That next week, on the Thursday after my appointment, Cynthia and Kim both quizzed me at my locker about where I was yesterday.
"I had a doctor's appointment," I replied quietly. Cynthia and Kim exchanged a glance, and I could tell they were curious.
"Is everything okay?" Kim asked softly. I nodded before speaking.
"Yeah, everything's fine," I said, smiling softly.
They both looked at me expectedly, and I bit my lip before shutting my locker and beckoning them to follow me to the girl's bathroom.
Once we were inside, I pushed the trashcan in front of the door to block it and I took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm starting to show," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper as I lifted up my sweater.
Cynthia and Kim's eyes widened in surprise as they saw my growing belly. "Wow," Cynthia said softly. "You're really pregnant." I nodded, feeling a sense of nervousness wash over me.
"Yeah, I'm almost 13 weeks now," I said softly.
Kim reached out to put her hand on my shoulder. "Are you doing okay?" she asked with concern.
I nodded, feeling grateful for their support. "Yeah, I'm doing okay," I said softly. "It's just been hard with my dad and everything."
Cynthia and Kim both looked at me with understanding. "We're here for you," Kim said firmly, her voice full of warmth and compassion.
Cynthia nodded in agreement. "Whatever you need, we've got your back," she said.
I felt a sense of gratitude wash over me as I looked at my friends. They were here for me, through thick and thin, and I knew that I could count on them.
It was a huge relief to finally tell my friends about my situation. I had been keeping it bottled up for so long, and their support and understanding made me feel less alone.
...
At the start of February, I was 15 weeks pregnant, and if I wasn't wearing a thick sweater, which was usual for the harsh winters of Minnesota, you could definitely tell it. My dad started giving me a little more freedom, and I was able to go out of the house more, as long as I was back by the time he got off of work at 6. That gave me 3 whole hours after school to hang out with friends, which was sorely needed.
My first day of freedom, I eagerly tailgated Prince and the guys to Andre's house. When we got there, we piled into the basement, and I felt at home.
"We missed you, J," Terry said as we lounged around, playing music in the background. I smiled at Terry's words, feeling grateful to be back with my friends.
"I missed you guys too," I replied, taking a seat on the couch next to Prince.
Morris chuckled. "Yeah, we've been feeling a little lost without your sick guitar solos," he said, grinning at me.
I laughed softly, feeling a sense of warmth wash over me. "Well, I'll have to make it up to you guys," I said, looking at each of them in turn.
We spent the next few hours jamming and chatting, catching up on everything that had been happening in our lives. For a moment, everything felt normal again, and I felt a sense of peace wash over me.
As it got closer to 5, our conversations turned a little serious, and they all looked at me expectantly. I already knew Prince told them I was pregnant, but beyond that, they didn't really know much of what was going on. But they were my friends now, and they cared about me, too.
