Inferno

~131~ Stress

Sasha's POV

I'm staring at the test in my hand, sitting on the bathroom floor. I'm pregnant. I've had sex for two months, and I wind up pregnant. This family really doesn't know how to have safe sex. This is insane. What am I going to do? I can't have a baby at 18. I'm in college. My boyfriend and I still hardly ever go out in public. Running into teachers or classmates would be awkward.

I want to be a teacher. I have so many plans...None of which involve a baby. Mason has no idea. He had no idea the condom broke that night. I never told him. What were the chances that I would actually get pregnant? Pretty good, apparently. I haven't gone on birth control yet. I had planned to, but my class load has been insane lately and I haven't had a chance to go to the doctor.

As soon as I tell Mason, I just know he's going to kick me out. He has no money right now. His mom moved back in with his dad a couple months ago, and his dad is punishing her. He won't give her hardly any money. Mason is still paying for the kid's tuition and gives them money for the things they need. His dad won't do any of it. He's giving them a place to live and that's it. He's not even buying their food. It's all falling on Mason.

I come out a little later, once it's not noticeable that I've been crying.

Mason is talking on the phone. Well, more like yelling.

"Mom, I cannot pay for all of the tuition this month. I'm going to be $200 short....Mom, I still have to eat too. Can you get a part-time job?" He asks, pacing the floor.

"I don't know how many times I can keep apologizing. I found Dylan crying that night after dad told him that he wished he wasn't his son, and I snapped.....Mom, I know. Take them out of private school. I could afford a better apartment for you and I would be able to pay all of your bills with what I pay on tuition. They can go to school where I work....Then I don't know what you want from me. My offer to take them is still there. Let me take the kids, mom" he says, begging.

"Then I don't know what to do. I've got $1300 I can give you this month. Their tuition is $1500. You're going to have to find the rest....MOM, I still have my own bills....No, this will leave me so tight that I'll barely have food this month.....You know what, fine. I'll get you the $1500. I don't mind eating hotdogs for the entire month" he says, hanging up the phone and throwing it across the room.

He opens the fridge and gets out a beer, and sits at the table to drink. He hasn't even noticed me standing in the doorway.

He finally looks up and sees me. "How much did you hear?" He asks me embarrassed.

"All of it" I admit, coming over to him and sitting on his lap. He puts his head on my shoulder and hugs me tight.

"I got my first check. I'll grab groceries tomorrow" I say, kissing his forehead.

I started working with my dance coach. She was so impressed by my auditions that she asked if I'd help her out all year. The pay isn't amazing, but it's enough.

He shakes his head, suddenly angry. "You are not buying me groceries" he snaps as he scoots me off of his lap and walks to the sink.

"I would be buying US groceries" I say quietly.

"No. I told you when you moved in that I wanted to
pay for it all. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't even be an issue" he says, completely embarrassed.

"Well, this isn't normal circumstances. I don't want to eat hot dogs all month long" I say gently.

He took it the wrong way. His eyes start to blaze. "Nobody said that you had to. You're more than welcome to go home anytime you want to, Sasha" he says, going in the bedroom and slamming the door.