Six Like The Number

Agree To Disagree

*Axle's POV*

When Monday rolls around, I’ve decided to just ask her about it. I need to know. I show up early and wait for her in the parking lot. When she pulls up and sees me she smiles and walks over to me, but frowns when she sees the look on my face, “Hey, you okay? Did something happen?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you had a kid?” I blurt out. I had intended to be a little more tactical about that but no turning back now. I see the shock and confusion on her face.

“What are you talking about? I don’t have a kid.”

“Seriously, Six? I could kind of understand you just not telling me, but to straight up lie to my face? I saw you at the grocery store on Saturday!” 

Realization crosses her face and then she says, “You have no f*****g clue what you’re talking about,” she spits out.

“And that guy you were with, is he the father? Is he why you can never hang out after school and why even though we f**k all the time it always feels like you’re keeping me at arm’s length?”

“No! It’s because the second I let you in, you’re gonna want out. And I-I’m not ready to lose whatever this is.”

“You think I’ll leave you because you have a kid?”

“Ugh! It’s so much more complicated than that. But, yes, at the end of the day I do think you’ll end this if I tell you everything about me because my life is messy as f**k and I really don’t expect anyone to willingly implicate themselves in it.”

“So you just made the decision for me? What was your plan here, keep me in the dark as long as possible and then what?”

“I don’t know because falling for you was never in the plan,” The last part comes out as a whisper and she looks into my eyes and I see the fear in them and my heart threatens to jump out of my throat. I pull her into a hug and she wraps her arms tightly around my waist.

“Falling for you wasn’t in my plan either, you know.” She pulls back and looks into my eyes, searching for something. “What does that mean for us?”

“It means I need you to let me in and just trust me when I say I don’t want out.”

“But you might.”

“But I should get to make that choice.”

“Okay, fine. I’ll tell you about Theo. He’s my brother. Half-brother technically. He just turned 3.” Oh. That’s not so bad. Why was she so scared to tell me this? There must be more. I nod, waiting for her to continue. 

“My mom is a drug addict. Both my father and Theo’s were dealers that she paid with s*x. I don’t even know either of their names. She used to work but ever since Theo was born she basically just lies on the couch blasted out of her mind most of the time, so I take care of Theo. 

The plan was to go to college, get a job and then take Theo with me, but I had a meeting with Theo’s teacher a few weeks back because he told her that his Mommy’s name was Six and she thought it was weird because that’s not the name on file. She figured our mom was an addict and I was terrified because I thought she was going to call CPS and have him taken away from me, but she said she’s not going to because he’s doing well. She suggested I apply for guardianship ASAP because someone at some point probably will call CPS. Long story short, I turn 18 in January and intend to submit an application to become his legal guardian.”

“So you have a brother who calls you Mommy and will eventually become your son?”

“Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.”

“So he’s at school now? Isn’t 3 a little young for school?”

“He’s at pre-school in the mornings and then my downstairs neighbour who has a daughter the same age as him watches him until I get home.”

“I see. So then who was buddy with the mohawk that was holding him?

“That would be Jordan. My ex-boyfriend. We started dating shortly after my mom got pregnant. He helped with Theo a lot actually.”

“Why did you break up?”

“He got my best friend pregnant in February. So, I guess there was a teenage pregnancy in this story. It just wasn’t mine.”

“I see. The one thing I still don’t understand is why the f**k you thought I would just ditch you when I found this all out?”

“Because literally everybody else in my life has.”

That shoots a knife straight through my heart. It makes so much sense. I feel like such a d**k. 

“I’m sorry. You’re right. But I hope you know, I’m not going anywhere so you’re stuck with me.” She looks at me and something flashes across her face but I’m not sure what it is. 

“I’m sorry too. I probably could have handled this better, I just didn’t know how. But I’m glad to be stuck with you. Although, I think you might have that backwards.”

“Let’s agree to disagree.” I pull her against me and kiss her softly and then pull back when I remember something, “So, um, one more thing. Jameson was with me that day when we saw you and then proceeded to discuss it with Ethan and Cam, which is partly the reason I was so convinced that was your kid and baby daddy. So, basically they’re going to have questions. Sorry.”

She just sighs and says, “I can’t say I didn’t see that coming.”