Where We Began

chapter sixty-one

Brooke's POV

I had always wanted to be a mom. Growing up working with the children in the church nursery and babysitting my cousins had laid the solid groundwork for motherhood in my life, however, I never considered children as a factor in my life until after I completed my PhD and internship. More so I had never thought about being put in a step mom role, yet here I was listening to Claire, the biggest gossip in the entire school, tell me how Ashtyn had just posted her pregnancy announcement on Instagram and told Claire Cole was the father. I couldn't wipe the scowl off my face as I caught sight of Zane and Cole walking in the door laughing about something before seeing me. Not even six hours ago Cole was telling me how he hadn't had sex with her now she was claiming to be pregnant with his child? I was confused, hurt and pissed off all at the same time especially with how he had just walked through the door laughing with Zane. She had to have told him already; she was a bitch but I didn't think she would go that low.

"Hey ladies," Zane said in a testing tone trying to get a feel for the mood, "you all look amazing tonight."

"Thanks Zane," Claire giggled, making me roll my eyes, for a lesbian she sure gave Zane a lot of attention, "I was just telling Brooke about Ashtyn's announcement! I guess congratulations Cole."

"Don't congratulate me," Cole said coldly, "if she really is pregnant it is not mine."

"But weren't y'all together?" Sarah, Claire's very butch girlfriend, questioned Cole.

"Yes but," Cole started to say as I felt him look at me while I looked at Zane to avoid catching his emerald eyes. I knew if I looked at him I would cave immediately to whatever sweet story rolled off his tongue and between his beautiful lips, "she was sleeping around with the football team before, during and after we were together so take your pick on who the sperm donor is. It isn't me tho, I can guarantee that."

"I believe you man," Sarah said, holding her hand out for Cole to shake, "Ashtyn has always struck me as a whore anyways."

"Sarah!" Clarie gasped looking up at her girlfriend who looked like one of the guys in her tux with her short hair combed back and eyebrow ring, "that's so mean!"

"So is trying to start drama on prom night when everyone is having a good time," she said, raising her eyebrow at Claire, "apologize so we can go get in line for walkout."

"I'm sorry for spreading bullshit," Claire said looking at me then Cole, "I hope I didn't ruin your prom."

"You didn't ruin anything," I said sternly with emphasis on the 'you', "maybe just keep Cole's name out of it. Please."

"Deal," she said, pulling me into an unexpected hug before taking Sarah's arm and teetering off on her too high heels.

"Brooke I'm - " Cole began to apologize as I spun around to face him, meeting his sad green eyes with my cold glare.

"Don't apologize to me right now Colton," I seethed, cutting him off while choking back tears, "this morning you were telling me about how you had never touched her and now this. The worst part is I didn't even hear it from you, which would be fine if you were shocked but you seemed to already know exactly how to respond when Claire brought it up. I have half a mind to walk out of the damn prom right now."

"Brooke please just- " he tried to say again as he reached out for my arm as I stepped back and turned to walk outside for some air, "Brooke wait."

"Just let her go take a breather," I heard Zane tell him as I walked around the corner and slammed through the back door that led to the small courtyard between the buildings.

Cole's POV

I couldn't tell if Brooke was more pissed or hurt when she indignantly sauntered down the hall and out of the building. I wanted to chase after her but Zane grabbed my arm and told me to give her space. As much as I wanted to punch him in the mouth for holding me back I knew he was right, she needed space to decompress. Her clear green eyes were barely holding back tears as she glared at me before leaving and, even though she was enraged, she was still breathtaking as her dress flowed behind her and her hair bounced with each click of her heels. I ran my hand through my hair as we waited in silence for her return to line up for walkout.

"I'll go talk to her," Zane said looking at his phone then the door, "you stay here and talk to Eli and Rebecca."

"Hey man," Eli said as Zane took off to check on Brooke, "where's Zane going?"

"He's going to check on Brooke," I said as I felt Rebecca's glare on me without even turning to see her.

"What did you do?" Rebecca snipped with a scowl on her face.

"I got a call while I was parking the car from Ashtyn," I started to explain quickly, "she claims she is pregnant."

"You dumb mother fucker," Eli said shaking his head, "I always thought it would be pretty boy first."

"It's not mine," I sighed, defending myself again, "I never had sex with her. Anyways, before I could even make it in here to think about telling Brooke, Claire had already started talking about some post Ashtyn made saying she was pregnant and it's mine."

"So let me get this straight," Rebecca said still fuming but not acting like she was going to swing on me anytime soon, "the slut bag you were messing around with is pregnant and would have to have known for how long now? Since like January or February yet she is just now telling you?"

"Yep." I said glad someone was hearing me out, "the last time I even did anything with her was Janurary before I found out she was fucking half the football team."

"So honestly it could be anyone's spawn?" Eli questioned making sure he was following this mess of a situation.

"Yeah," I sighed trying to make sense of it all myself as I started talking outloud, thankful everyone had abandoned the hall to line up for walk out, "I don't know if she is actually pregnant or if she's just trying to pull some stunt to try and get me away from Brooke since we're graduating then moving but it's not going to work. I love Brooke. I fell for that girl the first time I ever met her and I never got back up until I finally grew a pair and asked her out and she for some reason said yes. I've spent a lot of time, too much time, fucking everything up but this is one thing I didn't want to ever fuck up. Brooke means the world to me. I will follow her to freaking Japan if that's what it takes to show her I am all in on us. Fuck Ashtyn, Juan, Maci and whoever else is playing some stupid game against us. They don't mean shit to me. Brooke is my reason to be a better person. She is the sole reason I'm graduating and going to freaking college. It's like everytime I think things are going good someone shows up and starts shit. I'm so ready to get her away from this shit town and all these stupid assholes. I want to be better for her and I just wish I could make her see that."

"I do see that Cole," Brooke's sweet voice said from behind me as I spun to see her standing in the front entrance with Zane behind her with a stupid smile on his face, "the side door locked when Zane came out so we had to come around."

"Brooke," I said, closing the distance between us before she stopped me with her hand on my chest, "baby I am so sorry."

"I know," she smiled at me but it was a sad smile like she was holding back what she really wanted to say, "we aren't done talking about this problem but for now I would like to get prom over with so we can leave without a million texts from our parents."

"I second that," Rebecca said, walking over and linking arms with Brooke and dragging her toward the library for walk out line up, "I have got to know what makeup you use."

"That was quite a fucking speech Matthews," Zane said slapping my shoulder, "almost had me feeling like you meant it."

"Fuck off," I shrugged his hand off, I hadn't forgot catching him messing around with Brooke that night was the reason I got blackout drunk, "let's go get this thing over with."

"What happened between you two?" Eli asked looking between us before walking ahead to join the girls, "I'll let it go for now but y'all better get your shit together. She isn't going to wait around forever."