Fangirl

I turn to see Michael walking back onto the bus, looking even paler than his usual vampire self. His hands look clammy, and he isn't looking at any of us. Shit, did she tell him?

"What's up, Mike?" Calum laughs, hitting him in the arm. "You look like you just saw a ghost. Or you are a ghost, more like." I watch Calum awkwardly try to pretend he doesn't know Max is pregnant. Which is probably safe, she told her ex about the baby before Michael. Yeesh.

"I'm going to be a dad." It sounds like he's asking for confirmation, but the look in his eye is so aloof you can tell Calum doesn't even know.

"Wait, wait, wait," Luke comes walking into the room with his hands in the air, "I was listening from my bed, it's not weird, Max is pregnant? Oh, my god, are you cheating on her or something?! How the fuck, Clifford!"

"Hey Luke," I say, "Maybe not the best time to judge him."

"Good point." He plops himself next to me.

"Max has a baby?" Michael tells us- or, asks us. "I mean- N-No, she's making a baby- Or wait, no the baby is already made now we just have to pick it up."

Luke just looks at me with furrowed brows, and I shrug.

"Max already had it?" Calum asks, probably confused but mainly trying to get Michael to sort this out.

"No, it's still in her belly- Or, uterus? I don't fuckin' know." He sighs, sitting with his head being rested in his hands.

"And is this... I mean, how do you feel about it?"

"You're fucking kidding, right?" Michael looks up at him. "I'm the happiest and most terrified person on the fucking planet. I can't be a fucking dad, I'm fucking twenty one, touring the world on a daily basis and still share a living space with three other guys and one guy's fiance. I smoke pot!"

"You can be a dad. And I think you're still allowed to smoke weed just nowhere around a kid."

"Jesus, you should be the fucking father, I can't do this shit."

"Yeah, you can, it'll probably be hard but it's another little Michael running around and that's something, right?"

"Sure, because I have such good self-esteem." He rolls his eyes. With that, he stomps off the bus.

"What do you think he's going to do?" Luke asks, I think to Calum.

He turns to us and shrugs so his arms fly up into the air. "He sounds like he's not going to do it."

"Not going to do what?" I ask, "There's nothing to 'not do'. This isn't an option, he made a commitment to Max and was dumb enough to not use a condom."

"Yeah, but he seems pretty upset about it." Calum shrugs.

"So, what, we'll just leave Max at the next hotel." I nod. "Sounds good, especially since he was the one paying for her apartment and food."

"Don't be dramatic." Cal huffs. "Luke, tell your fiance to not be dramatic, please."

"Three years and you still don't know she has a name, damn." Luke shakes his head. "She's her own person, buddy. And she's right, too."

"No, she isn't!"

"Michael isn't going to just leave her, he can't, and you'd think he'd have a little more dignity and self-respect- Or at least respect for Max, to not pull that shit. You really want to accept being friends with a guy who ditches a girl he got pregnant?" Why is this turning me on?

"No, I'm just saying based on his reaction, it doesn't look like he's planning his fairytale life yet."

"Well, he's going to have to start."

While I listen to them bicker about a problem that isn't theirs, I look out the window at Michael. He's sitting on a curb, wiping his eyes.

I walk out to him, but when he sees me he instantly looks away. We awkwardly sit next to each other, him trying not to cry anymore and me watching him continue to cry.

"You can't be an idiot," I tell him.

"I know."

"No, you really can't be an idiot. You have to pull through here, Max needs you."

"I don't know how to do this." He breathes.

"Neither does she, you think an eighteen-year-old wants to think about diapers and waking up every night to rock a screaming baby to sleep for the sixth time in four hours?"

"No." He mumbles. "But I'm gone. Always. I never stay in one place."

"You guys can figure something out. You want to stay with her, right?"

"Of course I do. I can't be one of those trash fathers you see on TV who just show up and fuck up the plot of the show. I can't be one of those dads asking their stranger kids for money when they're older. And not even just that, Max is like- I mean, she's pretty much everything good. And she's funny and she's really good with colour. I can't draw for shit, but she can sketch out a portrait just by looking at someone. I hope the lil dude gets that from her. And also her hair- She has great hair."

I smile at him, "Then enjoy this, Mike. It's quicker than you thought it'd be, but pretty much your entire relationship has been surprise after surprise so you should've expected it."

" Jesus," He laughs, "Good point."

MICHAEL'S POV
---

Later that night I find Max sitting on the curb near Gus. She's crying. God, did I do that? "Hey," I sit next to her and wrap my arm around her. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want you to leave." Sobbing, she puts her head on her knees.

"No, no I would never." I kiss her neck, "I'm not leaving. It's like when Luke just randomly and unexplainedly found Riley in the middle of Paris. Even in the middle of buttfuck nowhere I'll use a creepy GPS and find you." She laughs, sniffing.

"You weirdo."

"We're doing this, right? We're having a baby?" I ask.

Max nods, "Yeah, we are." And then she breaks out in one of those adorable smiles.

"Then this only seems appropriate," I say in my best old, rich, white guy voice. Being on a curb, I put a knee on the road, and pull out a Ring Pop. And then she starts crying again.

"Yes, yes,"

"W- Hey, you spoiled the suspense!" I laugh, "Let me at least get through the sappy part."

"Okay," She grins.

I wait a minute. "Well, now it just seems boring. You'll marry me!"

"I'll marry you!" She laughs, "Let's go have sex!"

"Yes!"

Notes