STARDUST

My Boy • VII

I was late by a week and a half.

I swallowed hard as I stared at my calendar. I was never late, but I ended up just shrugging it off, thinking my period would come soon.

But it didn't and I was leaving for college in a week. That made me almost two weeks late. I was starting to panic and pregnancy crossed my mind more than once.

No, we used protection, I reasoned.

Condoms can break.

I felt my stomach twist at the thought and before I knew it, I had raced over to the toilet and threw up my breakfast.

I cried, still leaning over the toilet. This is not happening.

I had just accepted the fact that I had had sex with Kento, and now the possibility of me getting pregnant? No, I was not pregnant with Kento's child.

I ignored the little flutter my heart gave and went over to the sink, my heart beating rapidly.

What if I am pregnant? Lord, how will I tell Kento? How will I tell my moma?

No, I'm getting ahead of myself.

I took in deep breaths and wiped angrily at the tears that continued to leak out. First things first, I need to go and get a test.

I grabbed my keys off the dresser but then stopped.

I grabbed the phone instead and dialed the one number I knew by heart besides my own...and Kento's.

After two rings, "Hey girl."

I sniffled, "Mel, can you come pick me up?"

"Yeah, what's wrong Raya? Why are you crying?"

I looked out my window; thankfully I didn't make any plans with Kento today. I couldn't handle that, "I just...I'll tell you when you get here." I wiped at my eyes again.

"Okay, I'll be over in five minutes okay?" She hung up before I could respond and I could almost picture her, racing toward the door and her keys on the way.

I allowed a small smile to come over my face, thanking God I had a great friend I could count on. I just hoped that whatever happened, she'd be there for me.

I sunk onto my bed, sorting out my thoughts.

Okay, there is a huge chance that I'm just late and me throwing up was just from stress.

I bit my lip, yeah, that was it. Stress.

But what if I am pregnant? I'm going to college; everything I've worked for is a week away. This can't be happening right now.

I continued to cry, feeling sorry for my stupid choices until I heard Mel's car pull up in my driveway. I took in another deep breath and unconsciously glanced at my stomach. I wiped at my face again, tearing my eyes away from my middle section, and ran out of my room and down the stairs.

"Ray, what-?" Mel looked very concerned when I climbed into her truck.

"Drive, please. And go to the drug store."

She put the car into reverse, casting occasional glances at me.

There was only about a minute or two of silence before I broke into another tear marathon. "Okay Ray, you tell me what's going on right now."

I rubbed my eyes and wiped them again with my sleeve, then looked up at my best friend, "I-I...God Mel, I thin-nk I might be p-pregnant."

Her car swerved and she looked at me with wide eyes. "Excuse me?" She said in a quiet voice.

I let out another sob and motioned wildly with my hands after making each point, "I'm late, I've been dizzy and sometimes tired, and I threw up this morning." My words sounded strangled and I took in big gulps of air. "No, God, I think I am pregnant."

Just saying this threw me into more tears and I felt a hand on my back, "Raya, just settle down okay? We'll go to drugstore and we'll get you a pregnancy test. Shhhh, it's okay." Her words didn't put me at ease.

"No, why the hell would everything be okay! I feel l-like such a hoe right now! How can I tell this to-to..."

I heard her intake on breath and she let it out in a whoosh, "Don't think about him right now, okay? You probably ain't even pregnant Raya, you're just stressed out over college."

"No, Mel-"

"Raya," we were pulling into the parking, "Let's just find out first okay? Do you want me to go and get it?" I nodded mutely, staring straight forward. "Okay, wait here."