The Potter and His Clay.

The Secrets Out.

"Alright, good work fella's" Coach Sanders says, he looks at his boys "next week is our first swim meet competition with our neighboring school, West Chester High. Any questions?" 

the boys shook their heads in response, Coach Sanders nodded "alright, dismissed" , they all turned and made their way to the changing room. They all got into the showers, Ethan freshened up and sat by his locker as he waited for Theo, Samuel Thomas went through the room in his towel singing "sand man", Peter Hanes whipped his butt with his own towel making Samuel jump as he rubbed his butt wincing, the boys chuckled. 

"Mr. Sand man" Peter continued as he pressed his palm to chest passionately, Samuel joined in as they harmonized to the tune, the others began to sing too as they walked around half naked. Theo walked out of the showers and began to sing as well, the boys all skied to a stop as they stared at him in complete annoyance, Theo looked at the boys "what?" 

Peter threw his towel at his face, "shut up!" he yelled annoyed 

Ethan burst out laughing, Samuel shook his head as he marched off to get dressed, all the boys got back to what they were doing disappointedly, Theo watched the boys dumbfoundedly. He looked at Ethan, "did I sound that bad?" he asked frowning

Ethan shook his head "no", he looked away, Theo narrowed his eyes "you can't lie, you're Christian" he stated, Ethan rolled his eyes "no body's perfect" he replied , Theo shot him an annoyed look and walked over to his locker. 

They made their way out of the gym and looked over to Ethan's car, Eliza sat on the hood as she waited whilst reading a book, Theo smiled as they approached her. 

"Hey dork" Theo retorted, Eliza looked up and frowned at him "well, aren't you funny" she replied sarcastically 

Ethan chuckled "someone's in a bad mood", Theodore leaned against the car "you okay?" he asked. Eliza slid off the hood and hugged her bag against her chest "fine" she says sternly, Ethan touched her arm "Liza-" 

"can we just go?" she asked annoyed as she turned and walked over to the car door, he sighed "yeah", they all got in and made their way out of the parking lot. 

***

Ethan drove through town, as he looked at his rear mirror, he sees Eliza looking out the window with the same look she has when she's upset. He takes the longer route, "where are you going?" she asked, "shortcut" he answered, she frowned at him 'this is longer" 

"I'm hungry" Theo interrupted  grabbing the aux "Let's go to Macca's" 

"yes!" Ethan cried smiling, Eliza groaned as she throws her hands up in the air in irritation. Theo began to play a song from his phone, Ethan frowned at him "dude, seriously?" 

"what? IU's hot" he replied beaming, he began singing Korean lyrics loudly, straining his voice a bit,  Eliza suppressed her laughter as he went out of tune, he looked back at her and smirked "Nailed it" 

she scoffed, bursting out in chuckles. Ethan looked at her and laughed, Theo pointed at her victoriously "made you laugh!" 

she immediately shut her mouth and looked out the window, they reached their destination and went into the parking lot. They all got out and walked towards the entrance, Eliza looked at a grey Prius with a "I Love Jesus sticker on the back,  parked two cars away, she grabs Ethan, he looked at her stopping in his tracks "what?" he asked,

"that's Grandma's car" she said nodding towards it, he followed her gaze, she made her way towards the car, looking into the drivers seat. Lilian sat at the drivers wheel, taking a huge bite out of her sixth cheese burger, she went up the window and knocked on it "Aunt Lili?" 

Lilian looked at her niece with their burger in her mouth, she looked depressed and sad, Ethan got closer and gagged "ew", Theo got to his side and gasped as he looks at Lilian "she looks sad". Lilian drops her burger and began to cry, they all stared at her as she leaned forward and bumps her head against the car horn, breaking out a loud hoot. 

***

"I'm going with her" Eliza tells Ethan, he nodded "yeah, I'll go drop Theo off and I'll come home" 

Eliza got into the driver's seat and backed out of the parking space, they left Maccas and made their way home, Lilian lied on her side looking out of the window, Eliza looked at her and sighed worriedly "Aunt Lili?" 

Lilian sat in silence as she continued to look out the window, "please tell me what's wrong" Eliza said almost in a whisper, Lilian bit her lip as she suppressed a sob from coming out. Eliza sighed, "okay, then", she drove past their intersection, Lilian sat up straight "you passed our way home" 

"we're not going home" Eliza responded "we're going to sort this out"

Lilian looked at her "there's nothing wrong!" she cried annoyed

"I don't believe you!" she cried back, shooting her a frown "You come home drunk, you ate six burgers and you look like you watched a baby cow get struck by lightening!" 

"what are you even talking about!?" Lilian snapped, frowning at her in confusion 

"my point is, you're not yourself, and it's bothering me!" she added. Lilian groaned and turned away again, Eliza drove into the beach road and parked in the parking space by the life guard office that was closed, she cuts the ignition and opens the door "come on"

Lilian looks at the open water and glanced at her niece, she lets out a deep breathe and gets out, she follows Eliza onto the beach, they stand at the shoreline and looks out to the in coming waves, Lilian looks at her niece 

"what are we doing here?" she deadpans 

"isn't it obvious?" she asked with a grin "we're here to scream" 

Lilian frowns at her "are you serious?" she says kicking the sand, "this isn't a movie, you nerd!"

Eliza turns her face to the clouds and lets out a loud yell, Lilian swung her head around in embarrassment as she scanned the beach for any human form "shut up!" she hissed grabbing her arm, Eliza laughs "scream" she instructs, taking her hand

Lilian looks around cautiously,  "no one's around!" Eliza cried, Lilian shook her head "I don't want to" 

Eliza took her hand "I know you're hurting" she says, looking into her eyes "I don't know what's going on, but I know God's going to help you through it" 

she shook her head as tears began to form "He hates me" she whispers, Eliza shook her head "no, he's doesn't" 

Lilian shook her head as tears began to stream her face "I did something Liz, I did something that I can't even forgive myself!" she cried, her voice cracking, she pressed her hand to her stomach, she falls to her knees and began to sob uncontrollably "I killed-I killed my baby" she stuttered "I killed my baby".

***

Lilian ran through the door, she pushed the toilet door open and fell to her knees, lifting the seat, she lets out a hurl as she pukes into the bowl. Chloe runs in after her, "Lili?"

she goes into the stall and rubs her back "Lili" she whispers

Lilian groans as she barfs up another one, she ripped a tissue from the toilet paper roll and wiped her mouth, I don't feel so good" 

Chloe helped her up and flushed the toilet, Lilian closed the toilet seat and sat down, she leaned her head against the wall and sighed, rubbing her belly. Chloe crouched in front her and took her hands, she looked at her worriedly as she tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear and cups her cheeks

"I hate you like this" she whispered worriedly

"I'll be fine" Lilian replied. 

A few days later.

Chloe dips the stick into the urine cup and watched it carefully, her heart fell as she see's it change color after a few seconds. Lilian sits anxiously on the bathroom floor, she looks up at Chloe as she wrapped her arms around her knees. Chloe places the cup into the sink and lowers herself to the floor in front of her best friend, Lilian looks at her with worried eyes, Chloe hands over the pregnancy test. 

Lilian takes the stick and looks at it, she stared at the pink strip, her entire body goes numb, she throws the pregnancy test across the bathroom floor hopelessly, she leans back and lets out a cry, "oh God" she whimpers, Chloe kneels and holds her into her arms, Lilian sobbed uncontrollably as she her entire world fell into a chasm of hopelessness. 

***

Lilian pressed her phone to her ear as she paced across the room, "hello?" answered a older woman's voice, "hello" Lilian answered back "hey Mrs. Bennett, it's Lilian again, is  Seth there?" 

"oh" she pauses for a moment before answering "sorry honey, he's not in right now, do you want to leave a message?" 

Lilian gripped the phone disappointedly "no, no it's okay". Days and nights went on by as she continuously call him, she left him a message but he didn't get back. It took two weeks for her to realize he wasn't going to call back, she fell into turmoil, begging for a second chance, she regretted falling for Seth and she paid the price alone. It was unfair.  She spent her days looking at her parents in the eye and pretended that everything was fine,  while life moved within her belly.

She walked up the door and pushed the doorbell, Chloe opened the door and looked at her best friend "Lili"

"I'm killing it" she says determined, Chloe stared at her in complete shock "what?". 

***

Eliza hugged her aunt tightly as she rocked her gently, Lilian continued to bawl into her hands as she felt  years of pain and betrayal rip her heart out mercilessly. She betrayed her parents, she betrayed her baby, she betrayed herself. She didn't bare to bring dishonor into her family. She was burdened by the thought of having a Father who was the town's Pastor. They were highly respected people within the community, she had no choice but to discard the problem and set everything a new again. 

She was wrong.