Chapter Seven

Bridger finally exposes what's been on his mind.

The house was quiet when I walked in from the pool. I dried my hair with a towel I had taken out. I could hear my other siblings splashing around in it still. I had ballet in a half hour and I needed to get ready. When I walked into the room Bridger was lying on his bed staring up at the ceiling. “Hey,” I said and walked in to my closet. I grabbed my ballet bag and started putting all my essentials into it. When everything was in I zipped the bag up.

“Do you want a ride?” Bridger said without taking his eyes off the ceiling.

“I’d appreciate one, thanks.” He nodded and grudgingly got off his bed. He slid his shoes back on and followed me out to the car. I sat my bag on the back seat of the car and got in.

“What’d you tell the parents?” Bridger asked quietly.

I buckled my seat belt while I spoke, “Late night tutoring to low income students.”

“What a saint you are.” I laughed lightly then looked out the window. “Russ, I’m sorry I’ve been distant.” My head turned back to him.

“Its fine, you have a lot on your mind. I can tell.”

He let out a pained laugh, “more that you could possibly know.” He turned onto the main street and started following it without even thinking. “I know I can trust you.” I nodded and shifted my body toward him. “Yesterday when I was on the phone I was talking to Harper.”

“Is she alright?” I asked suddenly panicked. That had to be why he was so upset, something was wrong with her.

“She’s wonderful.”

“Did you break up?”

“Russ, let me talk.” He laughed and I saw a hint of happiness gleam through his eyes. I nodded and shut my lips. I saw the studio coming up soon. He didn’t speak until he had pulled into the parking lot. He shut off the engine and turned to me, “She’s pregnant.”

I smiled, “Oh that’s cute.” It took my thoughts a minute to catch up. She had only been seeing one person I knew that for a fact. My mouth gaped open, “Bridger.”

“I know,” He sighed and sunk his head low, “She’s about four months along.” My mouth was still open as I stared with great horror. “When she found out we had made the plans to keep it. Somehow he had a flawless plan of how I’d get into college back in Reno and her parents would help her raise the kid.” I nodded trying to keep all these facts straight. “She called me from the doctor yesterday.”

“Is everything alright?”

His head sunk, “The babies are fine.” That’s all he said. Again it took awhile for my thought process to catch up.

“Babies?”

This is where his pain came in. Tears started to swell up in his eyes, “Twins, can you believe that?” The tears broke the eye lid barrier and they ran down his face, “Her parents said they won’t help with two. So now we have only a few options, we can give them up for adoption, give just one up for adoption, or I move back and take care of my situation.”

“You can’t move back,” I knew at this point I was being selfish.

He wiped away some tears. “Russ, I couldn’t imagine giving any of my children away.” He looked straight at me and it was too late, he’d already made his choice. “We’re going to wait it out a couple more weeks see if they were wrong or something. But if they aren’t I don’t have any more options. I need to go back.” I felt the only sanity slipping slowly from my fingers. I wanted to reach out and touch him, bring him back but it was too late he was already gone. I needed to figure out what my life would be like without him.

I took a deep breath, “I’m really sorry Bridger. I wish there was some way I could help.” My hand landed on his arm and I stroked it soothingly.

“You do,” He laughed, “I don’t want to have to leave you. You are my best friend Russ.”

“And you’re mine.”

He sniffed and shifted toward me, “You need to get in there.”

“I don’t need to go.”

Bridger smiled again. I knew it helped having him tell me. Now everything was off of his chest and he could almost breathe again. “No, I’d feel horrible. It’s your first day, please just go and have a good time.”

I nodded, “thanks for telling me.”

He smiled and I opened the door. The air was warm as I stepped outside. The sky had started to turn a dark pink and the clouds were settling over the mountains. Bridger started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. I swung my bag over my shoulder and started walking. My mind was on the recent subject matter discussed in the car. I watched each rock in the pavement pass by underneath my shoes.

“Hey,” I jumped and whipped my head up. “Sorry didn’t mean to scare you.” Parker was walking from his truck over to the door.

“It wasn’t you, sorry.” His bag was also slung over his shoulder. He wore a black T-shirt over a leotard with shorts over them. His strong leg muscles were showing off through the dark thin fabric. His calf muscles flexed as he walked toward me. I stopped and waited for him to catch up.

He stood in front of me, “What’s wrong?”

“What?” I looked at him and his brow’s lowered, “oh nothing.”

His thumb pinched the bottom of my chin, “You’re not you.”

“I’m fine, don’t worry.”

He nodded and stuck out his elbow. I looked at it and then tentatively placed my arm in his elbow. His arm pulled and he led me into the studio, “Don’t let those STAR kids scare you alright? I wouldn’t do that to you. I know what Chip did to Hayden and I want you to know that I would never do that.”

He opened the door and let me walk through. I stopped when I was inside. My eyes shot right into his and I smiled, “I know.” He smiled back and led me to the studio we would be dancing in.

When we got there, there were only a few people there. It was the smaller advanced class. Parker and I were the only two from our school. The rest were from different high schools around the valley. We took the first half of class to get to know each other. The second half we spent actually dancing. Our instructor showed us dances that we would be doing. Different shows that we would be participating in.

When class was over I pulled out my phone to see if Bridger could come get me. Parker put his hand over my phone, “let me take you home.”

I bit my lip, “I don’t know.”

“Come on, you can’t be that scared of your father.”

I laughed, “Okay.” Again he let me take his elbow and he led me out to his car. When we got in I finally asked, “Why don’t the STARs like the All Stars?”

“Oh boy, it’s a story that goes back years and years.”

“I’d like to know.”

He nodded, “about 20 years ago there were two best friends who were in STARs. STARs have been around since the school opened in the sixties. These two best friends were from different places one was rich the other was poor. They seemed to work just fine anyways. Well they had some sort of falling out and the richer one got his parents to start a new club. A club that you had to audition for plus you have to pay a 500 dollar club fee at the beginning of the year. He changed the name to All Stars to show that his club was better than his friend’s.  It’s been the same way ever since. STARs think that everyone in the All Stars club is rich pompous jerks who like to flaunt their money.”

“Are you?”

He smiled and laughed, “No, at least I’m not. There are a few there that really are. I’ve never liked flaunting my money at all. My mom just wants me to get the best while I still live with her.”

“You have a single mom?”

His head nodded, “I do. She’s so wonderful.”

“Where’s your dad?” My body was turned in the seat and I stared at him while he drove.

He sighed, “Hell if I know. He left when I was seven. He ran off with some blonde floozy. He didn’t pay child support until he finally settled down and had some more kids of his own. We didn’t really need it, my mom made enough. She’s a lawyer.”

I smiled, “That’s amazing.”

He nodded, “So you’re parents?”

“They’re crazy.”

He laughed loudly, “I’ve noticed.”

“They have drama of their own. My brother Bridger and I are from a different dad than the rest of my siblings.”

“Really?”

I nodded, “it’s quite obvious. I’m sure you’ve seen my younger sister she runs with the ‘cool’ crowd. Her name is Piper.” My hands went up in air quotations when I used the world cool.

“Piper Shaw, I have come across her. I didn’t even think you were related. The hair is not even close.”

My head shook, “Luckily. I would look terrible with red hair.” Parker nodded and we both laughed. “My dad was an alcoholic and was really rough with my mother during her first two kids. She left him for awhile and that’s where she met my dad. He treated her well gave her two beautiful children and she broke his heart. She went back with my dad before she had me.” Parker listened intently as I told him about my past. “They refuse to let us meet or see our father. Now that Bridger is over 18 he can, but he says he’ll wait for me.”

“He’s a good guy, yeah?”

“Bridger? He’s the best.”

Parker smiled, “We’re just full of drama aren’t we.” I nodded and he laughed. “Our past is our past right?” My head nodded up and down once more. “Start over with me.” It wasn’t a question. The car stopped, I didn’t even realize that we were at my house.

“Thanks for the ride,” My hand quickly grabbed the handle and I jumped out of the large truck. I grabbed my bag and I practically ran to my front step. “Start over with me.” I whispered, “Of course.” Before I walked in I turned around and looked back at his truck. His window was rolled down and he was resting his cheek on his hand.

I took a deep breath and walked back over to his truck. My hand wrapped around the window hole and I whispered, “I will.”

Parker smiled and put his hand behind his ear, “I can’t hear you what did you say?”

“I said I will.” My voice got a little louder.

Again his hand went behind his ear, “One more time I still can’t hear you.”

I looked around me and searched for anyone around, “I said that I will start over with you.” It wasn’t exactly a yell but it was close.

Parker smiled and tapped the tip of my nose. “What’re you yelling about? I heard you the first time.”

Author's Note

This is rather long I apologize. :S

Reviews

[Rhea752]

awwww so sweet i loved this!!!!!!