The Choice

Chapter 11

"Voicemail. Again," I slid down the wall onto the floor and buried my head in my hands. We were hiding out in the sport's hall toilets.

Maisy sat down beside me, "Maybe his phone's off...or maybe ---"

"It's over. I've just got to accept it. If he wanted to speak to me, he would have picked up," I cut her off.

"Ok, so maybe Tom's out the window but Joe might still want to be with you."

Grace was on the other side of the room, trying to get through to Joe, "If you could just call me back when you get this...or the seventeen other messages I've left that would be great."

I chewed the inside of my cheek, "I don't think he does, Maise. But thanks anyway."

Suddenly, I felt vomit rising up my throat, into my mouth. I ran to the nearest cubicle and threw up into the toilet.

Maisy rushed up behind me, "Babe, are you ---"

"Eughhh," I heard Grace interupt, "Did she just throw up?" Grace had a major phobia of sick.

"Oh shut up, Grace! As I was saying, are you okay?" Maisy continued.

I flushed the sick down the toilet and tore a bit of toilet paper off the roll to wipe my mouth with, "I don't know...I've been feeling quite...weird lately. I thought it was just a stomach bug but...now I don't know."

"You haven't mentioned this to us before," Grace was in the cubicle now too, her face screwed up with confusion.

I shrugged, "I didn't think it was important."

"How long's this being going on for? You know...the sickness?"

I racked my brain, "Ohhh not too long - every odd morning since the accident really."

Maisy's eyes opened, "Wait a second...you've been throwing up every odd morning. You've been throwing up in the morning? You've been having...morning sickness?"

Grace shivered, "Ummm...ewww! Maisy why would you even think of such a thing - Immy and my brother?! Gross."

I looked at the ground and started shaking my head, "No. There's no way I'm pregnant."

"You sure, babe? Look, you can tell us if you have...you know...with Joe. We're your best friends, regardless of the gene situation," Maisy tilted her head towards Grace."

"No, I haven't done anything. It's just a stomach bug, nothing more. Can we just forget about all of this, okay?"

The three of us stood in silence.

Suddenly, the situation bounced back into my head. I tried to push it away but it stuck. It burrowed deep into my mind. It un-earthed information I'd forgotten about. Information from the night before the accident.

I couldn't be?

No.

It wasn't possible.

Unless...

No, nothing happened that night on the beach.

Nothing.

But...

Could it have done?

I mean, we were both seriously drunk...and I mean really pissed.

And I did wake up in my underwear.

I looked up at Maisy and nodded.

She covered her mouth with her hand.

Grace looked from Maisy to me, me to Maisy, "Nonononono...you DIDN'T!" 

"I-I-I might have done," I stuttered.

"What do you mean, you might have done?" Maisy narrowed her eyes. Grace was freaking out beside her.

"The morning of the accident, I woke up on a beach - with Joe - in my underwear. I didn't remember anything from the night before, and still don't."

My two friends looked at me, eyebrows raised, un-impressed. I have to admit, the situation did make me sound like a slut. It was something Sephy would do, not me.

I sighed, "Look, guys, I was completely pissed, so was Joe. No offence, Grace, but I would not...you know...with your brother, if I was in my right mind!"

Grace was pacing backwards and forwards, "I just can't believe it. You, Imogen Hunter, have lost your virginity...and to my brother."

Maisy bit her lip, "That's not the worst bit, Grace. Immy could be preggers, with your brother's baby."