Teenagers, Love and Pregnancy

Chapter 5

"Please pick up," I whispered as I dialed Joey's number for the third time. The phone rang once and went to voicemail. Great.

It had been two weeks since I found out I was pregnant, and Joey hadn't said a word to me since. When I saw him at school, he gave me the cold shoulder. If I called, he never answered. When I texted him, he never bothered to reply.

Of course, I didn't blame him for hating me. I was a cheating slut, no two ways about it. No matter how many times I told myself it didn't count because I felt nothing for Kendall, I didn't believe it. Cheating was cheating, and I hated myself for it.

So far, no one at school knew I was pregnant, including Kendall. With only one month until graduation, I was praying that high school would be over before anyone found out. Thankfully, Kelly and Joey had both kept my secret, and for that I was grateful.

I sighed and rolled over onto my back, staring up at the ceiling fan above my bed. My morning sickness was still rough, but I had managed to keep from puking at school. Because I hadn't gained any weight (except for bloating), no one seemed to think any different of me. But for me, everything had changed. Since I was a little girl, I had dreamed of going to college to become a vet. And in the fall, everyone I knew was going to be going off to college to have the best four years of my life. And me? I was going to be sitting at home, feeding a baby.

I had always wanted kids. But right now? Not so much.

My moping was interrupted by a knock on my bedroom door.

"Come in," I called. I rolled over onto my stomach to look at the door, and saw my stepdad, John, come in.

John had entered my life when I was seven years old, two years after my parents' divorce. He was always good to me and my mom, and he was one of the most influential people in my life.

"Hey Cameron," he said with a soft smile, sitting beside me on the bed. "We need to talk."

Oh no. He knows.

"Your biology teacher, Mrs. Thompson, called today. Your grades in her class have been. . .slipping, to say the least."

I sighed. I had failed both of the last two tests she'd given us.

"Your mother and I expect more than that from you, and you know it," he went on. "And if you want to get into vet school, you certainly can't be failing biology in high school."

"I know," I mumbled. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. We both know you can do much better than that, and vet schools aren't going to look at you if you don't have high grades in biology."

I bit my lip as I thought of vet school. Of course I could never go now. A tear slipped down my cheek.

"Don't cry, Cameron," John said. "It's going to be okay, I promise. We'll just work a little harder until graduation, alright?"

No matter how hard I tried to keep them in, the tears kept coming.

"Oh honey, what's the matter?"

"I'm not going to vet school, John," I said miserably. "I can't even go to college."

"What? Why not?"

And that's when I told him. I told him everything -- how I was pregnant, how we had found out two weeks ago, I was probably about a month along, and I was terrified. I even told him that the baby was Kendall's and Joey had broken up with me.

He was silent for a long time after I told him.

"I wish you'd come to us," he said. "I can't lie and say that I'm not disappointed in you. I thought -- I know we taught you better than this."

"You did," I mumbled. "And I'm so sorry." I kept crying, no matter how many times I mentally told myself to quit being such a baby.

"Come on now," John said, opening his arms to me. I fell into his hug and let him rock me as I stained his sweater with my tears.

"I'm so lucky to have you as a stepdad," I said.

"Can I tell you something?" he asked. I nodded.

"When I started to fall in love with your mom, I got nervous. Really nervous. I knew I wanted to marry her, but I knew she also had a seven year-old daughter. I didn't have any kids, and I knew NOTHING about raising a child. The first time I met you, I was scared senseless. What if you hated me? I wasn't sure I was ready for a pre-made family. I mean, coming into the middle of your life like that -- but I married your mom anyway, and instead of just a beautiful wife, I got a beautiful stepdaughter in the package. I love you like my own, Cam. You know that. Sometimes, I'm still a little nervous around you, ten years later. That part of it doesn't go away. But when you get a kid, no matter how prepared you are -- things just kind of work themselves out, you know? You find a way to make it work. Yeah, it gets hard. I'll admit it, and I didn't even have to change your diapers. But it's always worth it. So don't be too nervous, Cam. Yes, you'll have to put off college for a while. But me personally? I'd trade ANY opportunity to be here and raise you."

I hugged John even tighter.

"Thanks John," I said. "I feel a million times better."

"Don't feel too good yet," he replied with a chuckle. "You still have to tell your mom."