BABY STEPS

CHAPTER SIX

The day the party rolled around, I wasn't ready. I was dressed; all dolled up, actually decided to wear heels and even curled my hair - the right way. But I wasn't emotionally ready. Ian was going to be there, with his girlfriend.

But I had this idea in my head, that, if I tell him first, then it wouldn't be so hard to tell my parents.

Taylor's car pulled up outside, and I rushed out the door before anyone had the chance to ask where I was going. "Hey girlie!" She grinned, and I took a seat on the passenger side of her dusty old Camry. "Ready to party?" She's always been like this, even when we were younger. She's just chipper. I think that's what you call it. High on life.

Sometimes I wish I was more like Taylor, but other times I'm glad I'm not. I can't just be all carefree all the time. And I know that if our roles were reversed, she wouldn't have hesitated to have that abortion.

Thinking about the baby made me wonder when I was going to tell the four of them about it. Ugh! It was always just this! The telling part. So many people and so many reactions that I had to deal with. If I tell one of them first before I tell the other, it would cause a frenzy. So my best bet would be to wait until we're all together.

"Where's Olive and Bonnie?" I asked, realizing it was just the two of us.

"I haven't picked Olivyah up yet, and Bonnie's already there." I nodded, and then buckled up my seatbelt as she drove off. "You look gorgeous today," she teased, and immediately knew why.

"It's not for Ian."

"Yeah, right," she laughed. "Since when do you where skirts? I didn't even know you owned one!"

"I borrowed it from my sister. So." At that, she laughed.

"Okay, not for Ian."

"He has a girlfriend," I stated softly, causing her to slam the brakes.

"WHAT?!" A few cars honked their horns, and I gaped at her.

"Taylor!" I shouted, motioning for her to drive.

"Since when?" She asked.

"I don't know! I just saw them together two days ago, and some yesterday."

"Is she pretty?" She asked with a smile, and I shrugged.

"I wasn't really paying attention to her." And it wasn't a lie. I hadn't even remembered anything about her but the color of her hair. It was orange.

"Well, you can always steal him from her."

"Taylor didn’t say that!" I scolded, and she shrugged.

"What! You can! It's not like they're married. We're in high school."

"I won't be stealing him," I stated, and we pulled up on the curb of Oliveyah's house. I watched as she climbed down her window vine, shaking my head.

"COME ON!" Taylor honked, giving a Oliveyah a near anxiety attack.

"Stop!" She whispered, running up to the car. "You're gonna get me in trouble!" She cried, hopping in the car like someone was chasing after her. "Just drive off please!" She said, buckling down her seat belt.

"This is risky," I sighed.

"Couldn't you just have asked?" Taylor laughed. She doesn't take anything seriously.

"I decided not to. They were just going to say no. Besides, if I would've went after they said no AND I get caught. That's my ass on a silver platter." Taylor laughed at her, I just shrugged.

Oliveyah's parents are extremely overprotective of her. They're not trying to be mean, they just don't want anything bad to happen to her.

I remember one time last year, we were sleeping at Oliveyah's house, and Taylor had gotten this idea that we should all sneak into this club. The only reason why we had fake ID's was because Bonnie's boyfriend made one for Taylor, and she insisted that we all get one.

But anyways, we weren't even there for ten minutes, when her dad found us and hauled us all out of there like lost puppies. We were so embarrassed! Especially Taylor, but she was more upset than embarrassed, because she was just seconds away from getting a drink.

Long story short, we all got in trouble for nothing because of Taylor. Now that I think about, we always got in trouble because of Taylor. She's sort of the instigator of the group.

"Alright, we're here! Let's go bitches!" She hopped out of the car before everyone, and I gave her an amused smile.

"She's so extra," Oliveyah says impassively, and I smiled back at her.

"Your dress is pretty," I smiled, complementing her. It was red, short and simple. It was strapless, and the breast part was in the shape of a bow.

"I've been waiting a really long time to wear it," she says as we both step out of the car.

"I can see why."

"I can't believe she just ditched us," she laughs, and I shrug.

The night air was blowing, but it was more breezy than cold. The two of us slowly made our way down the dark road, watching as the house got closer and louder with every step. She had to park away because his house was crowded already.

"Hey, Oliveyah, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," she smiled, pulling her jacket off.

"If something happened, like something good and bad all at the same time, what would you do?" She stopped walking.

"What kind of something?"

"I don't know how to explain it," I sighed. "I just, I don't want you guys to be disappointed in me, and I just want to make sure that I won't have to go it alone when I finally tell you."

"What happened, Aria?" She asked, her eyes laced with worry.

"I- just tell me now, Oliveyah. Are you gonna be there?"

She groaned, wrapping her arms around me. "Ugh! I'm your best friend Aria! Of course I'm going to be there!"

"You promise?" I asked, hugging her back.

"I promise." She gave me a pat on the back, signaling that the hug was now over. "So what happened?"

"I have to wait until we're all together first," I explained. She just smiled.

"That serious, huh? Are you gonna make us all make this promise?"

"Probably," I laughed, and we both started walking again.

"Oh!" She shouts excitedly, her light brown eyes glowing from the street light. "We could have a sleepover!"

"Tonight?"

"No, tomorrow."

"Okay," I sighed. "Tomorrow night."