Together, We Rise

Chapter Nine: It Can't Be

Chapter Nine

Melody

Pacing back and forth was so understandable. I knew why Laura was doing it earlier, since it somehow controlled the nerves I had. I didn't even think about it until I looked at the app on my phone. That was when I started freaking out.

Crystal walked into the hotel room, stopping immediately when she saw me pacing. "Um, you okay Melody?" she asked.

"I'm freaking out, Crystal!" I exclaimed, rubbing my head. "I don't know what to do or who to tell......."

"Here's an idea," Crystal said. "Why not tell your boyfriend?"

I shook my head. "This is the kind of thing I don't want to tell him."

"Woah," Crystal said as she walked over to me. "It must be serious if you don't want to tell Luke. You tell him everything." She sat me down on a nearby couch. "Mind telling a close friend what's going on?"

I took a deep breath before telling her what I didn't want to happen at seventeen. "I'm two weeks late."

Crystal's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. "Late? Late for what?" I looked at me shaking hands, which was all Crystal needed to here. "Oh. You two.......Have you two, you know, done it?" Still not saying anything was confirmation. "How many times?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" I asked with a sigh.

"Well knowing when you last did it should help," Crystal said. "So, when did you last do it?"

"I-I don't know," I said. "Sometime in June, maybe? I don't know......."

"Does your brother or uncle know?" Crystal asked.

I shook my head. "No. I just realized I was two weeks late literally a few minutes before you walked in. I can't tell them, Crystal. Besides, I don't even know if I am or not."

"It was at least protected, right?" Crystal asked.

"Yeah, I think so," I said before placing my face in my hands. "I don't know what to do.........."

"Here's an idea," Crystal said. "Tell someone. Whether it be your uncle, Matt, or Luke. One of those three needs to know."

"And tell them what?" I asked. "I'd rather get it confirmed or denied first before I tell anyone. On the bright side for the basketball teams, Luke is probably going to break up with me once I tell him."

"Woah woah woah," Crystal said. "Luke is completely in love with you, Melody. He'll never break-up with you just because you might......."

She was interrupted by the front door opening. Uncle Daryl walked in. "Good news," he said. "I talked to the art show coordinators and they made sure none of your presentations will be when Lakemoat has a game. Clearly you'd rather see your brother and boyfriend play."

"Yeah, great," I muttered.

Uncle Daryl sat on the chair across from me. "You don't seem too happy about it. Care to tell me what's up?"

"Nothing," I lied. "I'm just, uh........feeling a bit homesick."

Uncle Daryl raised his eyebrows, evidentally not believing me. "Really? You're feeling homesick even with me, Matt, Luke, and Crystal here?"

"Yeah," I said. "I'm just missing home........so much."

"Yeah, right," Uncle Daryl said. "What's really going on, Melody?"

I looked at my hands once again, my heart beating faster. What would be his reaction when I told him? I was only seventeen. "I'm figuring it out," I said.