I sit in the stall, feeling as if I might vomit. How could this have happened? I look again, hoping that I'm wrong or that I've missread the test. But no, I'm right. I knew that I was pregnant deep down anyway. It was a fear that began as a slow burn and turned into an inferno. I first realised the morning after that I could be, but I pretended that I wasn't. Then, when a week later, I missed, I didn't worry too much. It could just be a few days late.
But a few days turned into a few weeks, and now I had definitely not missed once. A tear drops onto my lap. I feel nausea rising in my throat. I have to get out of this bathroom, I've been in here too long. Clara's lot'll start being horrible. I slowly unlock the door. and step out. They're all there, Clara, Lucy, Kim and Ruth, stood in front of the mirrors, putting on mascara and pouting in the mirror. I want to run, far, far away; out of school, down the busy road, away from all of this. But I can't, so I go over to the end sink - the only one without one of them stood in front of it. I scrub my hands, harder and harder, until the dirt is gone, yet I still feel filthy.
'Are you okay?' Clara asks sarcastically, flicking her long blonde hair off her face.
'I'm fine.' I tell her.
'Then why, may I ask, are you using my foundation as soap?' she smirks, as her stupid cronies giggle.
'For God's sake!' I shout, and run out of the bathroom, the door slamming behind me.
'What a psycho!' I hear Clara laugh as I walk away, tears threatening to spill down my cheeks.
Soon enough, I find myself halfway down the English corridor, and I open the door of the third classroom on the left to reveal my best friend, Jenny, and my twin sister, Poppy, sat on two desks chatting. They both turn as I enter, Jenny raising an eyebrow.
'Rose? What's wrong?' she asks.
'Nothing.' I say, my voice unconvincingly high-pitched.
'Rose, I know you too well to believe that, you know.' she tells me.
'Oh, you know, just Clara being a bitch, but that's nothing new. Don't worry.' I tell her, trying to lie convincingly.
'Okay.' she says, letting the matter slide, as I sit down beside her. She doesn't believe me, I can tell, but she pretends that she does, beginning to go on about her boyfriend, Ethan. I always thought him a bit too controlling, too desperate to own her, but Jenny honestly believes that he loves her, and she seems to love him too.
'So have you checked the camping trip list?' Jenny asks.
'No.' I tell her, 'I hope I'm not on it...'
'Of course you are Rose!' Jenny tells me, looking irritated.
'So am I.' Poppy smiles, 'I bet they put us together!'
'Maybe...' I say.
'Clara Litcham's lot are on it too, unfortunately.' Jenny says.
'Yay.' I reply, sarcastically, as I conjure up a picture of myself stuck in a tent with Clara and her stupid cronies, as they all tell me how much weight I'd put on recently and apply orange foundation.
Ugh, the stupid trip would be hell, but there was no backing out now. Our parents had already paid and my dad wouldn't be pleased if I wasted a hundred quid. In fact he'd be furious, and I couldn't cope with him on my case as well. Instead I'll have to go. I mean, how bad can a couple of days get?
If only I knew...
