It all started with a positive sign on a cheap drug store pregnancy test. The vomiting and dizziness alone hadn't been enough to convince Clare Edwards of her unplanned pregnancy. She'd needed reassurance that it in fact wasn't true, but her test told her otherwise.
Alli Bhandari, Clare's best friend, tried desperately to console her, but failed miserably. Sitting in the very room she'd been brought up sleeping in, Clare frantically searched for some way out. But everywhere she looked, there was only the same impending darkness. What options did she have? She could abandon every religious view she'd ever had and get an abortion. Though being the most promising option for her to keep on track with her plans for the future, it just wasn't something she pictured herself being able to go through with. Next on the list of options was adoption. Naturally, this sounded like a good idea. However, remembering from the experience of her close friend Jenna Middleton, Clare decided option would not be easy for her to go through with either. This left the only other thing Clare could possibly do; keep the baby.
"Are you insane?!" Alli whisper-shouted when Clare revealed her plan. "What about the future, New York, Eli?"
"What about them?" Clare countered. "What is there stopping me from accomplishing all the things I've always dreamt about?"
"Um, I don't know, maybe a baby! Clare, you're obviously not thinking straight. You need to think this over."
"There's nothing to think about, Alli. I've made up my mind. Either you can support me, or you can abandon me. It's your choice. But I've made mine."
Alli frowned, wrinkling the flawless skin on her forehead. Knowing what pregnancy scares are like, she decided to be supportive of her best friend, although not agreeing with her choice of dealing with the problem. "Clare, you know I love you. I'm always going to be your best friend, I have been since grade nine."
"Well thank you Alli. But can I have some time alone?" Clare bit her lip.
"Of course," Alli stood up and kissed her friend lightly on the forehead. "Call me whenever, sweetie.
As Alli exited the room, Clare sighed. She wasn't sure how this could have happened, yet she did know how it happened. She and Drew had only been together once, but it had obviously been enough. The two hadn't been speaking in weeks, ever since the incident, but they were about to have a baby together. She wasn't sure what w ould be worse, having to raise a child with Drew, or having to tell Eli, the love of her life, that she was pregnant with another guy's baby. The mere thought of the unavoidable look of pain on Eli's face upon hearing the news was enough to cause Clare to burst into tears. Sobs wracked her body, and it took all her power not to retch for the second time that day.
A light knock on the door caused her to sit up abrubtly and attempt to wipe her tear-stained cheeks dry. "W-who is it?" she stuttered.
Jake Martin, Clare's step-brother and ex-lover, walked into the room. "What's the matter, Clare-Bear?"
"Go away Jake."
"It doesn't have to be like this, Clare. We can be civil, maybe even friends. I'm trying to reach out here. What's wrong?" Jake looked genuinely concerned as he sat on the deep purple plush chair next to Clare's bed.
Clare sighed, realizing her relationship with Jake was on the bottom of her list of things to be stubborn about at the moment. "Imagine if you were surprised with something, right, and this surprise affected a bunch of other people too. It's a hurtful surprise, but it could be joyful in a way, too. How would you go about telling these people?"
"Clare, are you pregnant?" Jake leaned forward as his eyes widened in surprise. "Here I was thinking you just had the flu!"
"Jake, keep your voice down!"
"Sorry," he lowered his voice. "You're pregnant?! Is it Eli's?"
Clare's head drooped, "No, it's not. It's Drew Torres's."
"But didn't that only happen once?"
"Yep."
An awkward silence filled the small room, causing a few more tears to roll down Clare's rosy cheeks. Out of need for comfort, she grabbed a brown stuffed bear Eli had once won for her at a carnival. Hugging the pathetic thing to her chest, she finally made eye contact with her step-brother. "Jake, what do I do?" she whimpered.
Either out of brotherly instict or some remaining urge to comfort Clare, Jake stood up and went to hug her. "Shh, I'm here." Clare's tears were coming faster, and she could not control the pained sobs that rose in her throat. "Clare, I'll do anything for you. If you need to go to a clinic, or just the doctor's, I'll drive you. You can count on me."
"Will you drive me to Drew's house?"
