Against the Odds

1

Miranda stood in the mirror and she examined her stomach. She knew that there would be no noticeable change, but she stared anyway. She was one month pregnant and a junior in college.

She didn't know exactly how she was going to tell her boyfriend. Ben was a junior at UMass Boston. It was an hour away from Wellesley. Miranda had originally encouraged him to go to his dream school FAMU, but he didn't want to be that far away from her. They have been together since freshman year of high school. He was her first boyfriend and first everything.

It was hard not seeing each other every day like they were used to and it was a big adjustment freshman year, but they made it work. On the first Friday of the month if they weren't busy they would take turns driving to each other.

This wasn't what they planned. This wasn't what they planned at all. They were always, always careful except a month ago. Ben had come into town and the way she pounced on him should be a shame. They hadn't had sex for weeks prior to that and she wanted him badly. She remembered him saying that he needed to grab a condom and she told him they were fine and could go without.

It was good sex, damn good and Ben pulled out. She knew that stupid shit didn't work. She knew better. She knew the statistics of the withdrawal method. She knew that sperm leaked the entire time, but it was supposed to be a tiny amount.

Pulling her shirt down, Miranda grabbed her purse and lanyard. Ben was downstairs waiting on her and had been for 10 minutes.

Ben looked up at Miranda walking out of her dorm and he smiled. She was so beautiful.

"Hey, baby." Ben smiled widely.

"Hey." Miranda greeted, walking into his arms.

Ben hugged her tightly and kissed the side of her head. "I missed you."

"You just saw me three weeks ago." Miranda giggled.

"I know, but that was so long ago. I need to see this beautiful face daily."

"You're so sweet." She gushed.

"What did you want for dinner tonight? It's your pick."

"I really really really want pizza," Miranda told him, licking her lips. She had been thinking about pizza since she woke up this morning.

"Pizza. You don't even like pizza. I normally order pizza and you order boneless wings."

"I know baby, but that's what I want."

"Ok. We will go to an Italian restaurant." He told her, opening the car door.

"Thank you." She smiled softly as she got inside and buckled her seatbelt.

Miranda cut the music up as Ben drove.

"Massachusetts is so beautiful." He stated looking at the trees as they got their leaves back.

"It is isn't it? It's even more beautiful in the fall. I like the colors of all the leaves."

Ben agreed and then grabbed her hand, rubbing it occasionally. Miranda smiled once again and looked down at their intertwined hands. It was the littlest things that he did that made her so happy.

When they first met freshman year of high school. She had anticipated school too much and brought everything that she could possibly need, making her book bag extremely heavy. Ben saw her and took the bag right off her shoulders. He introduced himself and read her schedule that was in her hand.

Miranda being a shy person, she was didn't say much to him as he walked her to class. She was trying to remain calm and not show her excitement that he was even talking to her. Getting to her first block he sat her bookbag down at the desk she chose and she muttered a quick thanks.