Chapter Seven
1500 Words
Sophia and Rachel walked into the hospital room,
With a lunch box for Lena
"Hey, girl! How are you feeling?" Sophia asked, concern etched on her face.
Lena smiled weakly.
"I'm okay, just a little shaken up," Lena replied.
Rachel handed Lena the lunch box
"We're here for you, Lena. We're not going anywhere," Rachel said.
Sophia and Rachel sat down beside Lena's bed.
"So, what happened?" Sophia asked.
Lena hesitated.
"I...I have something to show you," Lena said.
Lena reached into her bedside table drawer and pulled out a piece of paper.
Sophia and Rachel were curious.
"What is it?" Rachel asked.
Lena handed them the pregnancy test results.
Sophia's eyes widened.
"Oh. My. God," Sophia whispered.
"Lena...is this...?" Rachel trailed off.
Lena nodded.
"Yes. I'm pregnant," Lena said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Sophia's face fell as Lena shared the news.
"Lena, oh my god...I'm so sorry," Sophia whispered, tears welling up.
Rachel's expression turned shocked.
"Lena, how did this happen?" Rachel asked, her voice trembling.
Lena sighed.
"It just happened. I wasn't planning on it, but...it's real now," Lena said.
Sophia and Rachel exchanged a glance, both looking disappointed and concerned.
"Lena, what about college? What about your future?" Sophia asked.
Lena shrugged.
Sophia and Rachel looked at each other, then back at Lena.
"I know. I'm scared too. But I'll be okay. I have to be," Lena said.
The three friends hugged, holding back tears.
As they pulled back, Sophia asked.
"What do your parents say?"
Lena hesitated.
"I haven't told them yet. I'm afraid," Lena admitted.
Rachel's eyes widened.
"Oh, Lena...you have to tell them eventually," Rachel said.
Sophia nodded.
"Yeah, it's better if they hear it from you," Sophia added.
Sophia's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Lena, who's the father?" Sophia asked gently.
Lena hesitated, unsure of how to reveal the truth.
"It's...Max," Lena said finally.
Rachel's eyebrows shot up.
"Max? As in, Max from the party?" Rachel asked.
Lena nodded.
"Yeah, that's the one," Lena said.
Sophia's expression turned thoughtful.
"Lena, do you think Max is ready to be a father?" Sophia asked.
Lena shrugged.
"I don't know. He says he is, but...I'm not sure," Lena admitted.
Rachel's face turned concerned.
"Lena, you need to think about what's best for you and your baby. If Max isn't ready, you can't rely on him," Rachel said.
Lena nodded, knowing her friends were right.
"I know. I just...I love him, and I want to believe he'll be there for me," Lena said.
"We're here for you, Lena. No matter what," Sophia said.
Rachel nodded.
"But how...how did this happen?" Sophia asked.
Lena sighed.
"It just happened. I'm so confused oh my God
Rachel reached out and hugged Lena tightly.
You will sail through it
Sophia nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, we'll get through this together," Sophia added
Lena's heart racing, Nurse better walked in she handed Nurse Betty her phone.
"Read this," Lena said, her voice trembling.
Nurse Betty scanned the text, her expression sympathetic.
"Lena, you need to think about what's best for you and your baby," Nurse Betty advised.
Lena nodded, tears welling up.
"I know. But I love him. And he loves me."
Nurse Betty handed Lena a tissue.
"Love isn't enough, Lena. You deserve better. You and your baby deserve safety and security."
Lena blew her nose, feeling a mix of emotions.
Just then, the hospital room door opened.
Max stood in the doorway, his eyes locked on Lena.
"Lena," Max whispered, his voice filled with emotion.
"Max," Lena replied, her voice barely audible.
Max approached Lena's bedside, his eyes never leaving hers.
"I'm so sorry, Lena. I was wrong to leave you. I was wrong to put you in danger."
Lena's defenses rose.
"You were wrong to get me pregnant," Lena countered.
Max's face fell.
"I know. I'm sorry. But I promise to take care of you and our baby."
Lena studied Max's face, searching for sincerity.
"Prove it," Lena challenged.
Max nodded.
"I will. I'll do whatever it takes to make things right."
"Max, that's easy to say now. But are you really ready for this?" Sophia asked.
Lena's heart softened. Little did she know max had ulterior motives
"Okay," Lena whispered. "But you need to prove it to me, to my parents, and to ourselves."
As Max took Lena's hand, Nurse Better smiled.
"I think we're done here," Nurse Betty said. "You two have a lot to discuss."Nurse Betty exited the room
Not too long, Dr Patel walked in Lena's hospital room again and ask if he should break the news to her parents but Lena said no!
"I understand your concerns, Lena. But don't you think your parents have a right to know?" Dr. Patel asked gently.
Lena shook her head, fear etched on her face.
"No, please don't tell them. I'm not ready," Lena whispered.
Dr. Patel nodded.
"Okay, Lena. We'll keep this confidential for now. But you need to understand that your parents will find out eventually. It's better if they hear it from you," Dr. Patel advised.
Lena nodded, tears welling up.
"I know. I just need some time to figure things out," Lena said.
"Yeah, I just don't want my parents to know yet," Lena said.
"I'll make sure to keep the news confidential. But Lena, you need to consider telling your parents soon. They care about you and want to support you," Dr. Patel said.
Lena nodded, feeling a mix of emotions.
She knew Dr. Patel was right, but she was scared of her parents' reaction.
What if they were disappointed in me?
What if they didn't want anything to do in me?
Lena pushed the thoughts away and focus on the present. Rachel said
As Max walked away from the hospital, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was in a nightmare.
He didn't want to be a father. He wasn't ready.
And now, Lena's parents will be breathing down his neck, expecting him to take responsibility.
I can't do this, no one can drag me into taking responsible of some f**king s**t called
"Baby" I'm too young for that, I've not finish enjoying my youthful age.
Oh f**k" how did I let this happened? I don't even love her that much I was just having fun, she can't be
the mother of my kids.
Max's mind racing, he thought of a way out.
He would deny the pregnancy. He would tell Lena and her parents that he wasn't the father.
It was a cowardly move, but Max didn't care.
He couldn't handle the consequences of being a father.
As he walked, Max rehearsed his speech.
"Lena, I'm sorry. I know this is a shock, but I'm not the father. I don't know what to say. Maybe it was someone else
Max cringed at the thought of hurting Lena.
But he pushed the guilt aside.
He had to think of himself.
John, Max's friend, walked into the school cafeteria, scanning the room for Max.
As he spotted Max sitting alone at a table, John walked over to him.
"Hey, man, what's up?" John asked.
Max shook his head.
"Not much, just dealing with some stuff," Max said.
John's expression turned curious.
"What kind of stuff?" John asked.
Max hesitated.
"Lena's pregnant," Max said quietly.
John's eyes widened.
"Whoa, that's huge! Congratulations, man!" John said.
Max shook his head.
"It's not like that, John. I'm not ready for this. I don't know what to do," Max said.
John's expression turned serious.
"I get it. That's a lot to handle. But you need to step up and take responsibility, Max," John said.
"I don't know, John I'm trying to figure it out," Max said.
"Yeah, and you need to start thinking about what's best for the baby, not just yourself,"John
As the day went on, the rumor spread like wildfire through the school.
"Lena's pregnant!"
The whispers echoed through the hallways, with students stopping to stare at Lena as she walked by.
Lena's face turned bright red as she tried to ignore the gossip.
But it was hard to ignore the snickers and pointed fingers.
Sophia and Rachel, Lena's best friends, stood by her side, trying to shield her from the rumors.
"Hey, don't listen to them, Lena. They're just jealous," Sophia said.
Rachel nodded.
"Yeah, you're going to be an amazing mom. Don't let anyone bring you down," Rachel added.
But Lena couldn't shake off the feeling of embarrassment and shame.
She had always been the responsible one, the one who never got into trouble.
And now, she was the center of attention for all the wrong reasons.
As they walked into their next class, the teacher, Mrs. Johnson, looked at Lena with a mixture of surprise and concern.
"Lena, can I talk to you for a minute?" Mrs. Johnson asked.
Lena nodded, feeling her heart sink.
What did Mrs. Johnson want to talk to her about?
Was it about her pregnancy?
Lena's mind racing, she followed Mrs. Johnson out of the classroom.
- Writer
