I'm getting ready for my morning jog. My boyfriend, Myke, is still sleeping. I tie up my dark chocolate colored hair, and look at myslf in the mirror. My hazel eyes, my pale skin, my slightly bloated belly. It's not fat, it'll go away, I think as I walk out the door. In an attempt to get a tan, I wear a spgethetti strap top & shorts. On my way back, I stop and check the mail. Bobi wrote me back. Bobi is my best friend. He's shy, but really cool. He doesn't have a phone, so we write to each other. I walk inside to find Myke on the couch. His dirty blonde hair tousled from sleep, his bright blue eyes still half-drunk from partying last night. "Baby, why don't you go back to bed? You still look tired. He quietly says "'kay" and walks upstairs. The phone rings. "Hello?" "Hey! Your not busy are you?" It's Laney. "uh.... No. Why?" "I wanna come over! Duh!" "Okay, see you when you get here." Laney is my sister. Well, soul sister. She's awesome, loving, careing. The doorbell rings. I open it. "Laney!" I hug her. "Lacey Lousia Lessnikki, why don't you ever come over? I haven't seen you since, like, last month!" I laugh. " You highlighted your hair?" Her light brown hair now has streaks of chestnut in it. "Their called 'down lights' & I thought I needed a change. So how's life treating you?" "It's treating me." "And the baby?" She asks. A smile lighting up her face. "Nice & healthy." I point to the fridge where an ultrasound picture is hanging. "Oh my God! It looks just like you!" I raise my eyebrow at her. "So, I look like a blurry, black & white picture?" She rolls her eyes. "Whatever. I just came by to see you before my shift starts at McDs. I think I'm finally ready to move out of my parents house." She smiles. "No offence, Lane, but you've said that for the last 2 years now." Laney is 20. I'm 21. I moved out of my parents house when I was 19. She still lives with hers. "Well, my shift is about to start so see ya!" She walks out. I start reading my letter from Bobi. I walk upstairs. "Mykey, I'm gonna go to Bobi's to see whats up. His letter sounded depressed. Okay?" "Okay. Hurry back to me." "You know it." I kiss him goodbye, walk out the door & get in my yellow buggie. I get to Bobi's, & he's sitting on the porch, looking depressed. "Hey. Whats the matter?" "Aly broke up with me. Again." Ali was his on-again off-again girlfriend. "come on." We go inside, & he tells me what happened. By the time we get done chatting, it was 12:00. Though it had only been 2:30 when I left. Bobi leaves to get a water for me & a beer for him. I fall asleep on the couch.... I wake up, and there is just barely any light coming from the window. I look at the clock. 5:30. Oh. My. God. I stayed out all night. Myke is gonna be so p***ed. "S***!" I run out the door. It's 6:30 by the time I get home. I hate driving at night. Myke is still sleeping, thank goodness. I make my way in the bathroom to make it look like I'm getting ready for my morning jog. I hear Myke groan and then footsteps. Myke opens the bedroom door and looks at me. "Where have you been?" "Right here, hon." "No," he says, "you've been out all night. I know because, you weren't here when I fell asleep." "Well, I got back at 11:30. What time did you fall asleep?" "5:00." My eyes go wide. "In the morning?" He nods. "Yeah, I know you didn't get in at eleven, and I know you were at Bobi's." I roll my eyes. "Don't start with that s***, Myke. You know Bobi and I are just friends. Like siblings. Aly broke up with him, I stayed to comfort him. That's all. End of story. Okay?" "No it's-" "Oh, just drop it!" I interupted. "No, I won't drop it Lacey! There's something going on between you two and I know it!" "No there isn't, Myckele! Bobi is a brother to me! That's all! Drop it!" I walk downstairs and in the kitchen. I'm starting to feel sick and if I don't start walking soon, I'm going to throw up. Myke follows. "Tell me what's up with you two then." "I told you Myke. Aly broke up with him again. He needed someone there, and I was the first to get there. That's it. You know I love you and you know I would never cheat on you." "Do I?" "Your impossable!" I walk out the door and down the road just to think for a minute. I sit on a bench and my phone rings. I look at the number. Myke. I answer. "What?" "I'm sorry that I jumped to conclusions. I just can't stand to lose you, okay? Please, come back so I can tell you sorry in person. Please?" "Well... okay. I'll see you in a little bit." I walk home.... I get home and Myke opens the door before I can even get to the driveway. He runs over to me and hugs me "I'm so so so sorry. I love you so much." I laugh uncomfortably. "Uh, can we go inside? The neighbors are staring." We walk inside and Myke sits on the couch. "I'm gonna go change, okay?" "Okay then." I walk upstairs and change into a yellow plaid buttondown and denim skinny jeans. I walk back downstairs and Myke is gone. I walk into the kitchen and he's standing at the fridge staring at the ultrasound picture. "I was just thinking, how far along are you again?" "16 weeks, why?" "Are you sure I'm the dad?" "Of course. Why are you questioning it?" "Because I don't believe you." I just stare at him. "I can't believe you just said that." Tears threaten my eyes. "I can't believe you'd cheat on me and not say anything." "And I can't believe I'm with such a pathetic jerk!" I run for the door but Myke grabs me by the arm and drags me upstairs.... He takes me to the bedroom and throws me on the bed. "Stay there," he instructs, and goes out of the room. I'm freaking out now. I find his phone and dial Laney's number. No answer. I dial Bobi's. "Hello?" "Bobi! Oh thank God! I need you to come over. Myke is being stupid again." "Lacey, I thought you said you were done with him. Yeah, I'll come over. See you in a little." And he hangs up. Myke walks in the room as I try to put his phone back. "What are you doing? Didn't I tell you to stay there?" It was then that I noticed the gun he now held. This is insane. He never went this far. Cuts, bruises, marks, and one miscarriage is about all I've got from him before. I didn't even know he owned a gun until now. I hear a car engine about an hour later. It sounds like a Dodge Ram. Bobi. Oh... s***. The front door opens. I hear a muffled "Lacey!" and a knock on the bedroom door. "Lacey, are you in here?" Myke whispers, "Don't say anything." Myke cracks open the door so I can't see Bobi, meaning Bobi can't see me. "What do you want?" "Lacey." "Well, she doesn't want you. So, run along now." Bobi shoves Myke back and looks at me. "Go get in your car. You still have some clothes left from the last time you stayed at my house, thanks to this jacka**." I nod, and run out of the room. But, as I open the door, I hear a gunshot. I run back upstairs to see what happened. Myke's gunshot has missed Bobi by inches. Bobi looks at me says, "Go get in your car." I shake my head and Myke comes over and grabs my throat. I can't breathe. "How could you? Do you see what your making me do?!" Bobi comes over and gets him away from me. Myke pulls out the gun again, and points it at my stomach. "You made me do this." BOOM! And everything went black. First there was pain. A lot of pain. Then voices. Both familiar and unfamiliar. Bobi asks, "Is she going to be okay?" The unfamiliar voice answers, "Her injuries will heal, yes. As for the memories she has been left with, I cannot say." "Thank you, doctor." I decide it's time to open my eyes. I'm in a hospital. Laney is asleep on a couch in the corner. Bobi is looking out the window of the room into the hallways. I take a deep breath. "Ouch." Bobi looks at me. "Your awake." He smiles and comes to sit by my bed. "Well, duh." We both chuckle. "What happened? Where's Myke?" Bobi looks uncomfortable now. "Well, after he shot you, Myke said he couldn't live with the memories of hurting you, and he shot himself in the head. I would have stopped him, exept I was trying to stop your bleeding. I am so sorry." I just stare at my hands. I can't believe he shot himself. I can't believe he is gone. Forever. I loved him. So why do I feel... relieved? "So, how's the baby?" I ask. Bobi smiles wider. "Alls well in the baby zone." I raise my eyebrows. "You mean my baby is alive?" He nods. "So, I'll move your stuff to my place and you can stay there for a while, okay?" I nod. "So, when can I leave?" "In about two to three weeks." I groan. "Does it hurt anywhere? I can call a doctor." "No no no. It doesn't hurt anywhere. I just don't want to lay here for two to three weeks." He laughs. "You will never change." I smile. "Nope." 1 year later. So, I am now staying at Bobi's place until I can afford a place of my own. Oh, and I had my baby! Laney and Bobi named her. Bobi named her Lankstin, Laney named her Ellie. And, so, Lankstin Ellie Lessnikki was born. She looks just like me with Myke's eyes. She is so beautiful. Laney comes to see her every single day. She's the god mother. Bobi is the god father. You can bet they live up to it. Bobi and Aly never got back together. We both sort of wondered what it would be like if we were a couple. Gotta tell you, it's going great. I get weird looks from people because, to this day, I still flinch whenever some raises a hand near me. And I am proud to say that my house is blissfully gun-free. My family is happy, so I am happy. I hope that I never have to live like that again. Oh, yeah! Before I forget, I would like to tell you the happiest news ever. Bobi purposed! And I said yes! We are going to get married in the winter. My life is now perfect. :-)