19. Tyler

As I stare on the paper mailed to me few days ago, I ain’t gonna lie my hands are completely shaking. The reality finally hits me, making me feel so nervous--almost making me to panic.

It's positive. I am indeed the father.

I called Keya right away that day without thinking and completely intending to ask her about what should we do now but thank god she has a class. So, basically I still have more time to think about our situation. I'm planning to just give her the financial needs she wants for the baby, guaranteed that she'll keep everything as a secret. No one has to know, especially Elise. I'm winning her back, slowly, I'm getting my life back. If Keya and our baby gets in the way between me and Elise, I'll surely don't know what I will do.

So I guess that is it, I'll finance the baby's necessities. She'll take care of the baby.

And as for me, I'm getting my life back into what it was before. Starting with Elise, and someday soon I'll explain everything to her about the baby. But as of now, I'll still have to deal with the baby-mama and tell her about my terms.

Except that she’s been ignoring my texts and calls for five days straight now and as much as I want to go to her dorm room so that we’ll talk, I’m afraid that I’ll get recognized around the campus. Besides, the weather is totally pretty bad lately. But guess I'll just have to wait for her call then. She's busy with her class and I'm not that selfish, I do know how to respect people's priorities sometimes.

It’s Saturday night usually, during these times I’m at the bar drinking or at my own house drinking Fireball all by myself but tonight I decided to go to Martin’s place and just chill. The heavy rain just subsided so I finally decide to go out of my house, I don’t want to be in my own place anyway because I might get tempted to drink a whole bottle of liquor because that’s what I do when I am alone at the house.

“So you’ll just finance her needs? What else?”

“I still don’t know what to do next,” I said rubbing my chin. “I want to talk to her and ask what her plans are too, but she’s not answering my calls.”

“Why don’t you just go over to her place? I’m pretty sure you know where she lives right?”

I nodded. Yeah! I’ve been thinking about that ever since I knew that I am indeed the father. I wanted to talk to Keya about the baby and her plans but she’s clearly ignoring me, and to be honest it is quite confusing! She wanted me to be responsible for the baby yet she’s doing this. What is wrong with her?

“Is it not weird to do that?”

“Why would it be weird?” Martin asked chuckling. “Seriously Ty, if the baby-mama says that you’re the father of her baby then she will appreciate your fucking presence all the time.”

“It’s still weird.” I commented. “But yeah, I guess I’ll pay a visit later. Just let me chill here for a bit.”

“Oh no.” Martin cuts. “You go now, you’re ruining date nights!”

“You’re fucking rude!” I demanded.

“Don’t play that shit on me Ty!” He replied. “You’ve been kicking me out for ruining your date nights before, now it’s my turn.”

I chuckled because my friend here is finally getting even. “So who’s your date then? Anyone I know?”

“None of your business.” Martin immediately answered. The team captain is really secretive when it comes to his love life, we even barely get to spot him hanging out with a girl. “Anyway, is the baby-mama works at the diner near the arena?”

My friend asks which totally surprised me. Fuck! How did he knew that Keya is working in there? Don’t tell me she stupidly approached Martin and introduced herself. She’d better not do that!

“No, why?” I lied.

“I just happen to see a waitress with the same name as her.” Martin mumbles. “Or maybe she’s not, what was her name again?”

“None of your business.” I barked back this time. “Anyway, I’d better go now and visit her.”

I said because my plan on chilling here for long just disappeared. Now, all I want to do is to go to Keya’s dorm and ask her if she stupidly approached Martin and dropped my name right away. She has no right to do that!

Now what? She’ll be friends with my teammates and so she’ll have someone who will offer her some sympathy if I’ll do something she doesn’t want to or if I screw up? She has no right to mess and enter my life. She is just a girl I fucked and got knocked up and even if we have a baby she still has no right to act like she is entitled or something

I may sound like a complete asshole but I’m just trying to clear things out that she is not welcome in my life even if we have a baby because first of all, everything was just an accident and we didn’t have any relationship.

We’re not even friends, for a start!

Few moments later, I found myself driving inside the university campus only to be surprised by the great chaos. I stopped at the few group of people who are currently cleaning in front of a house wrecked by a huge tree, as far as I can tell based on the signage left on the said building. It is a frat house.

“Hey, excuse me.” I called a man who’s now heaving some woods on his shoulders. “What happened here?”

“Haven’t you watched the news?” He asked. “The university just got hit by a huge tornado two days ago. Majority of the school house buildings are wrecked.”

I thank the man and drive up again heading to Keya’s dorm house. Damn! I seriously don’t know anything about a huge tornado. I should probably pay more attention on current events rather than on just focusing myself on hockey.

I stopped at Keya’s dorm house and clearly, it was wrecked too. I guess this is the reason why she’s not returning any of my calls. Now, I’m worried. Seeing how wrecked the house is immediately caused me to go out of the car. The house roofs are nowhere to be found, there are few branches of trees poking the shattered windows of the house. Shit! What if Keya is currently on her room when the tornado hit their house?

I stayed there for a couple of minutes right before deciding to call Keya but she’s now currently calling me herself.

“Tyler?” She said slowly.

“Yup?” I response.

“I really need your help.” She said on the other end of the line with complete desperation.

Obviously, she does need my help. And I know what it is already.

“Where are you?”