The wind was howling angrily outside, and rain splashed against the pink painted window. Ariel leaned her head against her beloved life size brown bear and allowed the hot tears to flow ceaselessly down her face. She squeezed her teddy bear and pulled it closer for comfort. Pregnant…she was only seventeen years old…in her last year of high school…and pregnant. What was she suppose to do now? How could god be so cruel to her? Ariel wanted to shout and cursed but knew if she did, she would feel even guiltier later. Instead she sobbed quietly against her soft teddy bear all the while praying her mother would not hear her cries. She did not want to burden her mother, she did not want to worry her mother and most of all…she did not want to bring shame to her mother. Ariel sighed, her mother already has so much to worry about, how could she add more stress for her?
She heard hushed voices inside her parents’ room and Ariel wondered if her father came home early from work. She felt her heart pounding and anxiously she lifted her body up and pressed her ear against the bed board. She heard her mother humming a song but did not hear her father’s voice. Ariel let out a relieved sigh; out of habit she was holding her breath already expecting the worse.
The house has been quiet for a few days now. Ariel knew her parents were going through the “honeymoon” stage, where she and her mother cautiously walked on “egg shells” around the house not knowing when her father was going to explode.
Ariel knew all about domestic violence and the repetitive cycle. Her father would beat the crap out of her mother, and if she interfered she would get the crap beaten out of her. Then her father would usually calm now, and swears sweet empty promises to her mother. The “honeymoon” stage is where they’re at right now. Ariel felt her eyes brimmed with tears again remembering the bruises on her mother’s face.
How much longer mother? How much longer before enough is enough? Ariel was also afraid of what would happen to her if her father finds out she was pregnant. She knew getting an abortion was out of the question, but she was afraid to search for the baby’s daddy. She met him only once…how could she possibly tell him she’s pregnant with his baby…would he even believe her?
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JoeCheng walks leisurely inside the club house and briefly scanned the surrounding. He ignored all the barely dressed heiress and focused his attention on one girl only. She was dressed in a simple cream color blouse and skirt but she outshined all the other girls in the room.
He took off his jacket and headed toward his childhood best friend and now girlfriend Tiffany Xu with a grin on his face. He thought he was going crazy the last few months they were apart, but they were finally back together again. After their last break up,he thought he was going crazy. This time they were going to make it work. Joe couldn’t remember if he called her first or if she called him first. But it didn’t matter, breaking up and making up was part of their relationship.
She was waiting for him with a glass of champagne in each hand smiling smugly. Joe chuckled at the sight of her smug, he knew that look too well. It was Tiffany’s infamous haughty smug…even if she was dressed in rags she still has the look of a wealthy heiress. It was in the way she carried herself, it was in the way she tilted her head, it was something special only Tiffany has. Joe threw his tan leather jacket against a nearby chair and kissed Tiffany softly on her neck.
She handed him a glass of champagne and without a word exchanged they locked eyes and drank. In one gulp they drank every drop of champagne and smiled at each other. Just looking at her, Joe knew he made the right choice. Tiffany was the girl for him…they fit each other perfectly in every way. They were, in fact, the perfect couple, not only because they complimented each other so well in the “physical appearance” department but because they also share the same dreams and goals in life.
“Hi love, I miss you,” Tiffany whispered seductively as she pulled Joe in for a deep kiss. He wrapped his arms around her and replied,
“I miss you more.”
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The squeaky chalk sound woke Ariel up from her nap. Thank god! The teacher’s back was still turn away from the class. She felt something wet on her hand and realized it was her drool. She quickly wiped it against her school uniform and glanced side to side hoping no one saw her.
Jiro grinned at her and mouthed,
“I won’t tell anybody!” Ariel nodded and mouthed,
“You better not!”
She frown as Jiro made some hand signals, he pointed to the classroom door then at Ariel.
“What?” She mouthed. Just as Jiro was about to answer the bell rang. He jumped over his desk and landed in front of Ariel.
“I have something special for you!”
“What?” there was apprehension in Ariel’s voice. Her friend has a habit of giving her surprises that scared the skin out of her.
For example, he gave her a frog for her birthday when she was five years old. He gave her a garden snake to keep her “company” when she was ten years old because he had to leave Taiwan on a family trip over the summer. Jiro gave her a Dummy boyfriend when she was fourteen years old. He told her he felt sorry for her because out of the group of girls he was friends with…she was the only one without a boyfriend.
“What’s with the tone? You’ll like it, I promise!” Jiro said excitedly, his face flush as he grabbed her hands speed racing to his locker.
They stopped in front of his locker. Ariel tapped her feet waiting impatiently as Jiro fumbled with his locker combination. She frowned at the slight blush seeping all over his face.
“Are you embarrassed about something?” She teased. Jiro nodded then quickly shook his head.
The locker door finally open with a bang as it slammed against the other locker.
“N…no. I’m not embarrassed about anything…Here!” He opened her hands and covered it over a small box.
“Give me the answer tomorrow…or call me tonight!” He said loudly causing other students in the hallway to look their way. Ariel nodded and chuckled at her friend as he ran down the hallway.
She lifted the small box to her face and shook it gently. The outside of the box was dark blue and made out of silk. It was a really beautiful box, it must have been costly. Why would Jiro give her something so costly? Maybe it belonged to one of his sisters and they probably didn’t want it. She thought to herself and nodded. Yeah, that must be it. She grinned, how sweet of her friend to think of her. He probably knew she couldn’t afford anything nice.
Unable to contain her curiosity, Ariel lifted the cover and opened the box. Inside were two rings, the rings were made out of silver with initials engraved on the inside. It was her initials and Jiro’s. There was also a note sticking on the side; with trembling hands Ariel opened the note:
“Ariel, we’ve been friends for so long…I think it’s time to dump your Dummy boyfriend (I know you still have him hidden in your closet!) and take me. I like you, do you like me?”
Ariel dropped the note and ran blindly down the hall her eyes filled with tears. She did not see Jiro hiding a few lockers away watching her silently. His expression went from shy expectation, to that of confusion and then his shoulders slumped in defeat. Ariel Lin, the only girl he had ever like…didn’t like him.
