Mistakes We Made

I was lying on my bedroom floor, reading through yet another poem that I didn't fully understand, when my cell phone rang. It was a Sunday evening in late October and I was busy trying to mentally prepare myself for the upcoming week. I had started my freshman year of college a few months prior and I was already starting to stress out. College was a whole new ball field and if I'm being honest, I was actually missing high school, which is something I never thought I would say. With a sigh, I flipped the binder closed and answered my phone, grateful for the distraction, “Hello.” “Hey Emma, it's Rae,” She said quietly. My eyebrows quirked up in surprise. Although Rae and I were sort of friends, we weren't exactly close. We weren't the kind of friends that randomly called each other to chat. Really, the only reason we had ever spoke to or been around each other was because we had dated the McCauley brothers. We never had anything to do with each other unless we were with the guys. So, seeing as how Kade and I had ended our relationship back in July when he moved to Athens to attend UGA, I had not seen or heard from Rae or Jace, who was her boyfriend and Kade's younger brother, in a while. “Is everything okay?” I asked her, because I couldn't imagine why she would call me unless it was to give me bad news. “No,” she replied, her voice cracking, “I need your help, Emma. I know that me and you have never been good friends, but you're the only one I can trust with this… please.” I could tell that she was terrified and I guess that scared me. During the time that I had known Rae, she was never frightened by anything. She was tough and fearless, traits that I had always admired. She was never one to ask for assistance, not even when she desperately needed it. So for her to call me and sound so…. broken and to ask for help,I knew it had to be serious. “I'll do whatever I can. Just tell me what you need.” She let out a shaky breath, “I’m pregnant, Em… and Jace wants me to have an abortion.” “Oh.” I said, because what else could I say? How does one respond to something like that? Obviously, congratulations was a completely inappropriate response and a simple 'Im sorry’ just didn't seem like enough. “I know that you don't agree and that I'm asking you to go against everything you believe. But I can't tell my parents and I'm not ready to have a baby. I'm just starting college. There is no way that I can do this. This is my only option.” “Jace isn't going to go with you?” She sighed, “He didn't offer and I didn't ask,” There was a pause before she added, “Please, Em. I can't do this on my own.” “I’ll go with you.” I said. Despite the fact that I did not agree with her choice, I wasn't going to make her go through it alone. It was clear that the situation was tearing her up. She didn't need anyone to make her feel worse, she needed a friend.