You head inside the house.

Heading into the house, still with all of this stuff swirling around in your brain, you padded slowly up to your bedroom. Ignoring both your brother and sister as you passed them in the hall. As well as your mother's voice calling out from somewhere down below, asking "Tim? Is that you?". They could all wait. You had a date with your face in a pillow. Collapsing down onto your bed almost as soon as you walked through the door. Feeling absolutely crushed by everything that had happened. You told yourself of course, just as you had Randall, that it was simply empathy towards him and his new found plight. That added to your growing fear of what the arrival of a baby would do to your friendship in the future, if he did indeed keep it. Motherhood being yet another giant barrier, between who he now was and who he'd been before. Saying nothing about what this would do to the sex...

This wasn't the full story though, and you knew it. I'd wanted it to be mine. I'd wanted it to be my baby. As messed up as that was to admit, finding out that it wasn't had really hit you hard. Feeling like you were no longer a part of what he was going through.

Fuck. What am I even thinking? How would that have even worked? Randall was your best friend, and sure, occasional fuck buddy, but it wasn't like the two of you were in an actual relationship. It wasn't like the two of you had feelings for one another. How could you possibly raise a child together? It was madness. No. No, it's better this way. Better that I'm out of it. At least this was what you tried to tell yourself.

Sitting down for dinner with your family later on that evening, you were inundated with a barrage of questions from your mother. Wanting to know how 'Laura' was getting on, as well as an update on the house. Having not spoken to 'her' for a while. Though you did your best to answer her and mutter out some bullshit about

how the house was slowly getting there (in actual fact, having not done any work on it for quite some time), it was pretty clear to everyone at the table that this wasn't a topic you wanted to discuss. Your father coming to your rescue and quickly changing the subject. Asking everyone instead what their plans were for tonight. Having completely forgotten that it was in fact Halloween. Being in such a daze for the entire day that you'd barely noticed the decorations everywhere.

A half hour later, while two of you were clearing up, he asked, "Everything alright, buddy?" Being as perceptive as ever. "I couldn't help but notice you weren't quite yourself at dinner. Haven't been for a few days. Has something happened between you and Rand... I mean, uh, Laura?"

In truth you weren't entirely sure how to answer this. Your father having been one of the few people to support both you and Randall's continued friendship, but at the same time, it wasn't something you ever really discussed. Very much doubting that Randall would want him, or anyone, knowing about his pregnancy so soon. Especially if there was any chance at all it could get back to your mom.

"Tim?"

"Nah, it's all good," you eventually told him. Not wanting to go against your friend. Adding though for you own benefit, "It's just hard sometimes, you know? Him being an adult now with all these new responsibilities. I just feel like sometimes I'm being left behind." This being your thinly veiled way of getting some stuff off your chest. "Things just aren't the same anymore."

"I know, son," he said, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder. "And it's a hell of a thing he's had to go through. I can't even imagine what it's like for either of you..."

Taking a deep breath then, he continued. "Listen, I'm not gonna pretend like I know what all goes on when you're over at his place helping out with chores, nor do I really want to..." His tone of voice thankfully suggesting more fooling around with video games, rather than fooling around with each other. "...but I do know that it's been almost three whole months since the accident, and as far as I can tell you two are still firm friends." Chuckling softly then, "Despite all your mother's machinations. Sure things are gonna change. He's a... what, 30 year old woman now? ...and your teacher. There's no way they're not. But trust me, Tim, if you guys really have the kind of friendship I think you have, then it can endure anything."

He was right. You had made it this far despite all the obstacles that had been thrown your way. Surely you could make it through this one? (even if it was arguably the biggest so far).

"Plus, once you graduate high school next year," he added, with a smile, "he won't be your teacher anymore. Which means no more sneaking around and pretending you're not friends."

"Yeah..." You admittedly hadn't really thought about this. Even if you did go off to college, baby or not, without him as your teacher and you as his student, what was to stop you openly being friends? There was no law against it. "Thanks, Dad." His words perhaps not fixing the problem of Randall giving birth to someone else's child, but they had most definitely helped.

"Don't mention it," he said. Clearly glad to be of help. Telling you then, "Now off you go. I'll finish up here. Go out and have some fun with your friends before I change my mind."

Not needing to be told twice, you left your father to the dishes and headed back upstairs. Having no interest in trick r' treating or going to some lame party though, and instead pretty much locking yourself in your room for the rest of the night. Occasionally checking you phone to see if Randall had sent you any messages, but finding that he hadn't. Receiving one from Bryce instead, trying to get you out. His text also mentioning the Halloween dance at school tomorrow night. Like I really need to go to anymore dances. The last one having ended badly enough. Well... bad and good you supposed. It had been the true beginning of you and Randall's fuck-buddy relationship after all.

Randall... Fuck me. He's actually gonna have a baby, you said to yourself, letting this information once again sink it. It being an almost impossible concept to actually try and visualize. Jumping onto your computer and opening up that photo he'd emailed you a while ago, of him, all dressed up in classy black lingerie. His pose sexy and alluring. Definitely not the image that jumped to mind when you thought of women and babies. Knowing fine well that he was going to turn into a giant blimp and have all kinds of mood swings and gross bodily issues to deal with from here on out. Never mind the actual labor itself. Still, it was kinda neat to see a photo of him where his belly was quite so prominent (even though it was mostly hidden beneath his corset). Having really expanded since then. Wondering to yourself whether or not you had any older pictures than that, before suddenly remembering the DVD you'd secretly copied. It being of Miss. Card well before Randall had entered the picture.

Locating the file, you clicked play, watching then as the camera wobbled its way down the hallway of her old apartment, finding Miss. Card, sitting there on the bed with her back to the screen. Wearing a sexy white corset and stockings, and brushing at her long, dark red hair.

"What are you doing with that thing?" she asked. Turning around after hearing a loud whistle.

"I don't know, Laura..." came the reply. "I thought maybe it would be fun. Maybe make a few memories...?"

John. You thought. Recalling his name. Having not thought about this particular dude for quite some time. It having been more than three weeks since you'd last watched this home movie. Musing rather flippantly to yourself as you watched, whether or not he could possibly be the father of Miss. Card's child. They were fucking after all. In truth though, you had no way of really knowing for sure. She was so hot she may well have had a whole myriad of guys in her life. Any of which could've made a baby.

Skipping ahead to get to the good part (past the blow job that you were still incredibly jealous of), you couldn't help but rub a little at your crotch. Especially while watching him remove her panties and give her big old butt a playful smack. Recalling the few times you had done this very thing yourself.

"Laura, shouldn't I wear..." he said, pausing with his penis at the entrance to her vagina.

"Don't worry about it," she told him. Pulling him in for a passionate kiss, before the two of them began to go at it against the wall. Miss. Card yelling at him to cum inside her, which he promptly did.

Whoa. Hold on a second. You paused. Quickly rewinding it back. Listening again as John asked "shouldn't I wear..." Presumably being about to say "a condom".

Rewinding it a second time. Listening to him ask this and Miss. Card tell him not to worry, a link began to form inside your mind. No... No. It can't be. Can it? Paying even closer attention now as you fast forwarded through the two further sex acts, there still not being any visible protection in sight, you figured, She could have been on though pill though. Dispelling the notion that it was completely unprotected. Miss. Card having definitely had contraceptives (as Randall had recently confirmed), and she didn't seem like the type not to use them. ...Or did she?

Pausing the video and casting your mind back to the last time you'd seen the actual DVD. Before you'd returned it to Randall's attic without his knowledge. You asked yourself What was the date written on the label? Wasn't it like... June or something? It had been. June of this very year. Making it at least 4, possibly 5 months ago that the movie had been shot. This also being the doctors best estimate as to when the baby would have been conceived. Holy fuck...maybe it was him. Maybe this 'John' dude IS the father. It suddenly looking more and more likely.