Raising Hailey

(Charlie, age 23)

I get a text from my best friend to meet her at the coffee shop on campus, she and Tanner had some news. Oh God, please don't be breaking up! I don't know what I would do if they broke up, again. Ana and Tanner dating all of high school and their parents wanted them to spend a summer a part, well that lasted an entire month. Ana cried for about two weeks, Tanner was a mess, wanted to see Ana but his parents were admit about him focusing on football and summer workouts. Honestly, that was the only time I disagreed with their parents. I put my big girl pants on and gave Uncle Mike and Aunt Lisa a piece of my mind, respectively of course.

They finally realized that Ana and Tanner were endgame.

They have been together since that little hiccup, if not stronger. With him being one of the top quarterbacks and him a shoe in for being drafted pretty high in the NFL, means half of the time that I'm not third wheeling with them in our dorm, I'm a third wheeling them at parties, and with parties come arrogant football players that think they can get in my pants easily because of the undefeated season they are having, especially Knox Parker, the bane of my existence, and he knows it. Well, technically for the sake of our friends they think we hate each other but in actuality, we keep our feelings to ourselves, because if something happens it won't affect our friendship in anyway.

I throw on a pair of leggings, and a sweatshirt I may or may not have swiped from my dad's office, it was a team exclusive and he always gets me an extra one when he can. It hides all my curves, don't let Ana find out I told you, she hates when I talk down to myself, I've always been the self conscious friend, making sure my curves were hidden, my shirt covers my butt, sleeves long enough to hide my arms. Ana has been my rock in a hard place for years, I will never forget the day she told my mom off. Ana is the typical cheerleader type, curves in all the right places, I would say Tanner is jealous from time to time when she gets a new partner, he showed his ass this year until me and Ana told him that Tucker was gay and his boyfriend was an absolute gem.

I quickly put on my tennis shoes, grab my dorm key, my dorm building badge as well as the keys to my car and I'm out the door. I quickly drive over to our go to coffee shop just around the time Knox runs up to the building, why is he here. I groan and turn off my car, it's getting harder and harder to fake hate Knox around them. I eventually get out of my car and lock it. Ana is the first to spot me and she speed walks up to me and pulls me in a bone crushing hug "you're here!" I chuckle and hug her back and say "you thought I wouldn't come. I'm highly offended" we pull away and I finally take a good look at my friend, she is glowing.

I look at her confused at she wraps her arm around mine and drags me to the table where Tanner and Knox are sitting.

I smile at Tanner and he hands me my coffee "got you your usual Lee" Tanner says with a smile, I smile back "thanks Tanner, have I ever told you you're my favorite" I laugh with him as Ana slaps my arm "take it back! He only knows your favorite because of me" she laughs and leans into Tanners embrace. Something is off with them and I can't tell what. I take a sip of my coffee and then look at them and say, "Sooo what exactly did you two want to talk about?"

Knox finally takes his eyes off of me and nods his head in agreement "yeah why I had to rush over here so fast? What's going on with you two?" He grabs my knee under the table. Ana looks at Tanner and he nods his head, Ana looks at me and Knox, reaches in her backpack and hands us a gift box. "You have to open it together" Ana says as I take the box from her. I look at Knox and he looks at me equally confused. I shrug my shoulders and then my fingers brush against his and a damn chill goes down my spine. We open the box. Right on top is a a sonogram picture from an ultrasound, I gasp "Ana, are you serious, you're pregnant!?" She smiles wider and nods "keep going!" I smile down at the picture as Knox takes it out, then there is a onesie and a small football inside. Knox takes out the football while I take out the onesie.

The football says "will you be my godfather?" The onesie says "will you be my godmother?"

I get up at the same time as Ana and hug her "Absolutely! I'm so happy for you" I start crying happy tears just as I hear Knox say "Hell yeah brother! Happy for you man." They high five and hug, just as pull away from Ana wiping my face Tanner says "uh where's my hug ma'am" I laugh and turn around to hug him just when Knox pulls Ana into a hug. I whisper against Tanners shoulder "I'm so happy for you both, does my dad know yet?" He hugs me tighter, "yeah your dad and our parents were the first to know, coach already said he's looking for all the tiger stuff he can get his hands on" I pull away laughing, leave it up to my dad to lighten the mood when things get awkward.

We sit back down and Tanner wraps his arm back around Ana and this time his hand is resting right on her belly. Shes not showing yet but she takes my hand and squeezes it, I squeeze it back in comfort and says "Ana, what else?" She laughs and pulls out a folder from her bag. Tanner kisses her shoulder once she puts it on the table and she says "we are thinking way ahead of the game, but if anything were to happen to Tan and I, we want you both to have custody of little bean. No matter what happens. This is the paperwork that's drawn up. If you say yes all you have to do is sign the paperwork. We don't want anyone else to have them." Tanner clears his throat, "you both know how my mom is?" We all collectively nod in agreement. I clear my throat and say "Absolutely, you know I will take care of bean like he or she is my own, and nothing better happen to you both." Knox smiles as he nods his head in agreement, "yeah I second that, where do I sign. Well where do we sign."

Ana is full on crying now and laughs "ugh damn hormones!" Tanner, Knox and I all chuckle at her as she flips to the last page. She and Tan already signed in their spots, I take the pen from Tanner and sign my name on the godmother line and hand the pen to Knox and he signs on the godfather line. Ana gets up and hugs us both..again but she hugs me a little longer and whispers "come with me to the bathroom" she lets go and I nod my head as she pulls me to my feet and I follow her to the bathroom. "Ana, what's wrong, is the baby-" she cuts me off and laughs "Bean is okay, I wanted to ask if you were okay?" She looks at me in concern, as I look back at her confused and say, "Ana, why wouldn't I be okay!? My best friend is having a baby!"

I laugh with her and she takes my hands in hers and sighs as she says "Are you okay that I just tied your life to Knox for the rest of our lives" I hold her hands and smile at her, of course that's what she would be worried about, I give her a pointed look and say, can't keep this a secret anymore "we don't actually hate each. He was over at the house with dad watching film and we got to talking..and well we have been friends since" she laughs and hugs me again. "I knew something was up with you two! You both officially suck!"

I roll my eyes and say "love you too Ana. Should we go back out there." She hugs me and we walk back out. We get back to the table and nod my head at Knox and he looks confused at first then looks at Ana that is grinning like she just ate an entire cake, and wiggles in her seat next to Tanner. Knox chuckles and looks at me "you told her didn't you." I smile innocently at him and say "well not everything." He shakes his head as he puts his arms around my shoulders and kisses the side of my head, "might as well shock the shit out of them like they did us just now." Tanner and Ana are looking at us shocked, mouths open and wide eyed.

I guess the big cat is out of the bag,

Knox and I are actually in a relationship.