Tutor

Thirty Five

Demi

I stared down at the counter, tears pouring down my cheeks. This can't be happening. My heart felt heavy in my chest, a nauseous feeling had settled in my belly. I dropped back against the wall and sunk down to the floor, my hands covering my face as I started to sob. Your life's over, Demetria. Odell's life is over. You've ruined everything, like you always seem to do. No. I removed my head from my hands and pushed myself to stand. I released a breath and grabbed the test off the counter that held a little plus sign. You're fucked, Demetria.

I jumped as a knock sounded on my front door. I turned to the sink and splashed my face with water, shoving the little stick into the pocket of my sweater as I headed into the entrance hall. I glanced out the window and lightly smiled at Marissa who stood on the porch. I unlocked my front door and pulled it open.

"The bitch is..." her arms flew up into the air before she cut herself off. "What the hell happened to you?" I shoved my hand into my pocket and held the stick out to her. She took it from me, her eyes widening as she stared down at it. "What?"

"I don't know what to do, Riss" I stumbled back into the house as Marissa stepped through the door.

"But you-you said..." I nibbled down on my lower lip, my head dropping into my hands as I started to sob. She locked her arms around me, letting me just cry into her shoulder. "Everything's going to be okay. I promise" she began to sway. "I'm going to be the best damn auntie there ever was. I promise you that" I giggled through my tears as I pulled away from her.

"What do I do?"

"I can't answer that for you, Dem" I glanced down at the floor, quickly wiping at my cheeks. "I thought you were on the pill?"

"I am. I-We used condoms for the first couple times but we stopped a while ago" I groaned as I headed into the living room. "Why the fuck did we stop?" I lowered myself down onto the sofa. I grabbed the blanket off the back, wrapped it around myself and curled into a ball. Marissa lowered herself down beside me, passing me the pregnancy test. I stared down at it for a moment, praying that the plus sign would just disappear. "How am I going to tell Odell? His mom's going to hate me" Marissa shook her head as she shuffled closer to me.

"Didn't Heather have Odell at 17?"

"That doesn't mean she won't hate me."

"I'm sure she'll understand, Demi. She'll know how you feel, she'll know what you're going through. I-She'll be more help than I am" I sniffled, quickly wiping at my cheeks as I sighed. "She'll be the best person to talk too."

"I'm not getting rid of it, Riss."

"I'm not expecting you too and nobody should. It's your body, it's your baby and it's your choice. Nobody should force you into doing something that you don't want to do."

"Love you" she smiled and locked her arms around me. "I'm really glad you're home."

"Love you too. And I love the little bean" a lump formed in my throat as I cuddled into her, trying not to think of how Heather's going to react, never-mind Odell.

-

I released a breath and tried to rid myself of my nerves but nothing that I tried seemed to work. I could still feel them fluttering around in my belly, they were beginning to make me feel nauseous. I played nervously with my fingers as I stepped up onto the porch with Cleo at my side. She was patiently waiting for the door to open. I nibbled on my lip and lifted my hand to knock gently on the front door. I swallowed down the lump in my throat and anxiously waited. How am I even going to tell her? How am I going to tell Odell? This is going to ruin everything. I could feel my eyes beginning to well with tears as my thoughts overran with possible outcomes.

"Hi Sweetheart" how in my thoughts was I? "You okay, Demi?" my eyes landed on Heather's and my heart sunk into my chest at the concern in her eyes. Her eyebrows furrowed as she stepped up to me, and I burst into tears as her hand settled on my arm. "Honey, what's wrong?" she gently pulled me into her arms. I began to softly cry into her neck as she ran her fingers delicately through my hair. She just allowed me to cry, leading me into the living room once my sobs had turned into sniffles. "Hi Cleo" I lightly laughed as Cleo jumped up onto Heather's lap. She scratched behind her ear as Cleo licked at her chin. "What's wrong with your mommy, Cleo?" I sucked in my breath as the word 'mommy' left her mouth. That's what I'm going to be. Cleo's attention suddenly turned to me and I lightly laughed as she clambered over onto my lap and began to lick at my cheeks.

"I'm okay, Baby" she eventually jumped off my lap and headed to the toys in the far corner of the room. I turned my attention back to Heather as she ran her hand along my knee.

"What's going on, Honey?"

"I-I don't want you to hate me" Heather's head shook as she took a hold of my hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Demi, I could never hate you. Has Odell done something? I'll kill him if he has" I shook my head, wiping at my cheeks.

"No, he-he hasn't done anything" I covered my mouth as I choked on a sob. "I-I'm..." her eyes were watching me intently. "I'm pregnant" her jaw dropped. I glanced away and dropped my head into my hands as I sobbed. You've just lost everything.

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