Chapter 15: Talking About the Future

The minutes ticked by at a glacial pace as Ren waited for Xander to arrive at her dorm. Her mind was racing with thoughts of what he would say, how he would react, and what this meant for their future together. She had told her friends about the positive pregnancy test, and they had been supportive, but she knew that Xander's reaction would be crucial in determining how things would play out. As she paced back and forth in her room, Ren couldn't help but think about the height difference between her and Xander. He was always teasing her about it, but she had never thought it would be a factor in something like this. She was petite, with long wavy dirty blonde hair and emerald green eyes, while Xander was tall and lean, with short wavy dark brown hair and dark blue eyes that seemed to see right through her. She adored the way he looked at her, like she was his goddess, and he seemed to light up whenever she was near. There was a knock at the door, and Ren's heart skipped a beat. She took a deep breath and made her way to the door, flinging it open to reveal Xander standing in the hallway, a concerned expression on his face. "Hey," he said, pulling her into a hug. "I'm here. What did the test say?" Ren took a deep breath and pulled back, her eyes welling up with tears. "It's positive," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Xander's expression didn't change, but his eyes seemed to soften. He took a deep breath and pulled her back into a hug. "Okay," he said, his voice calm and soothing. "We'll figure this out together, okay?" Ren felt a wave of relief wash over her at his words. She had been worried that he would be upset, that he would leave her, but instead, he seemed calm and collected. As they pulled back, Xander looked at her, his eyes searching hers. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice full of concern. Ren nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat. "I'm...I don't know," she said, her voice trembling. "I was so scared when I saw the test. I didn't know what to do." Xander pulled her back into a hug, holding her tightly. "You're not alone," he said. "I'm here for you, and we'll figure this out together." As they sat down on the bed, Xander took her hand in his, his eyes searching hers. "We need to talk about this," he said. "About what this means for our future, and what we want." Ren nodded, feeling a sense of trepidation. She knew that this was just the beginning of a long and difficult conversation, one that would determine the course of their relationship and their lives. "What do you want?" Ren asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Xander smiled and pulled her closer. "I want you," he said. "I want us. I want to be a part of your life, and to support you through this." Ren felt a lump form in her throat as she looked at him, her heart full of emotion. She knew that she loved him too, and that she wanted to make this work, no matter what. "But what about our goals?" Ren asked, her voice laced with concern. "What about your love of biking, and my need to focus on my studies?" Xander chuckled and pulled her closer. "We'll figure it out," he said. "We'll make it work. I love you, Ren, and I want to be with you, no matter what." As they sat there, holding hands and looking into each other's eyes, Ren felt a sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, they could make this work. Maybe they could be happy, together. "I love you too," Ren said, her voice barely above a whisper. Xander smiled and pulled her into a kiss. "We'll get through this," he said. "Together." As they pulled back, Ren knew that they still had a long way to go. They had to navigate the challenges of pregnancy, and parenthood, and figure out what that meant for their relationship. But for now, she was just grateful to have Xander by her side.