Baby be Mine

Chapter 25

[Mic]

It's been a week since Paige confronted me, and almost a week since Lila went no contact with her. Lila tried to explain to Paige her mistaken impression but Paige would have none of it. Then she asked Lila to choose.

Of course, I only found out that last part from Cal.

Both Lila and Cal had been over mine a few times after school this past week. Nancy loved them, as did Elsie. We spent most of these nights watching movies. The two of them shocked that I hadn't watched many of the movies that came out the last few years.

"But you worked at the cinema. You get free tickets. Why didn't you watch any then?" Cal asks flabbergasted. Lila pulls me in tighter as she shuts Cal down. The two of us spread out on the sofa while Cal claims the seat. These moments just seem so natural already.

In school wasn't as comfortable though.

Just walking into third period English showed that.

"Did you see her at break? First, she gets knocked up now she flaunts around with that girl." Shauna says, not too subtly as I pass back to my desk and bag.

We'd already had two hours of English. Our teacher lets us leave our bags in the room during break, because we have the hour after break as well. I think part of the reason he does this is so we come back for the third hour.

"I feel sorry for the child. What life is she showing that kid?" Shauna's friend, Amber says back.

'Just one hour and I'll be back with Lila.' I chant to myself. 'None of these people matter. Neither does their opinion.'

"Mikayla." Mr Brook says in front of me, startling me. "Before I start class I just want to say, I'm sorry for what is about to happen and I really hope this helps." With that he moves to the front of the room. "Right, breaks over people. Time for learning again. George, that means mouth shut and ears open. Got it, great." Mr Brook says, getting a chuckle off the class. "Now, I've decided I'm going to change my plans for this lesson. You won't need to take notes."

He moves to the white board and rubs out the work we had been doing this morning. Not sure what is happening but I feel like something is going to go down by the end of this hour.

On the board he writes P.E.E. in big capitals, one under the other. "What does this stand for? Yes, I hear your sniggers but can we think like 'A' level English students please?"

"Point, Evidence, Explain. It's used to demonstrate paragraph structure in essay writing." Heather says, after Mr Brooks motions to her. As she says the acronym, he writes the words next to the capital letter it represents.

"Exactly. Now let's work through one together. Point. Mikayla had a baby over the summer."

What?

"Now, what evidence do we have to show this?" he asks the class.

If people are looking, I don't know, my vision is firmly planted on the desk in front of me. My vision blurring at the concentration.

"She was seen with a baby." Someone says, I'm not sure who.

"She was ... she was seen with a baby." Mr Brook says, disbelief clear in his voice. "Okay, any other evidence? No? fine, can someone explain how this evidence proves this point?"

Silence rings out through-out the class. Chancing a look up, I see Mr Brook staring down a very sheepish looking class. Normally he is a relaxed, funny teacher. Today is the most serious I have ever seen him.

"You guys are the eldest in the school. Practically adults. Yet the past few months I've witnessed the students in this school act like toddlers. I have had enough of the spiteful and malicious spreading of rumours that this student body is partaking in." Mr Brook yells. "Just moments ago, I heard people in this class continue this childish behaviour. This is meant to be an advanced placement class. The reason you are all in here right now is not only because of your high-test scores but because we thought you were mature enough. Unfortunately, that's not what you guys have demonstrated today." He shakes his head. "How many times have I impressed on you the need to have a reliable source in your essay writing? Countless times is the answer. So, I ask you, if you look for the reliable source for your work, why are you not looking for it in life?"