This Is So Not Happening

Near the edge of the dance floor, Chloe was slow-dancing with Hammond, but keeping a serious distance. Like a full arm’s length. I guess with her trying to hide her stomach, she had to. She was wearing this black dress that was tight under her boobs and then seriously loose to her knees. You couldn’t tell she was pregnant, but all the guys were staring at her boobs. They had never been that big before, and every dude in the room knew it.

“What’re you looking at?” Ally said, glancing behind her.

I stepped on her foot to keep her from looking. I’m not proud of it, but a guy has to do what a guy has to do.

“Ow!” she said, pulling her toes up.

“Sorry.” I gritted my teeth. “I know it sucks that I’ve been grounded, but at least it’s over. Now we can do whatever.”

Ally put her foot down again and gave me this insanely sexy smile. “What kind of whatever did you have in mind?” she asked, pulling me in a little closer.

Instantly every inch of my skin was on alert. Actually, come to think of it, it had been a long time since we’d been alone together. Like, alone alone. I hadn’t done much more than peck her on the lips in days. Weeks maybe. I held her closer, and her breath caught, which just got me going even more.

“Think there’s a private room around here somewhere?” I said.

She blushed purple. “I know my mom’s around here somewhere.”

I loosened my grip a little. “Talk about a buzz kill.”

Ally laughed, but I wasn’t exactly kidding. Then a fast song started up and the only semicrowded dance floor was suddenly claustrophobic. Ally started to bounce around to the music, so I tried to do the same. I’d never been very good at fast dancing. I just sort of stepped from side to side and counted the seconds until it was over.

There was a whoop and a shout and suddenly a circle was forming. Being taller than most people had its perks. I could see over everyone’s heads that Faith and this junior girl, Ava Strathmore, were pulling Chloe out into the center. They started to do this dance together, like doing the same moves, and everyone clapped to the beat. Chloe was laughing and I had to smile. It had been a while since I’d seen her laugh.

“Did they actually choreograph something?” Ally said, standing on her toes so she could see. She was taller than most girls, too, just not most guys.

“They did this for the talent show sophomore year,” Sha

In the center of the circle, Chloe leaned over and swung her hair around and around like she was a propeller … or maybe a stripper. I swear I thought one of her boobs was go

“Um, should she be doing this?” Ally asked.

“She’s fine!” Sha

Then Chloe flung her head up and stood straight and suddenly her eyes sort of crossed. Just like that I remembered that day on the side of the road. The day she almost fainted. Someone in the crowd gasped. Chloe staggered sideways. Her dad jumped out of the crowd behind her with his arms outstretched, and she went down.

“Omigod!” Ally cried, hand over her mouth.

My heart completely stopped beating.

The baby. Just don’t let the baby be hurt.

I shoved through the circle and was on my knees next to Chloe. Hammond did the same on the other side. Luckily her dad had caught her before she hit the floor, but she was completely out.

“Chloe! Chloe, can you hear me?” her father asked.

“Charles?” Chloe’s mother wailed.

“Get Gray!” he growled. She disappeared into the crowd just as Dr. Nathanson came into the circle from the other side. Ally’s mom went straight to Ally’s side.

“What happened?” Dr. Nathanson asked, kneeling next to me.

“She just fainted and went down,” I said.

Mr. Nathanson looked Chloe over. “Charles, I hate to have to ask this, but is your daughter … pregnant?”

I looked down. On her back, with her dress flopped to the floor, it was obvious. Chloe’s belly was like a mountain. Mr. Appleby nodded and Gray looked, well, gray.

Everyone was dead silent, but the music was pumping. Kids started snapping pictures with their phones, sending texts or tweets. I wanted to pummel every one of them.

“Boys, I’m going to need a little room,” Dr. Nathanson said to me and Hammond.

“Yeah, dude,” Hammond said, glaring at me.

“Me? You’re the one that should back off,” I spat.

Hammond’s eyes went wide. “I was with her for two years!”

“Yeah, and she broke up with you, like, six months ago, jackass!” I shot back.

“Boys! Both of you! Get out of the doctor’s way!” Mr. Appleby shouted. “This is not about your egos right now!”

Hammond and I both stood up. I turned away, turned toward Ally, but her expression kind of killed me. She looked sad, helpless, jealous, and mad all at once. I put my hand on the back of my head and looked at the floor. I could feel everyone watching me. Wondering why I had gone to Chloe’s side. Maybe even realizing the truth. Thumbs flew over keyboards, everyone here telling everyone I knew what they thought they now understood. Finally the music was cut dead.

“Chloe? Are you okay?” I heard Mrs. Appleby say, after what seemed like forever.

I whirled around. Chloe was sitting up. Blinking.

“Where are we?” she asked, staring up at the fake sky. Then her face filled with terror. “Oh my God. The baby! Is the baby okay?”

Now there were gasps. As if they hadn’t seen the belly bump, hadn’t heard the doctor’s question.

“Let’s get her out of here,” her father said. “She needs some fresh air.”

Dr. Nathanson and Mr. Appleby helped Chloe to her feet, supporting her on the way out the door.

“Wait, but the party,” I heard Chloe say. And then she was gone.

Mrs. Appleby stood there in the center of the dance floor by herself, sort of wavering back and forth on her heels. Sha

“Yes, my daughter is pregnant, okay?” she half-cried, half-screeched. “And this party is officially over.”

Then she yanked her hand away from Mrs. Moore, turned, and stormed out. The whole room was consumed by whispers and questions and some laughter. I walked over to Ally and her mom. Ally kind of robotically took my hand. I squeezed her fingers, but she didn’t squeeze back.

“Well, I guess we should—”

“Jake?” Mrs. Appleby’s voice stopped me cold. She had her coat over her arm and she snapped her fingers at me from across the room. “Chloe’s asking for you. Let’s go.”

My mouth fell open. Every single pair of eyes in the room was on me. I felt like someone had jammed a dirty sneaker into my throat, making it impossible to speak or breathe.

“Let’s go,” she ordered me.

I turned to Ally. Her eyes were shining. She dropped my hand, crossed her arms over her stomach, and looked at the floor.

“Um, you have a ride, right?” I said.

“Of course she does,” her mother said, putting her arms around Ally’s shoulders. Her mouth was this ugly thin line, and she looked like she wanted to put me in a chokehold. Guess someone had figured out for sure what was going on around here.

“Okay. Thanks. I’ll call you later?” I said to Ally.

She barely nodded. I turned around and strode across the room, trying to keep my head up. When I passed Hammond he shot me a death glare. I paused and looked him in the eye.

“Well,” I said. “There you go.”