The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Aftermath

Chapter Four

The past two weeks in New York had been absolutely amazing.

I felt free. Like a huge weight and responsibility to marry Ricky had been lifted off my shoulders. Classes started up and I was studying hard and doing very well.

Things with Ben, surprisingly, were also very well. I saw him practically every day- living in the same building and all. We only had one class together, but often saw each other around campus.

He was starting to remind me of the old Ben, the Ben I dated my freshmen year. I can never picture myself getting involved with anyone for a long time. While breaking Ricky's heart, I'd also broken my own.

I finally worked up the courage to call home about a week ago. I can remember the conversation with Ricky vividly.

"Hey Ricky."

"Amy," he says, his voice stiff and unwelcoming.

"I miss my boy. Can I talk to John?"

"Alright," he whispered.

When John gave the phone back to Ricky, I blurted out something that sounded stupid.

"I miss you."

*silence*

And then i hit the end call button on my phone.

That was already done. I couldn't change the past. I need to stop dwelling on it. It just makes me unhappy.

I heard the bell ring as I entered my new favorite coffee shop. I looked at the prices and groaned. Everything in New York is so expensive. I know I need to get a coffee maker because this is simply too cost inefficient, but I like it here.

Angela likes it here too. She's really the only friend I've mad here in short time I've been in New York. She's from Florida and has curling brown hair and tan skin. She knows that I have a son and doesn't get all weird about it like a lot of people do.

I sit down at an empty table. I take a sip of my coffee, and look up as another person sits down. It's Angela. I smile at her. We talk for a little while then talk a long walk to our first class.

The day is relatively uneventful and I collapse on the couch, exhausted after a day at school. I think about random things to keep myself occupied.

A thought suddenly occurs to me: When is my period supposed to start? I check the calendar on my phone. It's two days late.

I freak out a little bit. It's normal to be two days late right? Totally normal. It's fine. You can't be pregnant. It's not even possible. Don't sweat it.

The next two days are agonizing. My period doesn't come. Four days late. The only time that ever happened was my freshman year, when I found out I was having John.

I work up the nerve to go to CVS and get three pregnancy tests. I pee on the stick as soon as I get home and spend the longest minutes of my life waiting and waiting for the results. My timer goes off. I look at the stick.

Positive.

No, no, no, no.

I take the other two.

Positive. Positive.

"No, no, no, no, no!" I scream. I slide down the wall onto the floor. This can't be happening. It can't be. I'm only 18! Two babies as a teen. Only a disappointment. And then all those thoughts quite down and a single thought runs through my mind.

Ricky.

What on earth am I going to do? We can barley support John, let alone another baby. I can't believe this. We made the same mistake twice. I hate myself. I hate Ricky.

I call Angela and tell her it's urgent. She rushes over. I heard a knock on the door. "Come on," I yell, my voice hoarse from all the crying.

Angela comes into the bathroom. She looks so worried. "Oh Amy," she says with sympathy. She helps me up off the floor and onto the couch. She wraps me in a blanket and then finally asks "What happened?"

And I tell her. She gasps.

"Oh my god, Amy. That really just sucks. Who are you going to tell first? Besides me, obviously."

I thought about. "Well Ricky deserves to know. He's the dad I guess," I sniffle. "How am I going to tell my mom. God, my dad is going to be so mad and how will I raise my child-" I'm broken off by another sob.

"Shh, shhhh," Angela comforts me. "It'll be okay. It will work out. You'll see."

But I can tell by looking in Angela's luminous green eyes, that she definitely did not know if it would all work itself out.

I bought a ticket for the next flight home. I need to be there, in person, to tell my family. I was going to travel home soon anyway. I missed John. I missed my mom and dad. I missed Norah.

I even miss Ricky, I realize.

And the next morning I'm on a flight back to California.

a/n please read! finally getting into some longer chapters. they're all going to be this length from now on. let me know if you like my story and how to make it better. thank you!