We Are Forever

When one door closes

The weekend flew by with me staying in my bed through most of it. My parents got home late last night and checked on me before going to bed themselves. I gather my book bag and my completed homework I managed to finish this weekend and my phone before heading to the bus stop. It really is nice out today. The sky is blue and for a fall day it’s plenty warm without being hot. After I get to school I look for Adam in hopes that maybe he was just being a jerk but the moment I find him I feel pure rage. He has Yazmin up against his car while he talks to her in her ear and running his hands along her body.

I’m pulled out of my thoughts by his friend Axel brushing past me and knocking into my shoulder.

“Yo man your putting on a show!” Axel yells out to Adam. He lifts his gaze and when he spots home his eyes go hard for a second before focusing on Yazmin and pulling her in for a kiss making her wrap her hands around his neck and back.

“Your no longer needed here loser. As you can see Adam and Yazmin have made up after he got what he wanted from you. Although I don’t understand why I am shocked a slut like you put out for him after a short time. Maybe I can go next.” Axel is saying this while attempting to move his body closer to mine. I flee back to the school building just before he touches me. Today can’t possibly get any worse!

I lied. Today got worse. Not only did he tells his friends what we did he told the whole school. Yazmin and her posse of friends cornered me in the girls bathroom during lunch and told me to stay away from her man and that I was nothing but a hole for him to use while they each had a turn punching me. Then there were the whispers all day where everyone called me a slut or w***e or home wrecker. In my last class a boy who sits in front of me named Aaron asked me how much for a blow job. I gathered my things and ran out of class and waited for the end of the class in the bathroom so I could get to my bus.

After I got home I decided I needed to talk to my mom and tell her everything. No matter what kind of trouble I am in. Luckily my dad is still at the office so it will just be me and her.

“Hey mom can I talk to you for a minute?” I ask as soon as I find her in the kitchen preparing dinner. She had off today from her real estate job.

“Sure honey want some sweet tea or something? We can sit at the table while you eat something.” She says with a concerned look on her face.

“Yeah sweet tea sounds good and I will eat later. Thank you. I’ll be in the living room.” I tell her and walk towards the living room with my book bag.

After a minute she comes in carrying 2 tall glasses of sweet tea. My mom make the best sweet tea. She sometimes adds mint leaves to it to give it a refreshing taste or she has even ground up raspberries to put in it. My favorite is when she puts a slice of peach in it.

“Alright what’s going on sweetie?” She sits next to me on the couch after placing our glasses on the table.

After taking a small sip I tell her everything. I tell her how Adam came over Friday night and how we had s*x and that it was my first time and how he told me it was a bet with his friends and that the whole school knows what happened and started calling me names. By the time I finish my mom looks furious and I have tears running down my face.

“Okay now I have a question. Please tell me you used protection.” She is giving me a hard look. And I know I am in deep s**t now.

“No mom he didn’t and I didn’t realize it until he left. I am so sorry mom I know I messed up bad.” By this time I am full on sobbing and mom still looks so mad. I know I have disappointed her.

“Well I’d say we can go get the morning after pill but it won’t work this far out so I will call my obgyn and we will pay her a visit. In the meantime I will call the school and see what we can do about this mess. I may even have to call a lawyer. First things first I’ll make you an appointment. No go get your homework done and I will call you when dinner is done. Your dad said he would be late at the office.” Mom says as she stands and takes our glasses back to the kitchen.

At dinner mom tells me that the school will excuse my absence this week in hopes that the bullying will stop by next week and that she has an appointment for me for a 2 weeks from Thursday at her obgyn. Then we dig into the chicken and dumplings that my mom made for dinner in silence. I know she is upset with me as I am upset with myself. I just hate disappointing my parents.

The next week everything goes by quickly. Mom told dad what was going on and I lost my phone for the week but because my teachers are sending me my assignments through my computer he can’t take my laptop. To say he is pissed is an understatement. But I know he cares and is just worried about me. I go to school Monday and thankfully no one has said anything. I avoid Adam and Yazmin and their friends as much as I can. Things seem to be back to normal for the most part. Yazmin keeps glaring but otherwise she and her friends stay away from me.

School continues on like this for the next couple weeks and before I know it I am getting ready to go to the doctor with my mom. As we are on our way we don’t talk. My parents haven’t said too much to me since everything came out. I feel terrible for making them so upset with me and wish I could take it all back.

Mom checks me in and fills all the paper work out while I sit next to her with my knee bouncing.

“When was your last menstrual cycle?” Mom asks while looking at me and that’s when I realize I should have gotten it this week.

“Mom I am late. I should have gotten it about 3 days ago and I didn’t. It completely slipped my mind.” Great now I feel even worse. And now I also start to feel sick.

“Alright we don’t know anything yet so just take a breath. We will work all this out.”

I can’t believe how calm she is. I am freaking out. She turns the paper work and insurance cards into the front desk and after a few minutes they call my name to the back. After we get into the room the nurse pulls me out to have me pee in a cup which I give back to her with shaky hands. My whole body is trembling.

“Make sure to get out of all your clothes and put the gown on.” She tells me with a kind smile.

I go back to my room and do as she asks while my mom gets comfortable in the chair next to the bed. The white paper under me crinkles as I move around and sticks to my skin. I hate how doctors offices always smell so sterile. I have always had a sensitivity to smells and bleach and disinfectants always make it worse.

Not long later a middle age woman enters and introduces herself to me as Dr.Jade. I shake her hand as we start talking about the procedure she is going to do called a Pap smear. I have heard some horror stories but she explains that it’s very simple.

After scooting my bottom to the end of the bed she takes this clear plastic scary thing and puts some clear liquid on it and tells me to hold still. I just feel some pressure as the speculum is pushed inside of me.

“Alrighty everything looks good let me get some swab samples and we can be done with this part.” She says kindly while finishing up whatever it is she is doing between my legs.

After she is done she gets a serious look on her face and I know this is going to be bad.

“Alright so first things first. Let’s discuss your urine sample. I understand you had s*x for the first time and didn’t use protection is that right?” She asks while looking at me in the eye.

“Yes ma’am I didn’t realize until it was over.” I say quietly while looking at my hands.

“Well you have a faint positive pregnancy test so we are going to do a few things now. We are going to take some blood and send those samples with the ones I just took to the lab. They will tell us how your pregnancy is progressing and for other STD’s and other things. So for now I want you to make sure you are eating properly and getting plenty of fluids and resting. There are options and I will give you all that info when you check out so you and your family can discuss them. Do you have any questions for me?” She asks me kindly and while I know this is serious I really appreciate how kind she is being to me. I mean after all I just turned 16.

“No thank you.” I respond back to her while tears run down my face. She places a hand on my shoulder and tells me to try not to stress but when I see my mothers face I know that stress is the least of my worries. Her eyes are also filled with tears but she also looks disappointed and mad. I can’t blame her. I would be too if I was in her shoes.

After we check out and the assistants give me all the information I need to look over we head home and I am not shocked to see dads car sitting in the driveway. This is going to be so bad!

Me and my mom and dad sit at the dining room table for dinner that night. Everyone is quiet and I know my dad knows I’m pregnant by now.

“What are you wanting to do about the pregnancy Marie?” My father asks me while looking at me. I know he is upset because his voice is strained but his expression is blank.

“I think I need to talk to Adam about it. Because I think I would like to keep it. I can get a job after I graduate high school to pay for childcare while I am working. I wouldn’t rely on you and mom.” I say. I had been thinking about abortion and adoption and frankly neither or those are choices I’d want to make. I want to keep my baby because while I hate it’s father I love it already.

“If that’s what you want but I expect you to graduate missy. But what do you hope to accomplish by talking to him?” My father says with a c****d eyebrow.

“I don’t know but I may as well let him know.”

“If that’s what you want to do honey we will support it. But something to also think about is your body is going to be changing as your pregnancy progresses. What happens when kids at school notice?” Mom asks with a worried face.

I didn’t even think about that. But I guess we will focus on one problem at a time.

The next day at school I find Adam with his group of goons and slowly approach.

“Hey Adam can I talk to you real quick? Its important” I say as I stand in front of him with my hands in my hoodie pocket. He looks confused when he looks at me.

“What’s up?” He asks casually. Guess he wants me to talk in front of his friends. Suddenly my stomach lurches. And I am trying so hard to keep the contents from breakfast in my stomach. He must notice because he grabs my arm and pulls me off to the side.

“What do you want? I haven’t got all day.” He says while keeping his distance.

“Well y-y-you see th-the thing is that I am-m pregnant.” I stutter out as quick as I can. Like ripping off a bandaid. His face turns ghostly white while his eyes get wide.

“How is that possible?!” He all but shouts at me.

“Well I noticed after you left you never put on a condom and I didn’t get a chance to tell you.” I tell him while getting pissed off.

“Well why are you still pregnant? Get rid of it! I don’t want it. I want nothing to do with you or that thing!” He shouts even louder at me. Then he turns on his heel and walks off.

I take a deep breath to calm my nerves before heading into the building hoping I’ll be invisible. My hands are shaking and I can’t seem to get enough air. But I know I need to get through today.

Getting through today was easy at first until lunch time rolls around. I head into the library because nausea is a real pain in the ass while being pregnant it seems and the smells coming from the cafeteria make my stomach roll. I sit at one of the desks and pull out my phone and ear buds hoping to pass the time. Before the first song ended my earbuds were ripped out of my ears causing me to gasp. I look behind me and see Yazmin standing behind me. Only she isn’t alone. Adam is standing behind her with an evil smirk. This can’t be good.

“So I hear the little slut got herself knocked up huh?” She taunts getting into my face. She looks so hateful right now I cringe and pray that me and my baby will be okay.

“You have to the end of this week to get rid of it before I get rid of it for you ya got it?” She says menacingly before she punches me across my cheek making me fall from the chair.

“Yazmin principles office now! Marie go on to the nurse then head that way yourself. I just saw and heard the entire thing. Adam you as well since I’m positive you are involved in all this.”The librarian yells at Yazmin while glaring at her. As they make their way to the principle I head over to the nurse to get an ice pack for my face that I feel is already swelling. After I get done there I head to the principles office and see my mother sitting in the office with a concerned expression on her face. She isn’t the only adult there though. I recognize Adams father sitting across the room and another lady who looks a little like Yazmin. This should be fun! When I get called into the principles office I see the librarian there glaring at Yazmin and Adam and take a seat in the chair across from the principles desk and next to Adam.

“Marie I only need you here to clarify a few things for me okay. As far as I know you aren’t in any trouble to relax and breathe.” He tells me calmly as I release the breathe I didn’t realize I was holding and nod at principle.

“Yes Mr.Slater.” I say quietly to him.

“I think it’s best if we have the parents in here for this.” He says as he gets up from his seat to call all of our parents in the room.

“Okay let’s get to it then.” He takes his seat and I take a deal breath. “Marie are you currently pregnant?” He asks.

“Yes Mr.Slater. I just found out.” I say timidly. I’m a little worried. I glance at our parents to see mom smiling at me encouragingly. Adams dad looks a little confused as to why he needs to be here for this and Yazmins mom is looking like none of this concerns her as she plays away on her phone. Her blonde curly hair pulled back with a pair of sunglasses sitting on her head.

“Marie is it true that Adam is the father of your baby?” Mr.Slater continues to question me.

“Yes Mr.Slater. It’s true. I didn’t mean for this all to happen.” I say as tears run down my face. He probably is disgusted in me now.

“This is outrageous! My son did not get this girl knocked up!” Adams dad barks out.

“Silence Mr.Turnball! Let’s get the facts first!” Mr.Slater yells out. “Marie is it true what Ms.Wendy said happened in the library? Did they approach you and threaten you to have an abortion or they would inflict serious harm to you so you would lose the pregnancy?” Mr.Slater asks with his eyes filled with rage.

I feel my eyes full with tears and nod my head and tell him it was all true. I hear my mother gasp and his father grunts behind me while Yazmins mom doesn’t seem phased her daughter threatened me and my pregnancy.

“Mrs.Blare I would like to apologize on behalf of the school for what your daughter has gone through today and would like to take this time to offer up our lawyer to press charges against Mr.Turnballs son and Ms.Laricys daughter if you would like.” Mr.Slater tells my mother as he stands up.

When I look at my mother I see tears in her eyes and her hands clenched. Her body is visibly shaking too.

“That won’t be necessary as I have my own lawyer and I will have him take care of it. In the meantime I am taking my daughter home. She has been through enough today.” She tells my principle while walking over to pull me into a hug.

“Understandably Ms.Blare. And as for you two…” he points to Yazmin and Adam as he continues to tell them they are both suspended until next week.

My mom leads me out to her car and tells me everything will be okay. After we get home she says she is going to call my dad and heads into her room. I grab a water bottle and head into my room to unwind after the hell that happened today. My eyes drift close as sleep pulls me in to a dreamless sleep.

Later that night at the dinner table both my parents look concerned and keep glancing at me then at each other. When I had enough I speak up. “What’s going on?”

“Well honey your father and I were talking and we were wondering how you would feel finishing up high school back in Tennessee? We spoke to Aunt Jenna and she said she would be happy to have you and the baby live with her for the time being. It’s up to you darling.” My mom speaks quietly.

“We just don’t want anything bad happening to you or your baby. We also know you haven’t ever really been happy here. We don’t want you to leave but at least wanted to give you the option.”My father says as he looks at me. I see how upset he is about the whole situation. I’m sure my swollen and bruised cheek isn’t helping either.

“I think it may be best. I want to stay with you guys but I think it will be better for my pregnancy if I go.” I tell my parents with tears running down my face.

“I also talked to our lawyer and he put a restraining order on Adam and Yazmin and also said when the baby is born he will set up child support but make it so Adam can’t be around the baby. I know it doesn’t help but your not alone. Your father and I along with your Aunt Jenna are all going to help you as much as we can. You father is also putting in a transfer for a different office in Tennessee so we can all hopefully be back together again soon.” My mom tells me with a soft sad look on her face.

“So when do I leave?”

“I will call your school tomorrow and have them send your records to the school by Aunt Jenna and you can return your text books tomorrow morning and we will leave tomorrow around noon.” My mom and dad finalize the plans for tomorrow while I have a quick shower and go to bed. After the day I have had my eyes don’t even stay open after my head hits my pillows.