Always With Me

Part 10- Dahlia Parker

     I was driving back to Becca's house after school the next week when it began to rain. My windshield wipers began going back and forth, back and forth. I pulled into her driveway and hopped out of the car quickly. I felt like I was sick, again, so I ran up her stairs. Running past Becca, I went to her bathroom. I had some tampons and ibuprofen ready for cramps, but when I got into the bathroom, I my thoughts were redirected when I realized that I still hadn't started my period yet. I went back to her room and laid down on her bed, watching the room begin to spin. I was supposed to have started my period over a week ago, but it still hadn't come. I just shrugged it off, again, and began on my homework. I had always had irregular periods, so this wasn't terribly uncommon. Becca paused and then went down the stairs. I'd been with Becca for about a week, and I'd talked to my mom every day since then. She was staying with my sister Cassie and her husband, and she seemed to be doing good. I missed having her here, but I felt like she needed to stay with my sister. I didn't exactly know when she was coming back, but I knew that she was doing what she needed to do to help her.

I hadn't realized that my sister had gotten married, but then again, I didn't know much about her at all. We'd also begun talking some, so it was good to begin mending our relationship. 

        Becca came into her room with a brown sack in her hand. She looked as if she was about to throw up, and she stood at the doorway, looking at the floor and the sack in her hand. Then, she looked at me.

         "Dahlia, I need to talk to you."

        "What is it?" I asked. I was scared that she wanted for me to leave, although I couldn't picture Becca ever doing that. Again, she looked as if she was about to throw up. I saw the top of the box sticking out of the bag and realized what it was— a pregnancy test. I felt sick when I realized that Becca thought that she was pregnant. My heart ached for my friend before I realized that she was looking at me the same way. She didn't think that she was pregnant. She thought that I was pregnant.

        "You don't look like you have been feeling too good," she said, still standing beside the door. She stood, unmoving, as if she had been petrified. As she spoke, I felt myself freeze also. "Could you... possibly be... Are you pregnant?"

   I felt my heart drum out of my chest when I heard the words come out of her mouth. I hadn't allowed myself to consider that, even though it had crossed my mind. I was too horrified that it could possibly be true to consider it. I felt my entire body tense up as I began to weigh my situation in my head. I had been feeling nauseous, and even throwing up, for a few weeks. I was over a week late for my period, and my face had broken out over the past few days. And, Brent and I had sex.

         "I..." I began before I felt too sick to speak. She handed me the small brown bag in her hand and I opened it, revealing the pregnancy test. I looked up at her, and we both stared at each other for what seemed like forever before I lifted the box and walked into the bathroom. I looked into the mirror for a few minutes before I finally pushed myself to take the test.