwaves in the cafeteria so that I can heat this up. Then I think I'll surprise Arabella and sit with her... Yeah... That'll blow her socks off.

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Waiting for lunch to come around was like waiting for paint to dry. I have never felt time move so slow as it did today. The bell finally rings for lunch and I shoot out of my chair and to my locker. I pass by the twins and run to the cafeteria to heat up my lunch. It's a good thing that she brought this to me anyway because I was starting to run out of money to get the school lunch. I watch the soup heat up and then pull it out of the microwave, not feeling the hotness at all. Part of my being weird is the fact that hot stuff (like ovens, microwaves, or boiling water) doesn't effect me but things that are cold (like ice, snow, or winter) effect me dramatically.
I smile at my food and scan the lunchroom for Arabella. I kind of have a feeling of where she'll be because she always sits in the same spot. I spot her walking in, trying to still look like she has some dignity to herself and sit at the reject table right beside the stairs. I start to head there when I see two girls sit on opposite sides of her. I narrow my eyes at that because I know who they are. They were Arabella's friends before she got pregnant; as if they have room to talk about her like she's trash. Those two are the sluttiest girls I think I've ever known and they have the audacity to say things about Arabella...
I walk closer to the table so I can eavesdrop on the conversation.

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"Wow, look, Tyler, she really is eating for two. A really big fat guy might eat this for his snack." The brown haired girl says, looking at Arabella's food. "I mean, seriously? How much is this food?"
Arabella ignores it as the other girl, Tyler, reaches over and takes the lid off of her food.
"That is disgusting. Since you got kicked out of your parents house, your stuff has really gone downhill. Your clothes, your style in general, your lunches... I mean, I never knew being prego could be so gross."
I can't take it anymore! I walk over to the table and place the Tupperware on the top a little harder than was probably necessary. The two girls look over at me and their jaws drop.
"Is this seat taken?" I ask quietly, eyeing the two.
Arabella seems a little flabbergasted as well and just shakes her head no. I nod and sit down, pulling out the fork I got from the cafeteria and start to eat. I realize soon that in my quest to save Arabella from her snooty former friends, I grabbed the wrong utensil. I decide to take my reputation into effect and turn to the brown haired girl, Keisha or something.
"What's your name?" I ask, making myself sound gruff.
"K-Keisha." She stutters.
Yes! I was right! "Keisha, would you be a dear and get me a spoon? I seem to have selected the wrong utensil for this wonderful soup that Arabella made for me."
The two girls look at Arabella and she smiles sheepishly. All three of them look back at me, the two in shock and Arabella in confusion.
"You... you're eating her soup?"
"Yes. And I can't enjoy it because I don't have a spoon. If someone was kind enough to get it." I emphasize, staring at them.
The two scuttle off in a hurry and I wait patiently for them to bring me back a spoon. I am surprised they actually do bring it to me and Tyler even hands it out to me like I'm some sort of king. I snatch it from her fingers and they run away again. I dip it into the soup and taste it for myself. It is better than I had ever dreamed! I continue to enjoy my food but still feel like someone is staring at me. I glance up and see that Arabella is glaring at me intently.
"Yes?"
"Uh... Nothing."
"This is good. What are you making for dinner tonight?"
Arabella jumps a little at the question as I look at her.
"T-tonight?"
"Yes."
"Um... I haven't planned that far..."
"Whatever it is, I want some. Is that okay with you?"
"N-no... No! That's great, actually... You really like the soup?"
"It's very tasty."
"Um, because I have a whole pot at home if you want the rest of it. I won't be able to eat it."
"You're going to waste all this soup?" I ask, taking a sip of the liquid. "If you only live by yourself, why did you make such a big ass pot?"
"I'm used to cooking for a larger amount of people. Old habits die hard, I guess." She says with a shrug.
I nod and I know she is watching me as I eat, probably wondering what the heck I think I'm doing and why I'm doing it. Actually, I have a feeling she's probably asking herself if she did something and I am here to reap the punishment. Probably wondering if I'm coming to hurt her for talking to me earlier and/or from yesterday. This is why I hate rumors because I'm nothing like those people say I am. I'm a pretty nice guy, so I think...
"Are you alright?" I hear her ask. I look up and give her a puzzled look. "You were shot or something last night..."
"Oh, that? Yeah, I'm fine. It just left a scar, nothing major." I say nonchalantly.
Arabella's blue eyes furrow in disbelief.
"You were holding onto your stomach as if you had been shot there."
"Do you want to see the scar? Will that qualm your fears?"
"Yes, if you don't mind."
I am taken aback a little by this. I didn't know that she cared that much... I walk over to her side of the table and turn to her, lifting my shirt. I'm a bit hairy, red hair nonetheless, and so I have to move some of it to show her the scar. Instead of turning away from it, because it is still in process of healing, she reaches out to touch it but catches herself.
"I could have sworn that you were on death's door."
"I knocked, believe me, princess."
"It's Arabella. Arabella Rickward." She growls a little.
I can't help but snicker at her determination. I have known her name ever since she sat next to me in class. I just act like I don't to have an excuse to keep the conversation going.
"I know who you are..."
"Well, calling me 'princess' indicates you don't."
"Well, I don't exactly like being called Phoenix, either but everyone tends to do that." I say with a frown.
"That's not your name?" she asks, seeming truly surprised.
"No."
"Um... then what is it?"
"Bourne; Bourne Marquez."
"That's a nice name... How come no one calls you that?"
"'Red' or 'Phoenix' sounds cooler/more menacing than just plain old Bourne."
"I like it... It makes me think of spies."
I smile and she looks down at my stomach again. This time she does touch my scar.
"I could have sworn this was bleeding horribly last night..."
I move her hand from my stomach and look at her directly into her pools of sky.
"It's nothing to concern yourself over, Arabella."
She nods, seeming dazed.
She can't know about me... Not yet; though hopefully not ever.