To the Moon and Back {Chandler Riggs}

T h i r t y T w o

I can feel my heartbeat pounding in my ears as I stare at the tiny, pink plus sign that just changed my best friend's life forever.

Mia and I make nervous eye contact before refocusing our attention on Lizzy who hasn't looked up from the piece of plastic currently determining the course of her future.

"What are you gonna do?" Mia asks, cautiously resting a hand on Lizzy's shoulder.

"Can we just deal with this in the morning? I'm too exhausted to handle this right now." Lizzy tosses the test in the garbage and gathers the trash and other items before emotionlessly walking out of the bathroom.

Mia and I glance at each other, worry clear on both our faces.

"We should probably get some sleep," Mia suggests as she stands and also leaves the bathroom.

I'm left alone on the tile floor, my mind reeling.

My best friend is having a baby. Im gonna be an aunt. Part of me is excited, but part of me knows Lizzy and Sam are much to young to be doing this. It's not like they don't have options, but I know that once Lizzy tells Sam, one of those options goes out the window.

My head starts to pound as I process what's in store for two of my best friends. Lizzy is only sixteen and Sam is only eighteen. Lizzy is about to start her junior year in high school and by the time she finishes, she'll have a one month old. Sam is about to start college, and his current job doesn't pay him enough or give him the benefits necessary to raise a child.

As I sit on the tile floor of my best friend's bathroom, picking fuzz off the bath mat, I realize I'm stressing out about my unborn, future nephew or niece more than his or her own parents, one of whom isn't aware that he or she even exists.

I decide that this is a problem to be resolved in the morning and take Lizzy's advice to get some rest. As soon as my head rests on Chandler's chest, I'm out cold.

~

I wake up to alerts blaring on several phones in the room. Soon everyone is awake, desperately trying to silence the news alerts blasting at 8 a.m.

"They caught him," Aj announces, one hand scrolling on his phone screen while the other combs through Mia's hair.

"We can go out and do something now that we're not on lock down anymore," Chandler sighs, squeezing my thigh.

I nod slowly, still in the process of waking up while also trying to sort through the events of last night.

"You guys go. I'm gonna stay here," Lizzy announces from the kitchen doorway.

"Yeah, I'm out, too," Sam says. "Y'all feel free to have fun though."

I look back and forth between Lizzy and Sam, wondering if she's already told him. Their odd behavior indicates maybe she has, but everyone is still a little shook up from yesterday so it could just be that.

"I'm gonna get ready. I'll be out in fifteen," I announce as I walk to the kitchen. Mia follows me.

"I told my mom," Lizzy informs us once we're out of earshot from the boys.

"How'd that go?"

"Better than I expected. We both cried, but I think she's okay."

"Are you okay?" I press.

"Yeah, I think I'm gonna tell Sam later today while y'all are out, so that will ultimately decide where to go from here." Lizzy nods her head as if she's trying to convince herself of something.

"Let us know if you need anything. We shouldn't be gone more than a few hours," Mia says.

Lizzy nods, and the three of us hug before Mia and I leave Lizzy in the kitchen.