# Another Fang Chapter 2

Walking home after school, Fang was lost in thought. She'd been thinking about a lot of things lately. There were a few projects for her classes coming up, and Trish was talking about setting up a gig for the band soon. There was also the fact she now was carrying a life inside her. It had already been a few weeks, and she still hadn't said anything to Anon. Too afraid. It was stupid of course - how could he say anything but yes? They loved each other so much, it was obvious he'd take responsibility. But the negative little voice in her head whispered threats and promises that made it hard for her to accept the obvious truth. She could picture it now. He would be upset she didn't tell him. Upset at the responsibility she'd thrust upon him. It wasn't just her future being shaken, it was his too wasn't it? He never talked much about what he wanted to do after graduation, but whatever he wanted to do would now be drastically altered. He'd yell at her. Say horrible things. Leave. She'd be left standing there in the street, or his apartment, all alone to raise their child by herself. If her parents found out, WHEN they found out, her life was practically forfeit. The thought of the inevitable reckoning was enough to make her stomach sour and face burn. But! If he was there to support her, there was nothing they couldn't do together. No obstacle they couldn't overcome.
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But if he wasn't...
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She refused to encourage any more of those thoughts, throwing them out of her head like she had done the thoughts of visiting the clinic. She was a woman on a mission - a mission to make it home in one piece. Normally she would have had Naser or Reed drive her home; but Reed was busy with Trish setting up preparations for their plan. She had had an argument with Naser this morning, and she didn't want to see him again for a while. So it came to pass that she had no options but to take the bus, or walk home. Picturing the trip on the community bus was enough to send a shiver down her spine, so she decided to walk instead. Most people would look down on walking whilst having one's eyes glued to a phone, but Fang wasn't most people. She walked briskly, thumb scrolling through webpages and media blog feeds almost in time with her quick pace. There were a few close calls with some idiot who didn't look where he was going, or some stupid rock laying haphazardly, but for the most part Fang kept the brisk walking uninterrupted. That is, until she had a thought. 'What about clothes?'
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Not clothes for herself, that is. Fang had a vast closet filled to the brim with multiples of her favorite black halter top and ripped jeans. Instead, clothes for her baby. She knew there would be plenty of time to think about this later, and that she should really go home and get to work on the assignments. Life didn't stop just because she got knocked up. It was an important moment, but the stresses of the day to day didn't falter in observance of a miracle. The more she thought, the more she knew she couldn't go home yet. Not now. Not gonna be satisfied until a look around has been made. And so it came to pass also that Fang found herself in the baby section of a clothes store. She uttered a quick prayer as she walked the aisles. That no one she knew would notice her. Or anyone in general, really.
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The store, though small - and the infant isles even smaller - had a wide selection of garments. Hats, socks, pants, you name it. All in every color you could think of, all so tiny and cute Fang nearly squealed when she saw them. Gone was the stress of home, of school, of her band mates. All that remained was the unbridled joy of an expectant mother precisely in her element. Fang felt giddy, like she was a little girl again. Her excitement bubbled up inside of her like those old mentos-and-coke experiments from kindergarten. Butterflies were abound in her chest and stomach, her heart beating rapidly, her lungs struggling to keep up. It was overwhelming. She reached the pajama section, and for a brief second she wondered if she felt her heart stop, and her chest cave in on itself. Raptor Jesus, they were so fucking cute. Little one piece pajamas sat lined up on a table, barely bigger than the size of a hand. Two in particular caught her eye. It was the same style, really, but different colors - a pink and a blue. 'Girl and Boy' she thought. The getup was textured and fuzzy, a line of buttons going up the front. Little booties for the little feet, a little hoodie for the little head. Adorable.
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But which one to get? It was too early to tell if it - Fang stopped herself, and corrected. Person, not an object. It was too early to tell if *they* would be a boy or a girl. Or something else entirely, a thought announced. 'Maybe they'll be non-binary, like me.' It would be in poor taste to get some getup matching the reinforced archetypes and stereotypes of color and gender, wouldn't it? Pink isn't necessarily for girls anyways, who's stupid idea was that to begin with? All the lectures and tidbits Trish had thrown out over the past months and years surfaced. That's right, Fang thought. What was she doing? How could she be so careless? Thank you Trish. Despite all the times you act like a bitch, you're still the closest friend in the world. With a heavy heart, Fang puts the clothes back. She wants so desperately to buy one, to prove to herself that she can be a responsible parent. Being prepared ahead of time never hurt anyone, did it? She put the clothes back, saddened that she didn't get to act. Until her eyes caught it. The same clothes as before but in yellow; hidden under a pile of pink and blue imitations. Her hands dove under the pile, retrieving the tiny garments. Pale yellow, like a banana. Fang ran her thumb across the surface, feeling the handiwork and material.
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Thoughts came and went. A tiny, pale pterosaur struggling to walk upright. Miniature wings unfurled behind them, trying to keep balance. Wisps of silver hair hiding the bright, amber eyes. The creature giggling as it stumbled around, trying to find a place the tiny hands could find purchase on.
The same baby laying in a crib, sucking on a thumb, a peaceful expression across the face. Sitting in a car seat, making happy noises as they looked out the windows of the vehicle, taking in the world as if it was the most beautiful thing ever.
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Fang hadn't realized it, too busy daydreaming, but she had begun to rub her face up against the clothes. Feeling the softness. Breathing in the clean, washed scent. She took the smell in lungfuls, felt every individual bump and crease on her face. She was one with the pajamas.
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"That's so cute."
The sudden voice snapped Fang out of her hallucination. She Her eyes opened, and saw an employee looking over at her. The woman had a basket in front of her, swapping out stock on the shelves for what was inside. Couldn't have been more than twenty five. The world stood still for a moment, and Fang cursed the prayer she had given. Should've known it wouldn't have worked.
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"I remember when I was like that. It's so exciting, isn't it? You just can't wait for them to be here already. It's scary at first, but it all has a habit of working out." The worker seemed lost in thought, her eyes glazing over as she remembered her own young love and young pregnancy. "I can tell you'll make a great mother, I bet the father is so happy to have someone like you"
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"It's not for me!" Fang protested, suddenly defensive. She started to panic. "It's for my... sister. Baby sister. I wanted to surprise my mom."
Despite revoking her last prayer she silently screamed another one, begging that the worker took the bait. That she didn't press further. The lady apologized quickly, reversing herself on her faux pas in a hurry.
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"Oh my, I'm so sorry! That's so sweet of you though! I wish more older sisters did that for their siblings."
Fang muttered an acceptance for the apology - although something about the way the lady said it felt off - and quickly excused herself from the situation. But the employee was insistent. Personally escorted to the checkout by the woman, Fang felt her face burn a little when one or two shoppers glanced her way. She hugged the clothes tightly against her, desperate for people to not notice what it was she was holding. After what felt like an eternity, the was handed the receipt and allowed to leave.
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"I'm sure your sibling will love it, dear. Take good care of them." The worker said in her off way of speaking, and as Fang turned to leave, she could swear she saw a wink.
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Fang screamed internally as she pushed her way out of the shop and back on her walking route, bag in hand. She knows. She has to know. She might not ever see Fang again, she might not even remember the meeting in five minutes. Fang could've been nothing but another face to the worker, lost in the sea of visages that passed through the store on an hourly basis. But for Fang, it was the fact of the matter. The principle of the thing. Someone saw her and put two and two together. Someone, for even the briefest of seconds, knew her secret. Hours later as Fang collapsed on her bed after making it home, she knew in her heart of hearts that the encounter would mean she wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. After tossing and turning for a bit, Fang got up and retrieved the test she had saved from her desk drawer and looked at it. When she looked at the lines, all she could see was a bright future with Anon. No worries, they would be carefree. They'd find a way. Love always found a way, didn't it? Sure, she was stressed now. So stressed that some days she could feel the bile bubble up in her throat, and her stomach trying it's damnedest to knot itself into oblivion. She was stressed beyond belief, her patchy wings testament to truth. But as always, whenever she started to sink down into the depths of despair, the image of her child returned to her mind. The image of THEIR child, her and Anon. The child they made together, the child they would raise together.
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"It's all worth it for you." She said aloud, hoping the baby inside could hear.