It all started with Freshers.....

Part Twelve - January Blues

January. Was there ever a more naturally depressing month? The January blues was definitely a very real thing for me. I wasn't a Christmas fan in all honesty I found it to be a very superficial, exhausting, sad and lonely time of year. Stephen did love Christmas and New Year so he'd dragged me out for New Years to Spoons but other than that Christmas was unexciting.

I had returned to tech quite self consciously with a bump. It was noticeable through my hoodies and it was the only place I'd really gained weight. As I walked into tech with my head down and my hair up in a ponytail, my palms were sweating. I'd only told my friends at tech I was pregnant but not the rest of the class. There was only ten of us but I was closest with Nikki who was twenty, Cara who was twenty six and Katie who was twenty two. They were the only ones who knew so I had a very strong suspicion that today would be a very trying day.

I hurried up the stairs, sort of realising I was late, not much but still. I picked my pace up as I power walked down the corridor carrying my heavy file and handbag. Already I wanted to go home. Mercifully most were in and seated so I fell into my usual seat beside Nikki.

"Oh look at you, you look beautiful," she remarked as our tutor unpacked her bag for the lesson ahead.

"Wise up dolly," I replied with a smile. Nikki was so sweet. She knew how to make me smile. Like me she was a natural red head but she dyed her hair different colours, at the minute she was a burgendy brown colour and it really suited her. She was petite, so slight and totey. A real stunner.

"Nice Christmas?" I asked her.

"Yes. Awk it was so good to be off and have that time to myself and spend time with Alec," she said, smiling brightly. Always cheery she would annoy you if you were having a bad day. "Yourself?"

"Fine. Yeh nice to be off," I replied.

She lowered her voice. "Nervous?"

"Yeh. Definitely. Shitting it to hear what Megan and Josie have to say..."

She grimaced. "Unfortunately I'm sure they will have plenty."

I nodded. They always did have plenty to say. I rubbed my forehead. I could already feel a tension headache coming on. Stressed did not even begin to describe how I felt. It didn't come close unfortunately. I took a few deep breaths and pulled my file bock out of my full file along with a pen ready to take notes. I was here to work, not socialise. Lies I was here to socialise. Just not with them.

The lesson ran smoothly and I took my notes carefully. I let myself become completely absorbed in the work and focused my attention entirely on the board.

When break time came I headed off to the canteen with Nikki and we sat at the back at one of the long tables. Everyone else would soon join us except for Megan and Josie. They were the oldest two ladies of the group. In their thirties they maintained something of a moral superiority to the rest of us and preferred to talk down to us. Me being pregnant was not going to do down all. They'd tear me apart.

"Oh you've got a bump now!" Ciara squealed as she sat down beside me.

I smiled and nodded. "Yeh, eighteen weeks."

"Oh I remember being pregnant with my boys and having a bump for the first time. It was so exciting! You'll be feeling bubs move next!" She practically radiated excitement.

"True. I probably should be feeling movement by now but it's maybe still a little early. I don't really know what I'm waiting to feel," I explained.

Cara nodded. Her blonde ponytail bounced as she nodded. "You'll know believe me."

Katie sat down carrying a box of buns and she opened them, plonking them into the middle of the table.