The day she told me she was pregnant was the day he told me he didn't love me. In one day, my whole life came crashing down around me. Something an average 16 year old doesn't have to face.

Sadly, I'm not an average teenage boy. I have the IQ level of a 30 year old genius and the maturity level of a 21 year old male. I graduated high school with my older brother whom is also a boy genius. Or so I thought…

It was about 11 am when I received the alarming call from my brother's ex-girlfriend. They broke up two weeks ago over a misunderstanding because she thought he cheated on her with her best friend, and now she completely ignores him. Yet she always came to me with her personal problems as if I was her little brother.

"Hello?" I groggily answered the irritating call that had awoken me from my slumber.

'H-Hiro,' came GoGo's quivering voice.

Something wasn't right… GoGo never sounded this scared. She was always as tough as nails. People fear her because of her dangerous reputation and bad-ass attitude. It seemed like nothing could faze her.

"Yeah," I said hesitantly.

'I have a problem,' she said.

"What is it?" I sat up in the bed, completely ignoring my surroundings, as if I was lost in the phone call. I was trying hard not to let the worry seep through my voice.

'Promise not to tell?' she asked.

"Yes, I promise. GoGo please tell me what's wrong." I begged.

I heard her take a deep breath during the pause that nearly lasted a lifetime. The anticipation was killing me slowly as I listened to my heart pounding in my rib cage.

'I'm pregnant,' she said.

Those words made my life flash before my eyes. Even when I had my first severe allergic reaction to peanuts, I wasn't this petrified. Somehow this 18 year old girl's words made me a deer in headlights.

'Hiro, say something!'

"Who is the father?" I asked.

'Is that even a question? Tadashi, as in Tadashi your brother,' she replied, 'I found out a few hours ago. Hiro, I'm scared…'

"Have you told Tadashi?" I asked another stupid question…

'No, and don't tell him,' she said.

"Hey Hiro, you awake?" the voice of the one person that could make me melt had rang through the room. I forgot I stayed over at his mansion since his parents are away.

'Are you at Fred's house?' GoGo asked.

I pulled the phone from my face to yell, "Yeah, be there in a sec!" Then pressed the electronic device back against my face and said, "How about I keep your secret if you keep mine?"

Fred and I were just seeing each other for a few months. We've done nothing past hugs, but last night I confessed my love for him and we let our instincts take over. He even said he loves me too!

'Oh my God, are you naked?!' GoGo groans.

"Look I have to go," I said. GoGo paused hesitantly obviously regaining her usual bad girl exterior.

'Hiro Hamada this conversation is NOT over.' We hung up our phones. This must stay secret because Tadashi and I have a deal to not be active until we are at least 21 because Mom and Dad were 18 when they had Tadashi and we promised we wouldn't be like them in that sense… Seems like Tadashi didn't follow the deal either.

I quickly scrambled to clothe myself in my black skinny jeans and black sleeveless shirt with my favorite band on it. Then I dashed into the kitchen where my magnificent lover stood in a nice green T-shirt and a pair of baggy blue jeans.

The simple sight of the sun beams sparkling through the window and illuminating his beauty caused me to melt. I was basically putty in his hands. Fred can get me to do anything he wants, and I mean anything.

"Good morning babe," I smirked as I began to sway my hips slightly to add flirtation to my swagger.

"Hey," Fred looked away from me. His face turned slightly grim… For the second time today, I sensed that something wasn't right here…

"W-what's wrong?" I asked, immediately feeling insecure about my pubescent body. I wrapped my arms around my clothed torso.

Fred approached me and gently removed my arms to expose my 5 Seconds of Summer shirt. His muscular gamer hands clenched my calloused inventor ones.

"Nothing… Just last night," Fred led me to the velvet red couch sitting just outside of the large open kitchen.

Even though the tall sandy blond was remaining completely calm, I felt a reoccurring anxiety pool in my bladder causing it to scream in pain. I crossed my shaky legs to calm the storm swirling within me.

"Relax," Fred ran his hands from my small shoulder to my hands leaving individual sparks lingering on my tan skin.

"So, uh, what's wrong about last night?" I asked, "I thought it was nice."

"It's not what we did… It's what you said," Fred said.

"I said a lot, what specifically?" Please don't tell me it's that one phrase that I practiced over and over in the mirror.

"The 'I love you' one," he said. Shit… "Look Hiro, I can't say I feel the same… I know I said 'I love you too' but I just don't feel right about it, you know?"

My world came to a halt for a second time today. Yet this time, I felt my heart shatter into a million unfixable pieces. I felt used, dirty… Tears prickled at the corners of my light brown eyes.

"Wait, Hiro, that doesn't mean I don't have strong feelings for you-"

"You said you LOVED me. I believed you! I gave my body to you because I thought you loved me. What am I? Some cheap whore to play with? Huh?! Is that what I am to you?!" I ended up jumping to my feet and screaming at the top of my lungs.

"Hir-"

"NO! I love you, Fred Miller! I gave you everything believing I was receiving mutual feelings…" I scoffed as I headed for the door, "Maybe I should've listened to Tadashi when he told me how vulnerable a teenage heart is… Screw you!"

I slammed the hardwood door and slid down it unable to keep my composure. I openly sobbed wishing my mom was alive so I could be scolded by her at my mistake and comforted by just holding me and telling me that 'it's okay'. Too bad the one person that filled this role has worse problems to deal with…

After what felt like centuries, I picked up my crumbled life and dragged it home. The only upside of my life is my home.

Since my parents died 10 years ago, my awesome Aunt Cass took Tadashi and me in. She runs the most popular café in all of San Fransokyo. There is a loft basically above it. We keep the stairs to the loft a hidden by covering it with a curtain; just for some privacy.

Upon entering the café, a rush of warm safety encased me. The aroma of fresh donuts and coffee filled the air. This warmth wasn't suffocating, it was sweet and comforting.

"Hey Hiro… what's wrong sweetie?" Aunt Cass ran into me. She always looks at people's eyes since the eyes are the gates to the soul.

"Nothing," I tried to push past her, but she grabbed my arm and yanked me back to her.

"Honey, I've known you for 16 years, I think I've caught onto your tricks," Aunt Cass said in a low voice.

My brain was too broken to think of a logical lie. Instead of brilliant vibrant thoughts, my head juggled the dull static prickling those sweet thoughts to death.

"I'd rather talk to Tadashi about it," I flashed her a gentle smile, "Its brother stuff."

Aunt Cass gifted me the same fake smile to mask her true disappointment. She let go of me and ran her fingers through her unmade brown hair that was already patching grey from stress.

When Mom and Dad died, Aunt Cass and Grandma tried to care for us orphaned boys. Aunt Cass was just blossoming into adulthood at the age of 20. She tried to care for us, but college consumed her time leaving Grandma to raise another set of children. Yet tragedy struck for a second time a year later when Grandma died. Aunt Cass finished school while she opened the café and learned how to raise two little boys.

I admire her more than any person, through the financial and emotional stress while taking on this HUGE responsibility, she can still smile. She gave up her dreams for Tadashi and me, and we are forever grateful.

"Alright, call me if you need anything," she said.

I awkwardly turned and walked up the stairs, then another set to our room. I share a room with Tadashi to save space.

My handsome brother was lounging on his bed with a book held tight in his grasp. Instead of jumping into my cluttered bed, I stepped foot onto his side of the room and crawled on him to nestle my head on his wide chest. Tadashi didn't complain since we're always this close. I felt him stroke my hair as he continued to read.

Tadashi basically raised me since he took on the male parental role. We became best friends as he cared for me.

"What's up kid?" he asked with his nose still buried in his book.

I didn't respond, I simply buried my face in the fabric of his soft blue shirt. I stretch out my legs until my feet hit his. Tadashi is tall like dad while I'm short like Mom. He truly resembles Dad perfectly, which means he received the athletic body and masculine figure. While in my gene structure, I have a more feminine build and bony limbs like Mom.

"Buddy," I felt Tadashi shift his weight slightly, "Talk to me. Remember, I promised I'll always be here and I won't judge you."

I wanted to pour my heart out to my brother. I felt the urgent need to break the news that he is a father-to-be, but I couldn't… Fred also is Tadashi's best friend; I don't want to cause problems.

Fred… The thought still hurts… Even uttering his name mentally felt like a hundred needles digging into my heart.

I began to sob again staining the fabric of Tadashi's shirt. He wrapped his strong arms around me and propped himself up slightly to rock me gently in attempt to calm me down. My sobs became more violent followed by hyperventilation.

"Hey, calm down," Tadashi said. He yanked me from his chest to force our eyes to lock. "Hiro, talk to me," he demanded.

My lower lip trembled trying to hold in the water works. My face was a gross mess from the puffy red eyes to my sniffling nose, yet Tadashi didn't care. He grabbed the edge of his blue and green striped comforter to clean my face.

"Come on, I hate seeing you so upset," my brother smirked to cheer me up.

He slipped one hand under the back of my shirt to massage my back. Skin to skin contact feels more real and comforting from the exchange of slight body heat. I don't mind him doing that, we've bathed together and changed in front of each other… He even gave me 'the talk' since Aunt Cass couldn't help me as I awkwardly entered the hell of puberty.

I shook my head refusing to ruin his friendship and his life.

"Is it Fred?" he asked… I forgot I told Tadashi about Fred and me going out a bit. "I won't be mad."

"N-no, I can't ruin your f-friendship," I choked out.

"It won't, I swear," he massaged my back a bit more roughly as he hit a sensitive spot. Everyone has that one spot that can make them go weak in the knees, well lucky for me; Tadashi knows where mine is… I am rendered helpless to my brother.

"Dashi stop!" I smirked from the fact that this spot is painful, pleasurable, and most of all, ticklish. I tried to twitch away from his thumb digging into the spot, but I can't escape.

"Not until you tell me." He mocked my helplessness with his taunting voice. He snaked the other arm around my waist to keep me still.

I clenched my jaw together, grinding my teeth, as the hand keeping me still moved up from my waist slightly to grab at my side over the clothes. Then he proceeded to spider his fingers because he knows I can't STAND that.

Tadashi has always tickled me to get what he wants. When we were little kids, I was very stubborn so Mom and Dad would tickle me to make me smile or confess that I ate a cookie before dinner. They tried to use the same tactic on Tadashi, but he isn't ticklish like me. So, ever since Mom and Dad died, Tadashi continued their tricks on me.

"Fine I'll tell you! Just stop!" I squeaked still trying to hold back a forced laugh.

Tadashi let go of me and completely sat up, resting his back against the window with the most amazing view of the city. I folded my legs under me and sat on the bony limbs.

"Okay, spill," Tadashi said crossing his arms over his chest.

"I… uh… w-well," I tried to tell him…

How do you tell your brother 'Hey! I told your best friend I love him and he felt mutual so I slept with him but the next morning he takes it back'?

I took a deep breath to fill my lung with refreshing air and exhale anxiety. I stared at my knees so I didn't have to see Tadashi's expression.

"I-I confessed to Fred that I love him and after things got a bit heated, he said he felt the same about me… so uh.. we um… slept together," I said," Before you say anything! There is more to the story… So this morning he sort of told me he didn't actually love me yet, he mistakenly said it and I ran out." I tightened my grip on Tadashi's comforter and bit my lip to prevent the tears stinging my eyes to spill.

Everything was quiet. I refused to look at my brother. He probably was disgusted with me or mad at me. Maybe he hates me.

I couldn't hold in the pain from sorrow and flung my head down until my chin touched my chest. I tried my best to hold back any sobbing noises, but I wasn't very successful.

I felt a hand squeeze between my chest and chin to cup my cheek and gently move my face so I was staring into my brother's deep brown eyes. They weren't filled with anger and disappointment; they were full of sympathy and understanding. His soft expression calmed my anxious nerves. Then he grabbed my shoulders and pulled me into a bear hug.

"He still likes you, just in the heat of the moment he felt something false. Don't beat yourself up over this. You are still an amazing and loving person and the best little brother anyone could ask for," Tadashi said stroking my shaggy dark hair, "But I thought we agreed to not be active until we are adults. Why did you break the deal?"

You did too big brother…

"I don't know," I sighed, "Thanks for understanding."

Everything seemed somewhat at a fake peace. Except I avoided Fred every time I saw him… It was just too painful. GoGo hasn't been hanging around our group of friends either. Yet two weeks later, everything changed.

It was a late Sunday afternoon and Aunt Cass closed the café already. Tadashi and I were helping her clean up.

GoGo showed up at the café door. She gently knocked on the glass which was when I already sensed early tension. I exchanged a glance with Tadashi before I opened the door to let her in.

"Who's there?" Aunt Cass called from the kitchen.

"GoGo," the girl answered. In a flash, Aunt Cass was behind the counter.

GoGo placed a hand on her stomach which gave away her intentions. My heart skipped a beat at the upcoming drama.

"Tadashi, I have to tell you something important." GoGo looked at me for some help.

"I think you guys want to sit down," I sighed, feeling the guilt pour into my soul.

Tadashi and Aunt Cass exchanged a perplexed look, and then sat next to each other at table 3. Yet they were still wary about this situation.

GoGo yanked me to the table and forced me to stand by her side; I continued to push my dark locks of hair in front of my face to hide from this scene.

"Tadashi, I'm pregnant and I know you're the father because I was only with you. I don't plan on keeping it, I'm giving it up for adoption unless you want it," GoGo stated bluntly," Hiro knew, I swore him to secrecy, but I wanted you to know and decide the fate of this kid since it takes two to make a baby."

In that moment I glanced at my brother to see his reaction. He wasn't mad or disappointed or upset at all. In all of my 16 years of knowing Tadashi, I've never seen him express this emotion… fear.

"You have about nine months to decide," The girl spun around on her heels and confidently walked out of the café leaving a fog of tension behind her. I knew she wanted to leave before they saw her eyes grow misty and she wanted to keep up her image.

Tadashi ran his fingers through his short dark hair. I could only guess his thoughts of confusion and fear.

Aunt Cass was expressionless with her eyes shooting daggers into my skull.

I slowly turned and headed for the stairs because all of these mixed emotions were triggering the events of two weeks ago and I needed to get out of that room.

"STOP!" Aunt Cass screeched at me causing me to stop dead in my tracks and scurry submissively back to the table.

She motioned for me to sit across the round table, which I obliged.

"Tadashi Jack Hamada, explanation, now!" she said as she tightened her grip on the table.

"I-uh," Tadashi was still in shock," we um… we used protection and she was on birth control… we thought-"

"Don't assume that it won't happen! You think your birth was planned? Your parents had you when they were your age," Aunt Cass seemed to have mixed emotions about this situation, "You're so much like your father, I just didn't know you two would be this similar."

"Aunt Cass, I-"

"And you got accepted into the college of your dreams! You can't throw your life away Tadashi! You need to be responsible for your actions," I continued to listen to Aunt Cass pour salt onto Tadashi's open wound forcing him to bite his lips to hold back tears of pain, "And another thing, I think you should give it up because you are 18! You were so stupid, I thought you were smarter. And-"

"Shut up!" I yelled, slamming my hands on the table. My blood was boiling as my heart pounded in my chest while I saw a flash of white before my eyes and my filter was burned away," I'm not going to sit here and listen to my caretaker offend my big brother after he heard the most shocking news of his life! Yeah, he screwed up, so did Mom and Dad. If Tadashi chooses to keep my niece or nephew, I'd be all for helping him. He doesn't have to drop his college acceptance. I screwed up too! I slept with someone and had my heart shattered, but I'm human. I have to make mistakes. So shut your damn mouth about my brother because you're not perfect either."

I stood there trying to catch my breath as I waited for a response. After a good minute of more shock, Aunt Cass took a deep breath.

"You are 16, you are too young to understand," she said, "and if you DARE talk to me like that again I will beat you or whatever punishment fits. I don't care if you are my nephew and I don't believe in physical punishments. You, young man, have NO say in this."

I felt cornered… I felt as if I was a weak and vulnerable elk and Aunt Cass was a hungry wolf. I had to pinch myself and make sure this isn't a nightmare. Yet when I squeezed the small patch of skin on my arm in between my nails, I felt the sharp pain of reality. I screwed up…

Out of impulse and rage I screamed, "I hate you!" and ran childishly up the stairs, stumbling along the way to my room.

I crawled under my blankets and wrapped myself like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. I couldn't cry, no more tears need to be spilled over my pathetic self-pity. While I was scanning my surroundings, I noticed my smartphone had a blinking blue light indicating that I had a new text message.

Upon unlocking the phone, I saw one new message from Fred. I wrinkled my nose in disgust as I clicked the message.

'Fred [5:00 pm, May 6, 2015]

Hey Hiro, look, I know I hurt you and I feel terrible. But please give me another chance to make things right.'

I didn't respond. I turned off my phone since I don't want to give him another chance. I hate feeling this emotional pain spread throughout my body making it painful to breathe.

I keep messing up… I'm just a screw up. How could Tadashi and Aunt Cass forgive me?

I lay in bed for hours contemplating outcomes of each scenario that could occur as my attempt to escape this damned fate of mine. Thousands of thoughts clouded my brain which gave me a massive headache.

My ears perked at the sound of my room door creaking open and a set of footsteps shuffling across the hardwood floor.

My bed is the closest to the door since I'm set up next to the wooden desk which has our desktop, gadgets, and blueprints since Tadashi and I enjoy inventing robots and building things together. I set up shelves over the desk that extends to the head of my bed. It holds all of my treasured possessions.

Tadashi's corner is across from me. His bed is set up by the window. He fills up his small corner with his dresser and small memories he has collected through his life.

Our spaces are separated by a thin divider that mostly resembles those wooden sliding doors in the Japanese cartoons to retain part of our heritage. Mom is full Japanese while Dad was born and raised in San Francisco with Aunt Cass as his little sister.

The steps came closer and closer until I heard them stop at the edge of my bed.

"Hey cocoon boy," my brother said softly. I pretended to be asleep since I wanted to be left alone to reflect on the recent events that seemed to haunt me and push me down whenever I get back on my feet.

"Tadashi, he must not be awake," Aunt Cass said in her foolish voice she used to use when I was younger and I would cry every night for a Mom and Dad that would never respond.

I don't trust this.

"Should we tickle him awake?" I heard the amusement in my brother's voice.

"That's a good idea," my Aunt said.

They wouldn't…

Once I felt a hand on me, I threw myself around, still laying on my side, and glared at the two.

Tadashi sat on my bed while Aunt Cass pulled up the swivel chair that was once parked at the desk.

"I'm sorry for what I said to you before. It's just scary, everything going on, and I'm sorry. I would never hurt you, I couldn't even raise a hand to strike you," Aunt Cass sighed, "It's so sweet that you stood up for your brother."

"No, I'm sorry for snapping," I sighed, "Just, heartbreak can't be avoided sometimes."

Tadashi draped an arm over my side as a sign of comfort.

"Oh sweetie," Aunt Cass cooed. I could see she wanted to gently tuck my stray hair lying on my face back behind my ear, but she didn't want me to get the wrong message after her threat.

I began to hate this constant sympathy for me, so I blurted, "Tadashi, what are you going to do about the baby?"

Tadashi reclined on me so his head was on my shoulder while his back angled down to his feet that touched the floor.

"I don't know… I am happy but confused and scared. I want her and me to raise this kid together, but somehow she thought I was cheating on her with Honey Lemon. I wasn't!" Tadashi took a deep breath, "I still love her."

"I'm sure if you and Honey Lemon explain it, everything will work out," my aunt said.

I realize now… "Life isn't perfect. There always will be conflict and misunderstandings. People will make mistakes, but you'll be remembered for your good deeds and not your mistakes." I thought out loud.

"Wow Hiro, didn't realize you were so deep… and a nerd," Tadashi smirked.

I tried to push my brother off, but he was too heavy, and I was too weak. He grabbed an edge of my blanket cocoon and yanked it out from under me. I spun like a top, nearly falling off my bed, but my brother caught me by wrapping his arms around my small waist and pulled me back to safety.

"I will always be there to catch you." He smiled, pulling me to sit next to him. Then he rested his arm across my shoulders and pulled me close.

"Hey bro," I started, "I could talk to GoGo about the misunderstanding since she trusts me."

"And if you want to keep the baby, I'll be with you every step of the way," Aunt Cass placed a hand on Tadashi's knee then looked at me, "And you, my little genius, are more of an adult than I am. I love you, both of you."

We spent the rest of the night discussing baby names and a spot for a nursery. It was so… uplifting. Aunt Cass decided to show us home videos that Mom and Dad made for us. She said that they were saved for when Tadashi and I were adults with kids and they passed away of old age, but sometimes plans change.

I thought I would cry. I thought I was going to wallow away in a pit of depression and self-pity until I was broken. Yet, life is too short to dwell on those pains. Sure, I am still in love with Fred, but I am 16, I have a whole life ahead of me. Even if people push me down and break my heart until I feel like everything was crashing down around me… I know that Aunt Cass and Tadashi will love me unconditionally.

Another two weeks of harmony pass and I settle everything between GoGo, Honey Lemon, and Tadashi. GoGo admits she still loves Tadashi, but she wants to remain friends. Now she is living with us due to the fact that her parents kicked her out. She and my brother agreed to raise the baby together as 'friends' yet GoGo is still very flighty about it. Tadashi understands too.

Everything in my world seemed too perfect, yet a knock on our loft door one early Sunday morning threw me back into reality.

I open the door to see Fred standing there disheveled. His eyes appeared red and puffy from crying and his clothes were stained and torn slightly. There were bags under his eyes from lack of sleep and this was my entire fault. I felt like I had the wind knocked out of me at the sight of him.

"Why haven't you answered any of your texts?" he asks slightly out of breath.

I haven't turned my phone on since I turned it off two weeks ago due to all of the changes in my life.

"Whatever. Look, Hiro, we need to talk," he said.

Ah… another one of life's refreshing struggles. One of many that I can't avoid. So instead of slamming the door in his face, I said, "Do you want some breakfast? We can talk then."

Ryker: This is actually my life motto in a way, I mean what Hiro realizes and stuff. This was my final portfolio project where the characters were my own. So if they are OOC I'm sorry. Also, if i forgot to change the name in a scene, this is a key:

Ryker=Hiro
Sam=Tadashi
Aunt Helena=Aunt Cass
Leiko=GoGo
Seth=Fred
Tara=Honey Lemon

Okay, so enjoy and i worked for months on this. I actually wrote a sequel ish to this, well it is the life of GoGo and stuff.