The Unwanted Bride Of Atticus Fawn

~SCARLETT~

It’s been a week since I learned I was pregnant—an entire week. Every day, I looked forward to seeing Carter, but he never showed up. He wasn’t at the academy for an entire week, and I didn’t know why. Not seeing him was hard; it was the one thing I kept looking forward to. Each day, I was left disappointed. The last time I saw him was when I found out I was pregnant.

His family threw a party just last night, and I was hurt to know that he was back to his normal ways. Maybe that’s why he wasn’t showing up to the academy. He was too busy partying and hooking up with random girls.

I stare at the bump in my tummy. It was growing bigger with each day.

I knew that it was time I told my parents the truth. I didn’t want to hide it from them anymore.

I didn’t want to tell them what I’d done, but I never liked keeping secrets, especially from them. I knew that, eventually, I wouldn’t be able to hide this. It was better to get it out in the open now than later.

Clara meets me outside their bedroom door. She promised to help me through it. She knew as well as I did that our parents would not take this news well.

When we open the door, they’re both seated at their desk, reading.

My mother looks up at us first.

“Both of you here, at the same time, is something going on?” She asks.

“Mom,” I whisper. “Dad. There is something that I have to tell the both of you. I’m begging you, please do not get angry.”

I knew they would, but I just had to say it. I also wanted them to know that this wouldn’t be something either of them wanted to hear.

“What’s this about?” My father asks me as he gets up from his chair.

I can see the concern in his eyes. He knows this is serious. I hate that I had to do this to them. They trusted me.

I bit my l*p and looked to Clara for support. She smiles at me and squeezes my hand.

I try to breathe through the nervousness. It wasn’t helping, not in the least.

“You can tell us anything.” My mother assured me.

“I’m pregnant.” I blurt out without thinking. I just wanted to get it over with.

There’s complete silence as both of my parents look at each other. The silence is uncomfortable, and I can’t tell what either of them was thinking. Clara looks at me, seeing the panic in my eyes. She’s about to open her mouth when they do something neither of us expected.

They double over in laughter.

I frowned.

What was so funny?

Did they not think that I was serious? I should have known I would have to explain at first that this wasn’t a joke.

“You’ve never had s*x; how can you be pregnant?” My mother asks me. “We know that there isn’t a single guy you’re interested in. You’re our innocent bookworm, Scarlett. You expect us to believe that someone got you pregnant? Please come with a better prank than this, girls.”

“It truly was funny.” My father chuckles. “What a joke.”

“I agree.” My mother laughs.

I expected many reactions from my parents, but this was not one of them.

How could they not take me seriously?

“It is true, Mom,” Clara tells her. “She is pregnant. It’s not a joke.”

They look at each other for a second time, and I can feel the tension enter the room. They finally understood that I was serious and not playing a prank on them.

“What?” My mother gasps. “You’re serious?”

“Scarlett?” My dad asked me for confirmation.

“It’s true,” I whisper. “I’m pregnant.”

“Pregnant?” My father roars. “By who?”

I wince at his tone.

“Who got my daughter pregnant?” My mother gasps.

“Who is it, Scarlett?” My father demands. “What scumbag got you pregnant without marrying you first? Who would be so foolish to mess with my daughter?”

I look at Clara with panic in my eyes. I didn’t want to tell them. I hadn’t even told Carter yet. If I told them, there’s no telling what they would do to him.

“Scarlett!” My father roars. “If you don’t tell me this instance, I will do everything in my power to find out, and when I do—”

“It’s Carter P-prince.” I stutter.

“A PRINCE?” He roars.

“Did you just say, Carter?” My mother asks in disbelief. “The same Carter that broke Clara’s heart?”

I nod, “Yes, mom. It’s the same Carter Prince that you know of.”

“How dare he mess with my both daughters?” My father demands. I could feel the anger radiating off him.

“Why did you do something like that, Scarlett?” My mother asks in disbelief. “After everything he did to your sister, why would you still have s*x with him?”

My bottom l*p trembles as I say, “I don’t know, Mom. I fell in love with him. . .”

“It’s my fault.” Clara cuts in. “I had this dumb revenge plan, and I wanted Scarlett to help me. She flirted with him because I asked her to. I didn’t realize until late that I was making a mistake.”

“I’m not going to sit back and let him get away with this.” My father shouts. “Get my car ready!”

My eyes widen, “where are you going, father?”

“To pay Carter and his parents a visit.”