seventytwo.

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I'll be over yours sooner than I planned.

Clay: You're welcome whenever. I'll tell my parents you're staying for dinner.

Thanks.

Elizabeth was in her car, and she hadn't moved from the driveway at all. Tears were falling into her lap as texts from Justin arrived.

Justin: I'm spending the night at Zach's.
Justin: I love you.
Justin: I just need some time to think about what I want.

She'd pulled out of her driveway and began the drive to Clay's house. Justin continued to text, but she was ignoring them. She eventually reached the narrow road beside Clay's house, and got out of her car. She saw Clay waiting by his door for her, watching as she stumbled into his arms and broke down. All he did was comfort her and pull her inside his out house.

"Thank you, Clay." She whispered, pulling away from the hug and sitting on the couch. "I really needed that." Clay sat beside her and reached his hand into the bowl of chips that were on the coffee table.

"How did it go?" He asked.

"Well, I'm here. So one can imagine." She joked. "He's at Zach's right now. I showed him the test and he said we were just too young for a child. And that he needed to think about it." Clay had his hand on her back, massaging his fingers in gentle circles. She'd stopped crying now, and was just focused on talking to Clay. "I know I'm young and I should be thinking about college right now, but I don't think I could abort it."

"It's your choice to make, whether Justin decides to stay or not." Clay commented. "Dinner is ready soon, but let's watch a movie." He reached for the remote and the movie began, the fast flickering of images leading up to the Marvel title screen.

Justin had met Zach at the diner, instead of sleeping at his. He'd rather be at home, in their shared bed, to really think. Zach has arrived before Justin did, and sat opposite the raven haired man, watching as he devoured his second milkshake. "What's up, man?"

"I'm an idiot." Justin stated.

"Tell me something I don't know." Zach joked, earning a playful punch from Justin. "But, talk to me." Justin sighed and slid his finger over the menu, finding something to order as the waitress stood beside them with her notepad ready to go.

"I'll just have fries, please." The waitress bowed her head and left their table, leaving Justin the opportunity to say how he really felt. Elizabeth hadn't given him a chance, and he didn't think he would have the heart to say it to her face. "Elizabeth is pregnant. And I freaked out, because I'm only 18. I worked so hard on my finals, and with a kid, I doubt I'd even go to college."

"Understandable." Zach added.

"But I've had time to think about it, and I'd love to have a child with her. She's the only person I'd want to have a child with. But the real reason why I'm so unsure, is because I'm scared I won't be a good dad." Justin spoke softly. Saying that to Elizabeth, he would've seen her heart shatter and exit her body through tears. And he couldn't bare the thought of that. "My dad wasn't around, so I don't know how to be a good dad."

"Dude," Zach called out. "You're 18. Of course you aren't going to know what you're doing, but neither will she. It's an experience that you have to figure out as you go along. And part of the job is just being around."

He put it into a different perspective for Justin. The only way he would be like his father is if he wasn't around. And he would have Victor to gain advice from, it would all work out somehow.

"I think I want a baby." Justin smiled. Zach patted his back and chuckled. "It's going to be different. No more parties, no more drugs. I have to be responsible."

Zach let a laugh slip. "You can have parties, just not around the baby. Hire a sitter and go out for the night. But yes, you have to be responsible." Justin was still more terrified than ever, but he was sure as hell that he wanted the baby. Now he just had to let Elizabeth know.

broken home - j.f✔️Where stories live. Discover now