Not ME

The First Ultrasound

Marissa felt like shit all day, She felt alone and stupid and no one was there to comfort her. Harper and Amber found her after school. Marissa had missed being normal and hanging out with them.

"Hey girl!" They said in unison and double-hugged Marissa. With her best friend's arms around her, she felt better... a lot better.

"HI guys. It has been a rough day but I have my first ultrasound today."

The girls were excited. "Can we find out the gender?" "Can we hear a heartbeat?" "What are you going to name the baby?" These questions and many others ones were being asked and Marissa couldn't help but laugh

"Yo, I barely have a bump and the gender ultrasound is around 20 weeks so we have about 8 weeks until then." Marissa rattled off like she one of those annoying mommy-blogs.

Harper looked impressed, "Wow, you are going to be a great mom."

Marissa smiled holding her tiny bump looking down at it then frowned some, "Yeah but I will have to do it alone." Suddenly, reality set in. She really was going to have to raise her child as a single parent.

Amber sighed and pulled Marissa close, "You won't have to... you have me and Harper as the cool aunts. Gavin and Liam are the...... cool.... uncles and you have an amazing mom who will be an amazing role model grandma." Her words put Marissa at ease. Harper joined in, "Yeah, I would love to be an aunt! Crazy aunt Harper and Laid-back aunt Amber."

Marissa gained her smile back, "Have I ever told you that I love you two?" All three girls have an inseparable bond. "Well the appointment needs a pregnant lady to happen so lets go." Amber laughed grabbing her keys as they piled into her car. Marissa got the whole back seat of Amber's green Jeep to herself. Her mood plummeted when she saw Chase and Sabrina kissing. Chase looked up and they made eye contact for a second or so before Amber drove off. Chase looked guilty.

-

The doctor's office was cold but Marissa had a sweatshirt. Harper was looking at all of the magazines and pamphlets and Amber was getting stared down by a two year old.

"Am I pregnant? Do I have Herpes?" Harper said, eyes wide. Marissa laughed and shook her head. "Relax girl." She said as a nurse came out for her.

"Well that is my que. I will see you guys in a few minutes..." She trailed off hoping they would join her because she didn't show it but Marissa was scared out of her mind.

"Can we come?" Harper asked and Amber stood up, "Yes... please? That kid is creeping me out but he sure is cute."

Marissa smiled and nodded them to follow. The room was dim and the machine was a but scary looking but not too intimidating. What was she so afraid of?

The nurse told her to lay down and Marissa obeyed. Amber and Harper sat down next to her on the chairs.

"Is or mom or another adult coming, Miss. D'Vall?" The nurse asked nicely. SHIT. Marissa should have invited her. She actually would be at work. Marissa sighed.

"No mam, Just my two friends." Marissa answered. The nurse nodded and put some jelly on Marissa's stomach. It was cold. It made Marissa wince. The machine kicked on and the nurse moved that scanner around to look at the baby.

It was small. Very small. It didn't even look like a baby but when Marissa turned her head to look at the screen, instant tears of joy clouded her eyes. That was her baby. She wasn't thinking of Chase or her family or her friends. This baby would be her whole world.

"There is the baby. Since you are only 12 weeks we can't tell the gender yet but he or she looks healthy. Are you taking any vitamins?" She asks as she begins to take notes.

Marissa nods, "Yes" she begins as she lists her medications. Marissa waits for the first picture of her unborn child, her world.

"I wonder what my mom will say!" She exclaims as they all walk to the car.

"I think she will be excited." Harper answers her, "Yeah. I know I am excited to be an aunt" Amber makes little quotations around the 'aunt' part.

Marissa chuckles," I wonder how Gavin and Liam will react." Liam... he hasn't been around much lately and we is never home recently. He has no life... where is he going everyday? The car full of teenage girls pulled up to the local burger joint and sat in their usual place.

A middle-aged waitress came over to their table. "Hey girls!" She said in an upbeat tone.

Marissa smiled, "Hey Kelly! We will have the usual. Oh and I got an ultrasound today!' Marissa said feeling no-longer ashamed of her teenage pregnancy but proud.

"Oh yay! I will put your order in and I will be back." Kelly said as she walked off to enter their orders. Kelly quickly came back to the table and Marissa pulled out the photos and began explaining what the doctor said to her. The bell of the door rang and in came Chase and his buddies. Chase and Marissa made eye contact but instead of ignoring her, Chase came over to the table.

"Hey Marissa." He said. Kelly looked up from the photos on the table, "Oh hello Chase," she turned back to the photos.

"Chase lets go" One of his broad-chested, narrow minded, asshole chums motioned over to a table.

Chase sighed, " I will be right over." Marissa scrambled to put the photos away before he saw but one fell on the ground, Chase of course picked it up. His face looked confused at first but then he realized, "Is.. this our kid?"

Marissa stood up and crossed her arms, "It is MY child, yes. You don't want anything to do with him or her so it is MY kid." She grabbed the ultrasound and put it in her bag. Kelly left the table to go get their orders. Harper and Amber were silent unsure of what to do.

Chase licked his lips and bit his lip lightly before putting his hand in his letterman jacket pockets. "Look, we need to talk."

"How well did that go in Science class? Hint, not well." Marissa rolled her eyes

"Please..." Chase practically begged. His eyes looked sincere unlike his body language. Did he actually care or did he just want to keep up his reputation? Marissa reluctantly agreed.

"Great! Wagner Park at 7?"

"Sure."