Wednesday July 23rd [10 w 2 d]
I shake my head, refusing to believe what I'm seeing. This is not acceptable. I'm way, way...way to young for this. I stare down at the little white stick, looking at the small pink +. I grab my cell and dial Phoebe's number, my best friend from the age of 4. Pick up, pick up, pick up... "Hello?"
"Phoebe! I need to talk to you. Can you come over?" I hear muffled conversation through the line.
"Sure, I can be right over. Are you okay?" I feel the tears start to spill over.
"No, I don't know. Please, just get here."
"Okay honey, Gabe's coming with me. I'll be there as soon as I can." I hang up without saying goodbye, tossing the phone on my bed. I can't sit still so I pace around my room. I can't believe this. This can't be happening. Why didn't he use a condom? I'm going to kill him. He's dead. Oh my God, I'm too young for this. I'm really going to kill him.
My thoughts are interrupted by a presence at the door. "Nathan! How many times have I told you to stop creeping up on me like that?" My oldest brother shrugs.
"Sorry, Bell." As he gets a good look at me concerns flutters through his face. "You okay? You look like you're gonna be sick." I laugh in my head. If only you knew.
"No, I'm fine. I'm just waiting for Phoeb's to get here." He looks skeptical but doesn't push the subject.
"Oh my God, Bell! Where are you!" I hear the front door slam shut and Phoebe bound up the stairs. Nate gets out of the way just in time as she bursts in and shuts the door behind her. "Spill. You sounded so pathetic on the phone."
"Where's Gabe?" She waves her hand absently.
"I left him downstairs with your brothers. You're avoiding me. You called me for a reason. What's going on?" I smile inwardly, knowing I called the right person. Tears threatening to start falling, I simply point to my bed side table. She walks over to it and picks up the white stick, confusion and then realization crossing her features. She walks over to me and takes me in her arms. My tears finally fall as she gives me a comforting hug.
"What am I going to do!" It comes out completely inaudible because I'm crying too hard.
"Shhh...don't worry, honey. We'll figure this out. Do you know how far along you are?" I shake my head. That hadn't actually even come to mind. "Okay, don't you worry! We'll call someone, we'll do something. We'll figure this out!" There's a quiet knock at the door and Gabe's voice floats through.
"Hey girls, am I allowed in?" Phoebe looks at me and I nod slowly.
"Just, um, let me wash up." She hands me the stick she'd been holding. I look at it with distaste and drop it in the wastebasket as I walk by. I shut the bathroom door behind me and turn on the tap. I can hear Phoebe talking to Gabe through the closed door. No doubt she's filling him in. I splash water on my face and take a look at myself in the mirror. God, I look terrible.
"Hey, you okay in there?" I quickly turn off the water and dry off my face, opening the door to see a worried Phoebe.
"Yeah, I'm okay." She clicks her tongue. She only does that when she knows someone is lying. "Okay, so I'm not as okay as I say I am."
"We're here for you, sweetie. We'll get through this." I look over at Gabe sitting on my bed and he nods. He and Phoeb's met five years ago when he moved into town. Both of them were lonely, what with me being away at Hogwarts and him not knowing anyone, so they became friends out of need. They started dating two years ago and have been going strong ever since. I'm jealous, but no one knows it. "Hey, are you listening?" I snap back to see both of them staring at me.
"No, what?"
"I was just asking you when your last period was?" I glance at Gabe, who looks very uncomfortable. I don't blame him. I don't wanna talk about it and it's my period.
"I don't know, I don't remember." Just then my mom pokes her head in my room.
"Oh hey guys, you staying for supper?"
"I was actually thinking of staying at Phoeb's house tonight." Phoebe nods and my mom smiles.
"Don't stay up too late. Bell you've been so tired lately. I hope you're not sick." I smile thinly.
"Naw, just studying for the new year, you know." She smiles as if my answer solves everything. I catch myself thinking 'If only you knew' for the second time today.
"Okay, you girls have fun. Bell, remember you've got a dentist appointment tomorrow at 12." I nod, although I completely forgot. I make a mental note to write things down more often. She pops back out and shuts the door behind her. Phoebe suddenly springs to life, jumping around my room.
"Oh God Bell. What are you gonna tell your mom? What are you gonna tell your brothers?"
"Bee, I don't think you freaking out is helping her any." Thank you, Gabe.
"You're right. You're totally right. Oh my God. Okay, pull yourself together! We're going to go to my house and call the clinic that's across town." She starts going through my dresser, throwing things on to my bed or putting them back in the drawers. She fidgets and talks to herself when she's nervous. I don't know how Gabe can stand her when she gets like this.
After she packs me up for what looks like a month, we head to her house. I'm glad she only lives three blocks over. I can feel my energy draining quickly. I make another mental note to invest in a motorized scooter.
"Okay, so Bell? You listening? I'm gonna look up the number and we'll call right away. I can talk to them if you want. You can just sit there and you won't have to do a thing." I zone her out as she rambles on and on. We finally get to her house and she recruits Gabe to haul my luggage down to the basement. It was converted into her room a couple years ago when her parents announced they were having another baby. She'd been the only child for 14 years so it came as a big shock to everyone.
"Anyone home?" Nothing. "Perfect. Where's the phone book.." She looks around for the phone book as I flop down on the living room couch. Her endless energy is exhausting. "Oh! Found it!" She plops down at my feet with the heavy book and her cell. She dials and is put on hold for 10 minutes. 'This is ridiculous! When are they going to - Hello! Yes, I'm fine thanks. Yes, I need to schedule a pregnancy test. As soon as possible, if you don't mind. No. I got a positive this morning on a home test. I have no idea when it was. Uh huh." She cups the receiver with her hand. "All they've got is tomorrow morning at 9 and then they're booked for two weeks." I groan but nod. Yuck, 9 AM. "Sure, that's fine. Annabel Leed. September 1st. 16. Yep, you too. Bye now." She snaps her cell shut and drops it on her lap. "People!"
"Well hun, I've got to go. My sister's soccer practise starts in an hour and I'm supposed to driver her."
"Okay, I'll call you tomorrow." Gabe gives her a kiss then leaves the room, shutting the front door behind him. Phoebe looks at me, concern showing on her face.
"I'll be fine. Let's see what they have to say tomorrow." Phoebe shrugs and shakes her head, giving my leg a pat. Yep, we'll see tomorrow..
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