Perplexed - A Jonathan and Nancy story

The Secret

Hot tears streamed from my eyes and down my face as I ran home. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't tell my mom. At least, not yet. Ever since she took a part time job at the bank to help pay for Mike's therapy, it's been really hard on her. She's been really stressed out.

I couldn't tell my dad because he would kill Steve and I would be locked away in my room forever.

I couldn't tell Holly because, well, she's 4.

Mike. I could tell Mike.

When I got home, I went straight to his room. Dustin, Lucas, and Will we're all in there and they were reading their science books.

"Hey Nancy!" Dustin beamed.

"Hey, little man," I ruffled his curls and sat down next to him on the floor. I hesitated for a minute, but then I began to confide in them. "Can you guys keep a secret?"

They all looked at each other and it dawned on me. Eleven. Will.

"Yeah. I think we're good," Lucas said sarcastically.

"Okay... What I'm about to tell you is top secret. Okay?"

The boys nodded in unison and I spoke. "I'm going to have a baby." How am I supposed to explain being pregnant to a group of seventh graders?

"Like... now?" Will asked.

I laughed. "No, silly. I'm..."

"She's pregnant," Mike interjected.

"How'd that happen?" Dustin was clueless.

"Ask you mom later," I avoided the question. "Anyways, I need you guys to keep this a secret. Okay? No telling your moms. No exceptions."

The four boys agreed and I rushed to my room.

***

As I quizzed myself for my Spanish final, I heard a tap in my window. I looked over from my desk to see Steve. I opened the window and he crawled in.

"What are you doing?" I asked him as he lied down on my bed.

"I'm showing you the kind of love that our child needs to be surrounded with."

"I'm pretty sure the kind of 'love' you what from me isn't what our child needs."

"Well, I just meant caring but if you insist..." Steve leaned over the bed.

"No." I was not in the mood. Hormones?

"Can you even do it when you're..."

"Oh my gosh, Steve. You're such an idiot. Whether I can or not, I'm definitely not. That's what got us into this mess and it is not going to happen again. At least right now."

"Marry me," Steve blurted out.