Since You've Been Gone

chapter 43- amazing

macaroni song- corey kilgannon

"So, when are you going to find out?" Connor motioned to my stomach as he shoveled cereal into his mouth.

Ever since his accident almost two months ago, things between us had gone better than I could have ever imagined.

The two of us, and often Layla, spent most weekends sprawled out on the couch watching movies or doing our homework. Even if we went an hour without speaking to one another as we were off in our own worlds, it was just nice to have the company of my two favorite people.

But as the weeks had passed and Connor began to heal from his wounds, we spent a lot of time alone.

Sometimes that meant we went out and ate dinner together or watched a movie at the theater. But a lot of times, that meant Connor, and I laid in one of our beds and talked about random things for hours on end.

Our hopes. Our dreams. What we wanted our perfect lives to look like.

It was honestly refreshing to be able to just lay in bed with the boy I had tremendous feelings for. His arms wrapped around my waist and his hands casually sitting on my belly. Or his head, resting on my chest as I ran my fingers through his thick blond locks.

Every day that I spent with Connor only made my feelings for him grow stronger, and truthfully, I never wanted them to stop growing.

"I don't think I am," I answered him as I stirred the pot on the stove. It was just the two of us tonight for dinner, although I was pretty sure Layla and Jaylin would show up after his game and beg for leftovers.

"What do you mean?" Connor's eyes were wide, and he set his bowl of cereal down – he kept saying he couldn't wait until dinner to eat so he was having a pre-dinner snack – a little harder than necessary.

"I think I'm going to wait until the baby is born to find out." I shrugged. It was only two more months, and I had already waited for seven, so what were two more?

"But what about all the cute clothes? Or the name?"

"I like neutral colors and I don't plan on dressing my kid in only blue or pink, so I don't really think it matters. Plus, I've already got a list of names I think I like."

That perked Connor's interest. "Really?"

"Yeah." I mean what girl doesn't have a list of baby names saved in the notes of her phone? I think I had a running list from the time I turned 14.

"Are you gonna share? Or just keep stirring the macaroni?"

It was kind of funny how intrigued Connor was in all of the baby stuff.

We had spent hours propped up in my bed researching the best products to get for my baby, and every now and then Connor would surprise me with a onesie or a teeny tiny pair of baby shoes.

Having his support meant a lot to me though, and it felt amazing to have someone by my side who shared my excitement about Baby Stryker. 

"Nope. Everything is going to stay a secret."

"Hope," Connor groaned. "Please."

"No." I laughed. "I'm not going to tell you."

Still mumbling, Connor helped me carry our dinner plates to the kitchen table.

Sitting across from him while we ate was such a normal thing to do, but it felt different. Everything felt different now.

Now that I knew Connor shared the same feelings about me that I did for him. Now that we walked around town, hand in hand, without a care in the world.