Not Just One

Chapter 18-Brayden

        The night had been going perfect. And then Julio got the call. If he had never got the call maybe things would have been fine.

        We wouldn't have found out one of our friends might die. And I wouldn't have found out I forgot to use a condom.

        "Clair, can we take a walk?" I ask as we sit in the waiting room.

        She nods and grabs my hand. We walk outside and she stops me.

        "Brayden, I know you forgot the condom." She blurts out.

        "Fuck! How did you know?" I snap.

        "Because I made sure you did. I want a baby." She whispers.

        "Clair, but we just got out of high school. Don't you want to go to college? And what about my college? I already enrolled at CSU. And paid the fees." I snap.

        "I'm sorry. And at least it's just a short drive away." She smiles.

        "Clair, that's beyond the point. The point is, I'm not ready." I sigh.

        She stares at me and finally nods. "It's fine. My grandma raised my mom and her 3 sisters without a man. I can do it too!" She yells running back inside.

        I throw my head back and groan. "Damn it."

        "Brayden!" Gwen yells.

        "Coming." I mutter.

        I walk inside and everyone's hugging and crying.

        "Hit me with the news." I mumble.

        "Pickles, is fine. And for Straub, well he's going into surgery right now. They think they can save him. The only problem is he's O negative. And they don't have the blood they need." Will mutters.

        Gwen and Clair exchange glances.

        "I'm O negative. And so's Clair." Gwen clears her throat.

        We all turn to them.

        The doctor standing there speaks up, "The only thing is we can't take anyone's blood who's drank in the past week, pregnant, or has done any drugs in the past month. And they have to be willing to donate a lot. More than a normal draw. Almost 2 or 3 times the normal amount."

        Clair looks at Gwen and mumbles something.

        "Also some people have been known to pass out or get extremely sick. And there's a possibility of them having to stay at the hospital for awhile." He continues.

        "I'm the only one that can." Gwen clears her throat.

        Will looks up. "No. Not if there's those possibilities."

        "Thanks but I don't need your permission to save my friend." She snaps.

        The doctor nods and takes her into a room.

        Clair stares at me.

        "I'm sorry." I mouth.

        She turns away.