Belle

Chapter 1 (REVISED)

People take tests all throughout their lives. Math test, health tests, and driving tests. But no amount of studying can prepare someone for a positive pregnancy test. Especially when you're only fifteen.

The dreaded heart-stopping knock echoed through the large bathroom. "Honey, are you okay? You've been in there a long time." My mother asked through the door.

I wiped the tears off my face with the back of my shaky hands. "Yeah I'm fine, mom."

The reflection in the mirror wasn't me. It couldn't have been. That girl looked broken. She looked confused; As if her entire life was coming to its inevitable end. Her eyes, red and puffy, poured never ending tears. She sniffed through her stuffy nose and let a calming breath out. Her light brown hair seemed darker than mine and her vibrant blue eyes were as dark as the ocean. That girl isn't me.

"Okay. Don't forget we have to go to the studio tomorrow after school, and we can't be late." My mother's voice grew softer as she walked away. "I'm going out to dinner with a friend and probably won't be back until tomorrow. Kisses." Kissy noises muffled through the door and I imagined her kissing her fingers and blowing my direction.

I waited until the front door shut before making my quick escape to my bedroom. I ran past my living room and climbed up the stairs. I managed to make it to my room before I completely broke down. I collapsed on my bed just as the hot tears began falling again.

How could I have been so irresponsible?

I rolled over on my back and held the pregnancy test up towards the ceiling and stared at the pink lines. The worst part is, my sophomore year begins tomorrow.

I looked over at my dresser to see a picture of James, Megan, and I in the first grade. My dad took that picture on Halloween. We went as bunnies that year. That was the year I met them, and we've been best friends ever since. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

~ ~ ~

I woke up to the sound of my alarm. I slammed on it as hard as I could, not wanting to get up. It's always the hardest to get up on the first day of school. I sighed, sitting up in my bed. I quickly got an overwhelming feeling of nausea and quickly got up out of my bed and ran into the bathroom. I thankfully made it to the toilet in time to throw up last night's dinner and then flush the toilet and sit back on the floor. Breathing heavily, my eyes started to sting from tears

"Bella? Are you okay?" I realized that I forgot to close and lock the door in my rush to throw up when I heard my ten-year-old sister from the threshold.

The voice was small and full of worry. I wiped my tears away and smiled as best as I could. "Yeah, I'm fine Abby. What are you doing awake already?"

I stood up slowly and walked over to the sink and rinse my mouth out with water.

"I heard you running down the stairs. I wanted to see if you were okay." I looked over and saw her standing in the doorway in her pajamas, clutching her stuffed bear our dad gave her the day she was born.

"I'm okay. I just feel a little under the weather." Her eyes look sad, obviously worried about me. I got on my knees to reach her height.

"Abby, I swear I'm okay. Don't worry about me." I look her in the eyes, forcing a smile.

My sister and I became very close when my dad died. I had to become the parent for her because my mom drowned herself in work to cope. She hardly pays attention to us anymore. She's either at work or out with friends. The only time we get to see her is during my modeling gigs.

"Did mommy come home yet?" Abby asked. I noticed her grip became tighter on her teddy bear.

"No, she's still out." Her big brown eyes fall down to the floor.

"What was daddy like?" She said out of nowhere. It catched me so off guard, my eyes widened.

"I've told you before, Abby."

"I know, but I want to hear it again." She told. me.

I cleared my throat as I felt it start to get tight. "Well, he was really funny. He could make you and I laugh in a few seconds. He had the best funny faces I've ever seen." I smiled, remembering his Kermit the frog impression.

"I wish I could remember him."

I sighed and wiped a tear from my eye before it could fall. "Yeah, I wish you could too, Abbs."

~~~

I arrived at the highschool after a half an hour walk. There were large crowds of people split up into their own friend groups and cliques.

The populars, the nerds, the gamer geeks, the art freaks, and the outcasts. Which contains a total of three people. Me, Megan, and James. I spotted James and Megan sitting on a bench by the doors. Normally, I would run over there and demand a hug from both of them. But today, I just couldn't. I felt my heart beating faster in my chest and my stomach churned.

The bell rang and I began to walk towards the building, trying to stay as far away from James as I could. Just as I thought I was in the clear, I heard Megan from behind me.

"Bella, hey. We were waiting outside for you but you never showed." I saw Megan walk up next to me from the corner of my eye.

"Oh, I didn't see you." I lied. "I have to go, see you at lunch." I told her before I sped walked down the hall.

I made a left turn in the hallway and began searching for my locker. Once I found it, I put my lunch in my locker and slam it shut. I jumped wehn I saw James standing there.

"Jesus, Jay. You scared me." I told him, breathing heavily. He smirked at me playfully.

"Sorry." He apologized. "I didn't see you outside." He said with a fallen smile.

"Oh, sorry." Is all I said and I made sure not to make eye contact.

I could feel him observing me intensely, and it was making me uncomfortable. My mind started to make me wonder if he knew about my...condition.

No way. He couldn't possibly know.

"Are you okay, Belle?" James always liked calling me Belle instead of Bella. I've never known why.

"Yeah, I'm great." The late bell rang and I smiled. "I'll see you at lunch." I turned around and sped off down the hallway as fast as I could.

How will I ever tell him?