The Eighteen Year Fallout

Chapter 5

For the first time since she'd gotten sick, Alexa and Taylor decided to go to the mall for the afternoon while they waited on her results. As they entered the busy mall, there was a sickeningly sweet smell and Alexa felt her stomach turn. She took a deep breath though and eventually it passed, much her to pleasure. Unfortunately it was replaced by a severe headache which she blamed on the incredibly loud crowds that were bustling throughout the mall.

They spent the next few hours, browsing through shops and trying on the most ridiculous outfits for fun. It was a good way to distract both girls from the impending revelation. Alexa was stone cold broke so she didn't buy anything but that didn't stop Taylor from almost maxing out her mum's credit card. How her mum didn't notice she had it, was a mystery to Alexa.

They were just settling down in Starbucks with two mugs of hot chocolates when Alexa's phone began to ring. Rummaging through her bag, she found her phone. Her face dropped as "Unknown" flashed across the caller id and Taylor reached and gripped her hand tightly.

"Hello?" she answered quietly as Taylor sat patiently watching her intently.

"Lex?" the caller said and Alexa let out a sigh of relief.

"Hey Carson," she replied shaking her head at Taylor who smiled sympathetically.

"I was just calling to see if you wanted to hang out" he asked.

"Umm..." she trailed off knowing she couldn't tell him she was waiting on a doctors call about a pregnancy test, "I promised Taylor a girly day sorry"

She let out the breath she was holding when Carson told her it was fine before hanging up. Taylor smiled at her and opened her mouth to speak when the sound of Alexa's phone ringtone interrupted her. She saw that this time it was the doctors office number that flashed on the screen. She held up the phone to show Taylor before answering as cheerfully as she could muster. Taylor watched her intently, concern etched across her face as Alexa froze as the doctor on the other end spoke. Before she could even reply to what the doctor had just told her, she was saying goodbye. Alexa stuttered a  feeble 'bye' before dropping her phone onto the tabletop.

"What is it?" Taylor demanded, grabbing her hand which was shaking uncontrollably, "what did they find out?"

Tears streamed down Alexa's face. She tried to speak but nothing came out. There she'd been in the car on the way here, thinking everything was fine. But it wasn't at all. Nothing would be fine again. Not now.

"What is it?" Taylor repeated worriedly, holding onto her shaking hand, "What did they find out from your blood test?!" Her face serious and Alexa noticed that her lip was quivering.

She opened my mouth to speak but her mouth was dry. She could see Taylor was getting more concerned from her lack of communication but annoyed at the same time.

"TELL ME!" She hissed loudly causing the other customers in the cafe to turn to look at them. She smiled sheepishly at Alexa before saying in a low voice, "please Alexa. You're scaring me."

Alexa felt bad. She looked so worried and she could feel that her hand, like hers was shaking. She took a deep breath before saying quietly, "I'm pregnant. The test was wrong. I'm a month pregnant Taylor."

Taylor gasped, clutching her hand tighter before unconvincingly assuring her that everything would be okay. Alexa knew she was lying but she was grateful to her, for attempting to reassure her. After her shock announcement they hastily left the mall, definitely not in the mood for shopping anymore, and Taylor drove them home. Neither of them spoke during the journey home, the car filled with an uncomfortable silence.

What was she going to do? She knew one thing was definite though. She had to keep this baby. The thought of killing her own flesh and blood turned her stomach and she knew she would never have the strength to go with through with it anyways. Keeping it though meant that she would have to tell Carson. She'd be showing soon and there was no way she could hide having a baby. Her whole body shook as she thought about telling him. They weren't in a relationship. He was going to think she'd gotten pregnant on purpose, to trap him. He wouldn't want anything to do with her. That was the one thing she knew and it scared her to death. Carson had become a big part of her life in the last few weeks and the thought of not even having him as a friend made her feel ill.  But how would she cope? She was only sixteen, she couldn't look after a baby alone. And her parents! What would they do? Throw her out? Force her to get rid? It didn't bear thinking about right now.

Tears began to flood down her cheeks at the realisation that she, Alexa Martin was pregnant at sixteen. 

Finally, they pulled up outside Alexa's house but she made no attempt to get out of the car. There were no lights on but that didn't mean her parents weren't home; they often sat in the dark attempting to save electricity. Weird but that was her parents. She looked at Taylor who had a look of concern on her face. She knew exactly what she was thinking. How could she go in there and face her parents, knowing what she did?

"Tay..." she trailed off, tears still streaming down her face, "Can...can I stay at yours tonight?"

Taylor nodded, before a look of realisation passed over her face, "We go back to school tomorrow..."

Alexa groaned before asking if she could just get my school things and stay at hers anyways. She realised her parents car wasn't there so she knew wouldn't have to face them, She could just send them a message telling them what she was doing and hide at Taylor's house. Taylor nodded reluctantly, biting her lip. She reached over and hugged Alexa tightly. Alexa broke away from the hug and got out of the car heading into her house, her legs weak and her stomach churning with worry.

***

"Lex?" the voice was soft and hesitant, "you need to get up for school"

Alexa rubbed her eyes, pulling herself up into a sitting position on the bed. She glanced at the clock on the bedside table that read 07.30 and groaned as she faced Taylor. She was already dressed in a pair of blue skinny jeans and a navy Hollister hoody. They'd stayed up late last night discussing her dilemma and who to tell. They'd agreed that Alexa wouldn't tell her parents or Carson just yet. Taylor wasn't very happy but agreed to it eventually.  Alexa was about to moan at her about waking her so early when she felt a familiar surge of sickness pass over her. Leaping out of bed, she bounded into the bathroom her feet barely touching the floor. She had barely made it to the toilet when she was violently sick. She moaned and felt Taylor pull her hair back from her face. She flopped onto the cold floor, wiping her mouth with a towel.

"Morning sickness sucks"  Alexa moaned, resisting the urge to laugh for no reason.

"I know babe but there's nothing you can do about it" Taylor sighed before pulling her to my feet and ordering her to get dressed.

As she got ready, she heard her laugh at her objections as Taylor made her way downstairs, "Just because you're preggo, doesn't mean I'm going to treat you special Lex! Come down here when you're done fatty!"

Alexa snorted. Trust Taylor.

She hurried ran a hair brush through her tatted hair before quickly applying a light layer of foundation. After checking her reflection she made her way downstairs but she came to a halt mid-step as she heard Taylor's voice float up the staircase.

"Yeah, yeah I know. I tried to tell her it would end up bad but she just wouldn't listen. But please, don't tell a soul. Nobody else can know"

Alexa was curious about who her best friend could be talking to or even about. She continued down the stairs and made her way into the kitchen where she came face to face with Taylor who had her phone to her ear. When she saw her she quickly said her goodbyes before hanging up and smiling awkwardly.

"Who was that?" Alexa found herself asking. She couldn't help but notice guilt wash over Taylor's face.

"Oh just one of the girls out of my English class, we were just having a gossip about a girl she knows"

"Oh" Alexa replied, subconsciously feeling disbelief at Taylor's explanation. 

"Anyways we'd need to get going!" Taylor announced cheerfully, "you ready kiddo?"

Alexa grinned at her best friend all the doubt from before fading away. She found it amusing when Taylor referred to her as kiddo, even though she was at least three months younger than her.

"As I'll ever be" she sighed grabbing her school bag from the kitchen table before following Taylor out of the house.

Today was going to be difficult. Even though nobody knew she was pregnant she felt as if they'd magically know. Ridiculous she knew but she couldn't help feeling apprehensive.