"W-why are you here...?" I studdered. Colby gazed up at me and slowly smiled. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it when no words came out. 

Mom, who was still dressed in her Sunday-best clothes, looked from me to Colby, then clapped her hands to get our attention. "Alright kids, I'll go fix us some tea, while you two talk things out." I glared at mom when she walked away but she chose to ignore my reaction.  Colby and I continued staring down at the floor in silence. We heard distant clatter in the kitchen.

Colby finally decided to speak up, he looked pretty uncomfortable, "So...uh...how...uh...far along are you...?"

I rolled my eyes at him, "Like you would care...six months, I'm due at the end of December." I really didn't want him here. Why was he here in the first place?

"Your mom told me you were pregnant, so I decided to check up on you..." he looked into my brown eyes.

I hadn't realized I was tapping my foot. When I stopped, I let out a long sigh. "You don't have to pretend Mr. Celebrity. You didn't check up on me when I was three months pregnant."

"You didn't text or call!" He argued.

I rolled my eyes, "Tell me, Colby, why are you hear?" If I had gum, I would totally pop bubbles in his face.

At first it seemed like he was thinking of an excuse, but in the end sighed, "Look, Brooke, I had no idea you were pregnant, you should have called  me, your mom was the first to tell me, so she invited me here."

How did mom know that Colby was the father? I don't remember telling her, even if I did, she would have asked me first. 

"So now what? You plan to take custody?" I spat back.

He shrugged, "Well, I am the father, legally I have the right, but if you don't want me to, that's fine as well."

I shook my head, "You'll barely have the time to spend time with her! With your tours and concerts."

"It's a girl?" He looked pretty shocked by this new information, but his face also showed some other hidden emotion that I couldn't detect.

"I would expect mom to tell you." But then I remembered she didn't know it either. I haven't told anyone what gender it'll be.

He shook his head, "Nope, she just said to come, so I did. It was hard getting away from my schedule, though."

"What about church?" I asked.

"With this busy of a schedule, and a concert coming up, I can't." he admitted, glumly. After reading the bible and praying, I realized how badly I wanted this baby girl to grow up in Christian environment. Go to church and Sunday school, make good friends that'll influence her.

I looked into his green eyes, the one's that were so innocent when we were kids, but now are hiding some things not everyone should know about. "Colby, I...I want this baby to grow up knowing both parents, but with parents who are together, who will love her, and attend church." 

He leaned against the sofa, "Brooke, I understand, I do too, but with my busy schedule..."

"What? You busy for church?" I snapped yet again, I should start controlling my possible anger issues. "This baby deserves the best, just because her father is a player and only cares about the money, I refuse not letting her attend church like the other kids."

He looked hurt, but remained calm, deciding not to let his anger falter, "Listen, I'm sorry for making it hard on you, I'll change if you want me to."

I looked at him closely, he stuck both hands into his pocket as he looked back at me, waiting for my answer. I closed my eyes, taking another breath before opening them up again, wishing he would just disappear. "Colby, do you love me?"

He was unprepared for that answer, he straightened up his back, "Well, yes, I actually had a crush on you in seventh grade." 

I refused to blush, I remembered that year almost perfectly, it was the year I caught the flu and he visited me after school. The following week I felt better and went back to school, only noticing that he was absent. Later that day, I found out he caught the flu from me. "You hesitated." I simply said.

Colby chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest. "I can't believe you, want happened to you since eighth grade?"

"More like what happened to you? Ever since the national talent committee noticed your talent for singing and acting you became distant. You never called or sent letters after you left to Tennessee."

"People change..."

"Then I have just as much right to change as well," I interrupted him, "I've grown closer to God during these months, so why can't you just grow up, and stop acting like a spoiled boy on Christmas, for crying out loud!" I glared at him.

At first, he was at a loss for words, but then recovered, he had the most annoying smirk on his face, "I managed to call you over to Tennessee at the end of eighth grade, so you'll be my partner in my first movie." 

I was starting to feel tired standing on my feet, so I shifted to my other leg, "I couldn't go because I had a dance recital and my parents refused to send me miles away from home." I was growing weary of his conduct. I noted that no matter how hard I tried to shift back to the baby situation, he made another excuse or remembered another memory from our childhood just to stay away as far as possible from the situation he dug both of us in.

"Well, I guess that's on you."

I rubbed my face in frustration, "Colby, just please take your responsibility." 

"What responsibility?" He asked, trying to act confused.

I groaned, "When I came to your setup those months ago, I was looking for a job, I did not ask to spend the night. But no, I was careless enough to realize that you had the whole night figured out. Now, bingo! Guess what?! Congratulations, you'll be a father in three months!" I mocked him.

Now it was his turn to roll his eyes, he was starting to look angry, "It just happened, I didn't have any intention to ruin your life."

Lies. I can't stand this anymore. It's about time I get to the point. I took a deep breath, attempting to calm myself down. "Okay, whatever, what I'm trying to get across the table is that this baby needs me and you. Please Colby, if you really love me, then please try to make time to help me raise her like she should."

He was deep in thought, if he wanted to be apart of the family then he shouldn't be thinking at all. Finally, he took a deep breath, "Brooke, I know I seem like the bad guy here, but I just can't. I'm not ready to be a father."

I felt like I've been slapped. My world seemed to crash down. 

"I'm sorry." He repeated. My mind kept yelling Jerk! Coward! Idiot! But I tried to keep those to myself. I didn't care. I was right, he cared about the money and not about his childhood friend. He took a step towards me, as if he wanted to comfort me, but I stepped back, refusing to be touched, let alone, held by him. He changed so much in the past five years that I didn't even recognize my friend in the midest of all this fame. Mom finally reappeared from the kitchen.

"Tea?" She offered, "We have fresh cookies!" I clenched my fists, as I stiffened up a bit. It took all my guts not to yell. So I did what I knew how to do, despite my stomach at six months, I half ran half jogged out the door of this house. 

The nice cool wind hit against my face, cooling off my nerves somewhat. I know this was a childish thing to do. I've learned that you can't run away from your problems, but this was an acception. I stopped in front of Avery's house who lived three houses away from me. She opened the door and greeted me with a warm hug.

"Hey! Please come inside! It's pretty cold out there." She shivered, when a gust of wind came through the door. I eagerly came inside. "So what's up?" She asked, when she closed the door, and I took off my shoes.

I didn't meet her eyes, when I said, "Colby doesn't want the baby." I felt fresh hot tears spilling from my eyes. I hadn't realized how much I just wanted to cry.

For those who got a little confused in this chapter, I decided last minute that Colby and Brooke were childhood friends until Colby got famous and moved away. I edited chapter four where Brooke has the flashback of the night when Brooke went to see Colby. Sorry for any confusion. Enjoy the rest of this book!