**Officially published as Clique Bait with HarperTeen!**
Payment is usually a part of a basic transaction. You give and then you take. But, at Arlington Preparatory, people take at their leisure. They take their entertainment in the form of humiliat...
Oh my God I'm so sorry for taking so long to reply, I've been so busy. School work, Orange Is the New Black marathons, passive aggressive arguments between my parents... you know how it is.
Currently awaiting that longer message you promised. What's keeping YOU busy? Friends? BOYfriends? What's going on in Monica-world without me there to brighten it?
Love, Chloe.
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"What?" I said, unable to come up with anything else suitable after the statement which had spilled from her lips.
"Pregnant," she repeated, straightening and tugging at the ends of her hair, as if half-attempting to pull it out in stress. "I took a test yesterday because my period was three weeks late. And it was positive."
My throat dried at the thought of my next question. "Maddy, who is the—I mean who did you—"
"The father?" she asked solemnly. "Someone who doesn't exist to me. And never will, especially now."
"Maddy..."
"I'm telling you because I trust you, Chloe. Not a word of this to anyone. Especially any of the witches sitting on that table out there," she said, with a tone so furious it startled me.
But I needed to know. Was it Francis, or was it someone else that she'd been with? God, she seriously could be pregnant. I thought of all the drugs and alcohol Maddy had consumed since the start of the school year and shuddered. She'd had her drink spiked only this weekend.
I pressed a hand to my eyes for a moment, trying to comprehend and analyze the situation which had just become increasingly complex. "Maddy, I know you were sleeping with Francis."
Maddy's expression grew cold and even harder to decipher as her eyes flickered to the roof. "And how did you know that? God, he would do anything he could to protect that. How do you know, Chloe?"
She'd grown almost frenzied, her voice escalated to the point that I was worried people outside could hear us. I cringed, scared for what my revelation could bring. "Lola and Sophie. I overheard them one day talking about it."
"How the fuck does that bitch know everything?" she hissed, her heels slapping against the tiles as she made her way to the basin, running cold water over her hands. "It's not like she hasn't made it obvious, though. Fuck, my life is over, Chloe."
"It's him isn't it?" I asked, my voice wavering. If Francis had really gotten Maddy pregnant then I couldn't even comprehend what she was about to go through.
"I'm not as much of a slut as you think," she said dryly, slapping water over her reddened cheeks. "About a month ago we had a thing. We did it three times. Three times only. And yes, we used protection. But that shit doesn't work all the time. Clearly."
