the wilds • toni shalifoe

Day Two - Part One

(Rachel investigation)

Some were lucky. They had someone to hold onto, but I couldn't let go of the blame.

***

Lana could've had someone to hold onto. There were two girls there that she knew, and one of them she had been friends with all of her life. Shelby and her grew up together and didn't miss a Sunday of church. Friends for 12 years.

Then last year happened.

~ Flashback ~

Lana stood on a table at a party at her boyfriend Ryan's party dancing- she was definitely wasted and she wanted drugs.

She wanted to forget everything that happened that day.

A month before, Lana had just come back from a football game that their school had won. Her boyfriend helping score the winning touchdown of course as QB1.

So obviously, they were going to celebrate. At a party thrown by the team, but also on their own.

Lana was pinned up against Ryan's bedroom wall as he left purple marks on her neck and started to unzip her uniform skirt.

"We shouldn't be doing this. 'Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous'," Lana quoted the Bible.

"Hebrews 13:4," Ryan responded knowing what she was referring to as it had been imprinted into their minds.

They stared into each other's eyes before Lana spoke, "Forget Hebrews. I need you right now."

Ryan eagerly laid her down onto his bed, and they lost their virginities to each other that night.

Lana felt on top of the world. Most of the time people's first times aren't magical, but she loved Ryan, and he did everything right.

They partied that night with their friends. Ryan informing his teammates of what happened, and Lana keeping it to herself.

Her closest friends were all Christians. Her best friend was Shelby, the Christian girl poster child. She didn't want any of them to know what she had done. Lana didn't want anyone to find out.

Four weeks after she lost her virginity, she began throwing up in the mornings and was a week late.

She was living in fear while having a smile plastered onto her face and was going to church like nothing was wrong.

Shelby could sense something was up with her best friend, but she kept quiet for now wanting Lana to come to her on her own time.

Lana took 3 pregnancy tests, and they were all positive. Her heart dropped to the bottom of her stomach. What was she going to do now?

She grabbed her phone and told Ryan to come over right away.

When he got there he saw the tears down her face and was ready to fight someone for what they had done to his girlfriend.

"What's wrong, baby?" Lana just held up a test in response to his question.

Ryan's eyes widened as he hesitantly grabbed the test to inspect it further. "I took two others. They're all positive," she choked out.

Ryan handed the test back to her and breathed out heavily. He was a gifted student and an even better athlete. He was already getting scouted by recruiters to play football in college. He had a reputation. His family had a reputation: good Christian people who don't skip church and host Bible study. What would everyone think? He couldn't have a child. It was time for damage control.