Pregnant with my two best friends

Chapter 4

Parker walks out of the shower slowly, taking his time, because he has it. He is going to pick up Emma for the prom tonight with his Range Rover. Chris has a different plan; he will pick up Kate and they will share a limo with Kate’s cheerleader friends and Chris’s football buddies. They’re not really Parker and Emma’s scene. And since Parker won’t definitely be drinking, he’s fine with driving himself, prefers it more, actually.

It has been five days since they had their ‘thing’ at the pond. Surprisingly, things didn’t get weird at all after that. There hasn’t been any awkwardness between the three of them. They were even able to do it three more times during that week. With condoms. And while they haven’t really talked about what it actually meant for them, but somehow, neither have felt that the conversation was necessary. The three of them have been comfortable around each other, so much so that talking about it might actually ruin the sacredness of their union.

Parker, however, has a plan. He can’t help it, he’s a planner, it’s in his blood. He’s decided that he will court Emma, not aggressively so, considering they’re only eighteen and have no plan of getting married anytime soon. Still, Parker’s decided to path his future, and in it, there’s Emma. So, his future goes, more or less, like this: Parker and Chris will go to Harvard and Emma to Princeton. Before that, he will tell Emma how he feels and asks her to be his girlfriend. He will be committed to Emma, and make an effort to visit Princeton as many times as possible on the weekends, or have Emma visit him for a change of scenery.

Once they finish college, he and Chris, of course, will continue with their MBA straight away, as per their dads’ request which no doubt Parker will follow through without questions. After that, he will join his dad’s company, as planned. Now, Emma. She can do whatever she wants after college and Parker will be amenable, like a good boyfriend that he is. Parker happens to know that she wants to be a teacher, and that will be perfect for Parker. After that, once they reach the age of twenty-five, they will be married. He and Emma. Parker’s known since he was only a kid that Emma is the one for him. It sucks that she has a crush on Chris. But now that they have made love, Parker feels that Emma too, feels something towards him.

And Chris, oh yes, Chris.

Parker never regrets his decision for letting Chris took Emma’s virginity. Emma may think that he was being noble for putting her needs before him. While that couldn’t be further from the truth, Parker actually had his own selfish reason. Parker was a virgin. Nobody knew that. Not even Chris. Everybody in high school thought that Parker was simply just didn’t want to date American girls, that he was a snob that way, thanks to the girl that saw him kissing his French friend who happened to be a girl. And another thanks to his cousin’s i********: photos that had Parker kissing his Australian friend who also happened to conveniently be a girl.

No, the reason why Parker let Chris go first was because he didn’t really know what to do, even though he’d watched porn, quite often, actually. But now, things don’t matter anymore. They’ve made love, the three of them. Now, it’s all about the future.

While Parker has been willingly sharing Emma with Chris, four times so far. He knows that eventually things will have to progress, that everything will not stay the same. He’s not worried, though, they’re young still. If he plans to marry Emma at 25, he still technically has seven years to deal with stuff. The thing is, Parker knows that no matter how much Chris seems to enjoy their tryst now, he’s still a playboy who prefers blond hair and blue-eyed girls. Emma’s a brunette with brown eyes. Parker believes that eventually Chris will step back. They just need to find a way to make Chris’s departure as graceful as possible so nobody gets hurt. Especially Emma. After all, Chris too loves Emma very much, even though it’s not the same way as Parker does.

While the plan seems solid on paper, Parker is smart enough to know that in reality things will not always be solely on the up and up. For one thing, they have a problem in the parents’ department, from both sides. Emma may not know for sure; she thinks that it was only a gossip, but Parker’s always known that Emma’s biological father did, in fact, work as a chauffeur for his grandfather. Especially since his mother’s never failed to mention that to him whenever she feels bored and vindictive.

Parker’s also always known that Emma’s mom doesn’t like him. So, yeah, this may become their very own Romeo and Juliet story. One that Parker will do anything in his power to avoid. Because, well, he’s considerate that way. Parker has never been the my-way-or-the-high-way kind of guy. He’s never been a bad boy. He’s proper, and polished.

In the meantime, there is the three months of summer. In his head, he’s been cooking up a plan to duck jetting off to wherever place his family is intending to trot them. He’d rather spend it with Emma, and well, Chris is welcome too, ha-ha. But this summer, he’s really planned to court Emma, to make her see what she’s meant to him. How he’s loved her all this time, and hopefully she can love him back. Like he knows she can. This is actually the time. Parker needs to secure his place in Emma’s heart because life can still throw him a curveball. Emma may find herself a decent guy at Princeton, and that just won’t do. Won’t do at all.

His phone dings. A text just came. It’s from Emma.

***

The prom is great. The organizers have done a terrific job, Chris has to admit. The party has already started when he, Kate, and their friends arrive. Still, they’re the popular ones so they can be fashionably late. While there’s no guarantee, but Chris knows that he and Kate will be the prom king and queen. He’s not really very enthusiastic with the prospect, after all, they’re already the homecoming king and queen, really now, give other people a chance, will you?

But Kate is super excited and Chris is not a total jerk. Tonight, is about Kate. As her boyfriend, Chris will make sure to it. He wants this prom to be perfect so he can end things nicely and on a good note with Kate before they go on their separate ways. Chris to Harvard and Kate to Yale. Chris likes Kate, he thinks she’s cool.

With that thought, Chris decides to spend most of the night sticking by her side and their group of friends. They’re his football buddies, anyway. There’s a lot he can talk to them about, and he can also dance a little. Chris plans to have a good time, and this is a good night.

From the corner of his eyes Chris sees Parker and Emma entering the hall. It seems like they’ve seen him too because they both wave and walk towards him. Chris stands up and grins. They know the drill. When Chris is with his group, Parker and Emma will usually make time to greet him and his buddies for a bit before going to have their own definition of fun. Just because they don’t flock together, doesn’t mean that they can’t acknowledge each other. Now that, will be an insult. And that, is not how these three cool kids roll.

“Em,” Chris says, hugging her tightly but jokingly ignoring Parker all together. “Miss you, babe. When was the last time I saw you?”

“Uh, yesterday?” Emma answers, then giggles. “Silly boy.”

Parkers comes to Chris’s table, greeting all the people there, casually talking to them, letting Chris have his chance of spending time with Emma even though only for a couple of minutes. Emma will spend the rest of the night with him since Chris has his own date and will be busy being crowned and everything. Tonight, will be smooth. There will be no drama. Chris and Parker will make sure to it.

Chris takes Emma to the group, making her join the conversation. His gaze finds Kate, so he smiles. Kate is still his girlfriend; he needs to care for her feelings as well. Kate smiles too, she knows what Emma means to Chris. She will not get jealous and ruin the night. Especially since Chris and she have already broken up. Nobody knows this, but they have. That sucks, but well, college is around the corner, she’ll live.

“Emma,” Kate squeaks. “You look pretty! Come here, girl!”

“Aww, thanks Kate,” Emma says. “You look absolutely stunning yourself, right Chris?”

Chris smiles and nods. “Absolutely stunning,” he answers earnestly. “Kate is always absolutely stunning.”

Kate smiles. “Thanks, you two,” she says, taking the compliment gracefully. “Do you wanna dance, Emma?”

Emma laughs. “Okay, I can’t believe you’re asking me to dance with you.”

Now Kate laughs with her. “No, silly. Go dance with Chris.”

“Wait,” Emma says, couldn’t believe her ears. “You’re lending me your boyfriend?”

“Yes, girly girl,” Kate answers. “For a song or two only, though. But then bring him back, I plan to monopolize him after that.”

Chris laughs, then kisses Kate’s lips lightly. “Sure thing, babe,” he says. “A song or two, then I’ll be right back by your side.”

Kate shoos them away before parking her cute bum back to her chair. Parker sits beside her, taking Chris’s seat. “Hey, cool chick,” he says, then winks. Chris’s style. “Wanna dance?”

Kate squints her eyes, giving him a suspicious look. “With you, Mr. I’m-too-cool-for-everybody-at-school?” she says. “Nope.”

“Oh, well,” Parker says, shrugs, then continues with his tease, “wanna make out instead?”

Kate laughs this time. “Well, there’s a thought,” she says, pretending to think. “You do realize that you’re handsome, right? Like, very handsome.”

Parker winks. “Yep,” he says casually. “More handsome than your boyfriend over there. And I’m much better than Chris.”

Now Kate raises an eyebrow. “Really?” she asks, enjoying their conversation. Parker doesn’t usually this playful. That trait belongs to Chris.

Parker nods. “Just ask my French girlfriend.”

This makes Kate laugh again. She knows that Parker was referring to the rumor about him. Lightly, she punches his shoulder. Their gaze meet, so they smile. Parker reaches for her hand and lightly kisses her knuckles. They then fall into a comfortable silence, waiting for Emma and Chris to come back. When they’re back at the table, Parker stands up, giving Chris his chair back. They fist-bump.

Parker then waves to the whole group before reaching for Emma’s hand, whisking her away somewhere. Everybody has to stay in character now. Chris needs to prepare himself to be crowned as king alongside Kate, his girlfriend. While Emma and Parker have to be supportive and cheer for their friend from the periphery.

***