ivy; s.m.

t w e n t y

two weeks later

"OH my god," I whispered, a smile fluttering across my lips.

"I know, right?" Cara choked, happy tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You.. you're pregnant." I said, shocked and happy and confused.

"Can you believe it?" she squealed, flinging her arms around me in a hug. I really couldn't.

"Who's.. who's is it?" I asked, and Cara pulled back, her face turning pink.

"Tell me.." I begged.

"Nick," she laughed.

I stood there speechless, and my jaw dropped open. She laughed harder and blushed ferociously.

"How many weeks along are you?"

"Six."

"Oh my god." I said, running a hand through my hair. "So.. when he came to the door a while ago... OI can't believe it."

"Yeah, I know. Isn't this just insane?"

"I'm so happy for you, Cara." not a word of a lie. Sure, she was young, only eighteen. And just a couple days ago, she told me she got accepted into a college not to far from here, to study business. She wanted to be a receptionist or something, I guess. And she was going to have to put her career on hold, but I knew Nick would be so helpful and supportive that once the baby was born, she could do it.

This isn't the only thing that changed.

Shawn disappeared. Pretty crazy, I know. He took his dad's car and some money and left. I felt bad, at first. Like maybe this was my fault. But now I realize he isn't right for me, at all.

Ashley did forgive me, eventually. It took a lot of voicemails and apologies; but we did. Slowly, I made up with all of my other friends, too.

You could say everything went back to normal, but that's a lie. I am so much different now than I was before Shawn wormed his way into my life. I've changed, in a good way. I hope.

-

"Mom!" I yelled from the living room, at the empty floor.

She came down the stairs. "What?"

"Where's my painting?" I said quietly, my eyes not leaving the floor.

"You remember that art scholarship competition, that I told you about?" she asked, walking over. I nodded.

"I said I didn't want to. I'll never win, anyways."

"Well... I entered you in it. Oops." she blurted, smiling.

I whipped around. "Are you serious?"

"Totally."

"When's the viewing?"

"It started two hours ago. The judges should pick a winner, soon."

I ran to the door, grabbed my coat and my converse and turned to my mom. She grinned and pulled her car keys out of her pocket.

-

I pushed past people in the art gallery, weaving my way around and searching frantically for my painting. There were so many beautiful pieces, on the floor and the walls, people looking and talking. The place was so crowded and loud with chatter.

After a few minutes of looking on the first floor, I couldn't find my painting. I became really frustrated. How could I lose something so big? Something that meant so much to me?

I just had to get it back. I had to.

I ran up the stairs to the second floor two at a time. I had no doubt lost my mom in the crowd.

More paintings, more people. And then, I found it.

At the end of the hall, framed in a massive red frame. It really was beautiful. It was so surrounded by people I could barely get to it, but I pushed my way past.

"Excuse me, pardon me, that's my painting!" I cried, and they looked somewhat shocked and stepped out of the way. Out of breath, I looked at the small card under the painting.

Submitted by Ivy Woods

Oil, Acrylic Mixed Medium

Untitled

First Place.