✔ LITTLE MARA! ― (BRANDON ARREAGA)

seventeen

'Menstrual cycle begins today'

That's strange. It hasn't started yet. I walked out of the bathroom and into my brother's room, taking a seat beside Nick on his bed.

"You wanna go grab some lunch?" he asked me, sitting up and looking up from his phone. "Yeah, sure." I said looking at my fingers and observing my nails, which were desperately in need of a manicure soon.

"Where you tryna go?" he asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Carlo's?"I suggested and stood up, bringing him up with me.

"Alright bet, sounds like a plan,"

• At Carlo's •

"This is probably the only thing i've missed about being in Jersey." I said with a mouthful of pizza. They have the best pizza. Once you eat a slice you literally have to eat until you feel like you're gonna explode. Their soups and burgers are the same way.

I pressed the home button on my phone and glanced through my notifications. Nothing but twitter and fangirls telling me to tell Nick and the boys that they love them. I turned my phone off and left it laying on the table in front of me. "I'm completely stuffed." My brother said as he pushed his plate away from him slightly. I nodded my head, unable to speak and afraid that I would puke if I opened my mouth.

The waitress came with our check and I was gonna help pay but Nick stopped me.

"A man never makes the girl pay.." He said.

"How come you get to be a man and I'm a girl? I thought I was a woman." I muttered, making my brother scoff. I sent him a glare.

"Once you graduate, then you'll be a woman." He said with a smile on his face. Before I had time to react, a familiar feeling rushed through me. "I have to use the bathroom." I said as we stood up from our table. I made it to the bathroom and quickly did my business. This was like the tenth time today. I usually don't use the bathroom but like four or five times a day. I washed my hands and made my way back to where Nick once was. He must have already been in the car.

• At Home •

When we got home, my mom was already home as her job had let her leave early, while my dad was still work. Nick had left shortly after we got back home to go spend time with Alexys. I figured this would be the perfect time to have a one on one conversation with my mom.

"Hello mother." I said, following her into the kitchen, "I have a question and it's pretty serious." I said, quickly sitting down in the other side of the kitchen island.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice full of concern. She leaned over the the opposite side of the counter, watching me contently.

"What does it mean when you have to pee a lot? Like, i've went at least twelve times today. It's just not normal." I said, watching a certain look come over my mother's face. Her eyes widened and she stood straight up, beginning to pace around the kitchen. "What?" I questioned, furrowing my eyebrows as I watched her.

She continued to pace around the room, running her hand through her hair over and over again, "Liliana, are you sexually active with Brandon? I need to know now." she asked, making me blush from embarrassment. I nodded my head slightly, letting my gaze fall on the island. "Okay, i'm gonna go get something from CVS. Don't leave." she said as she grabbed her purse, slinging it across her shoulder and walking out the door.

I waited thirty minutes.

"Liliana?" the front door slammed closed and my mother walked into the living room. She was carrying a white plastic bag with red writing on it. "Here," she said as she handed me the bag. I opened it up and two small white boxes were in my view. "Don't say anything, just go do it. Instructions should be in the boxes." She said, slightly pushing me upstairs.

No, god no. This can't be happening.