The ring from my phone woke me up from my deep slumber, I opened my eyes to see that it was already bright, Alannah wasn’t in the room. “How long have I slept for?” I asked myself, squinting and scanning the room, I found my phone. “Hello.” I said into the phone, I’ve been receiving more calls than usual these past few days, I waited for a response but there was none. “Hello?” I said again and this time, I heard what sounded like muffled noises, opening my eyes widely. “Hello.” I called and this time, I was already frustrated. “Okay, sorry about that. I was, uhm, busy. With something.” The voice said, it sounded familiar, it was the same voice that had spoken with me yesterday. “What do you want?” I asked as I groaned. “Actually, I don’t want anything, I really just wanted to pass an information.” The voice said, clearly testing my patience and trying to see how much longer I can hold on for. I kept quiet, said nothing and waited for “anonymous” to speak. “But be

**CONNOR** “We’re not really different from each other.” The words of my father kept replaying in my head. What if he was right? There’s no what ifs, he’s right. We’re not different from each other, I had just hit and pushed Alannah, she could’ve been badly hurt but fortunately, she isn’t. I dug my hand in my pocket as I let those thoughts run through my mind, removing my hand with a pack of cigarettes, I took one and lit it before taking a puff. Why did he have to come to where we are? Why does he always have to show up? Just why? I kept asking myself questions as I walk around the yard absentmindedly. I might not have an answers to all of my questions but I knew one thing, I knew I was done running, running away from him and hiding from him. I am going to face him now and let him know I’m not that little boy he’s always thought me to be. I can stand up not just for myself but for everyone around me, including Alannah. Remembering Alannah, I knew she probably see me

“No more secrets? Did I just agree to no more secrets? There’s more but how do I tell him? He already thinks he’s an horrible person and now telling him he should be expecting a baby would be, I don’t know. Lately, I really don’t know much.” I started thinking to myself as I placed my head on Connor’s shoulder and closed my eyes. My stomach growled and I opened my eyes at the sound of Connor’s laughter. “You’re hungry?” Connor asked laughing and unable to deny that fact, I nodded my head. Truth is I’ve been really hungry lately and not just hungry, I’ve been craving for a lot of things and I have no idea how long I could hide that I’m pregnant. I really want to tell him, watching him smile and stare at me so lovingly in hopes that I’m not hiding anything from him makes me want to puke. I just want to let it all out, but I’m worried about his reaction, I want him to be happy when he knows and clearly the reaction I’m looking for is not one I would be getting anytime soon, so fo

I adjusted to his embrace and we both spoke for a while, the answer he had given me about him also wanting to be a father gave me the assurance I needed, it’s not so bad after all, he wants a baby just as much as I do but probably not just yet, I could wait and even the baby bump could wait a while before it starts protruding. I rubbed my belly and accompanied Connor’s palm to my belly also, I smiled when he gave it a slight rub, unknown to him that he was rubbing his future child. “I’ll really love to drop a seed and watch it germinate inside you, really.” Connor said as he kept rubbing my stomach and that act made me smile. “Soon. Since you want it.” I said. “I want it.” He answered and shifted a little, not long after, I heard slight snores and knew he was asleep already. I’d slept in the afternoon hence the reason I haven’t fallen asleep yet. “I’ll tell him about it soon.” I thought as I yawned, boredom is beginning to draw me in and I knew I’d fall asleep really

It’s been a year of selling drugs for Uncle Eddie, doing a little and getting in trouble here and there. I wanted to stop, I needed to. “What you gonna do now?” Sean asked me. “I don’t know.... maybe after delivering this, just tell him I’m done.” I answered. “Do you think he’d listen? I mean if it were that easy, I would’ve been out by now.” Sean said puffing his cigarette. “Yeah. I know.” I answered as I face palmed myself. “But, I’m his niece and I’m 19. I know better than to snitch on him, the least he could do is just let me go.” I sighed as I thought about leaving the drug business and the cons, Sean was right, My uncle doesn’t seem like one who would take things easy with me regardless of the fact that I’m his niece. “Let’s see how it goes.” Sean said and I nodded. “What are you doing?” He asked as he walked towards me. “Studying. It’s Algebra and it’s.......” I started saying. “You lost me at Studying, bro. I’m bouncing.” Sean coughed and we both la