Abercrombie & Bitch

Tuesday, April 21, 2:41pm – 7th period Government

“And so, in summary, the department of Education-”

Thank God. Saved by the bell. I jumped up out of my seat in Government and raced toward the school’s doors, hoping to avoid running into anyone and everyone. I just wanted to get into the car, go to work, and think all of this over before it got too out of hand.

Zach had other plans.

I hadn’t even gotten to my car yet before he was at me side, linking his arm with mine and lowering his head to my ear, like he was whispering something in it. I shrugged him off wordlessly and stormed to my beat-up little car, fully intending to drive away.

“Miranda, talk to me,” he pleaded, staring at me with those sea-green eyes. “What’s wrong?”

I laughed humorlessly and spun around. “What’s wrong?! You’re what’s wrong, Sinclair!” I yelled, poking him in the chest ant not caring anymore if anyone saw me. For God’s sake, we’d only been ‘dating’ a day and I was already sick of him. “Why did you have to say we were dating?! Anything but that. Dear Lord, anything but that!”

“What? You want everyone to find out you won’t be able to graduate?” he retorted. He was getting angry now, I could tell. His eyebrows were furrowed and his eyes had taken on a darker blue hue – seriously, how did his eyes change color like that so fast?

“I’d rather they know that than think I’d date you!” I made a pathetic attempt to open the car door, but Zach just squeezed himself between me and my car. “Move!” He didn’t. I kneed him where the sun-don’t shine, something I should’ve done earlier during art class.

“Not until you calm down,” he spat, through gritted teeth, “The last thing I want on my conscience is that you get yourself into a car accident because you were too pissed at me to focus on the road.”

I scoffed and threw my hands up. “Oh, listen to that! The jerk that treated me like dirt for the last two years suddenly cares that I don’t kill myself!”

Zach smacked a hand over my mouth to shut me up, since a few of the people around us were looking at us strangely. Go ahead, let them stare. I flipped them all off before Zach spun me around to face him.

“Miranda.” His voice had changed. It was softer, almost pleading, as he took his hand away from my mouth just as I was about to bite it. “Just give it two weeks. Just until after the talent show. Then you can tell everyone that it was fake. Okay? Everything will be so much easier, I promise.”

I scoffed again. “Promises don’t mean much to you, do they?”

He just looked at me, confused. “What are you talking about?”

I sighed. “Whatever. You have two weeks, Sinclair, but the minute that fucking talent show’s over I’m never speaking to you again.”

He didn’t fight me anymore after that. I got into the car and sped out of that damned parking lot, heading for Second Chance, as the little memory played over and over in my head.

An eight-year-old Miranda sat in her back yard, watching the stars come out that night. Nine-year-old Zach sat next to her, staring up at the sky but getting kind of bored with it. He shifted a little bit so that he was in front of Miranda.

“Why are you so sad?” he asked as he noticed a tear fall from her eye.

She sniffled and wiped it away. “Mommy’s at the hospital again. I have another little sister.”

“Isn’t that good?”

Miranda shrugged, and stared back up at the sky again. “I guess so. I just… I don’t know. Mommy said she’d always be there, but now she’s not because she has to be with Lindsey and Harper and the new baby. I feel kinda left out.”

Zach just looked at her and smiled. “I’ll always be here, Miranda. I promise.”

-[-]-

Wednesday, April 22, 12:27pm – 5th period Lunch, McDonald’s

The next day was awkward. Zach didn’t go to any lengths to avoid me, but we weren’t exactly acting like a couple. I had to bear his presence, at least until third period, when I could easily duck around a trash can and hide from him or something.

However, it wasn’t Zach that was having a problem.

“Hey! That was my freaking food!” Riley screeched when Donelle managed to steal a French fry from her tray.

Seniors were allowed to leave campus for lunch period, but the only choice we really had was McDonald’s. Everything else was too far to travel and get back before sixth period. We opted to eat out today, since the whole thing with Zach and all. And Riley had suggested it, anyway.

“Jeez, what is with you today, Riles?” Donelle snapped, retreating her hand from the food. “You’ve been acting pissy all day.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, eyeing her carefully. “You haven’t really been yourself lately. Something wrong with Mika?”

Her eyes widened. “Why does everyone assume it has to do with Mika?! I’m perfectly fucking fine!”

Donelle and I exchanged worried glanced. Okay, so maybe wasn’t exactly known for being Miss Congeniality, but she was never this short with us. No, that was usually my job. Being the pissy one, I mean. I always had something to complain about – especially when it came to Bryce. And then Riley would go into some rant about Mika’s perfection.

“You don’t sound fine,” I said softly, leaning over the table. “Riley. What’s going on?”

Her breathing was shallow and her face was pale, and I knew she was just about to crack. Whatever was bothering her was huge – Riley isn’t the kind of girl who freaks out over little things. Trust me on that. The only time I’ve ever seen her cry was when her parents would get into really bad arguments. They weren’t that bad – not compared to what I’d witnessed when my parents fought – but it was enough to shake her. This was important. We had to know, and I didn’t think she was going to tell me in a McDonald’s dining room.

Oh well. A McDonald’s bathroom would have to do.

I yanked her up from the table and started dragging her to the little hallway. She protested, mentioning something about assault, but I just rolled my eyes. Once we were in the bathroom, I slammed the door shut and glared at her.

“I’ve seen this in a movie. I don’t make it out alive.”

“Then you watch way too many horror movies,” I muttered, checking beneath the three stalls to make sure that no one was there. There wasn’t anyone. I whirled around to face her again. “Don’t play dumb with me, Riley. Something’s up, and I want to know what.”

She bit her lip, and leaned against the counter with the sinks on it. “I… I can’t tell you, Miranda, I-”

“Since when do we keep secrets?” I asked, my voice soft. “We’ve been best friends since first grade! Riley, how could you not trust me?”

Her eyes narrowed. “You didn’t think to tell me you were dating Zach Sinclair, of all people! I mean, really?! You hated him!”

I sighed and banged my head against the bathroom stall’s door. “Fine. Fine, Riley, you want to know the truth? I’m not dating Zach. We’re pretending to go out because he’s working on some stupid act for the talent show so I can earn the credit and graduate. Donelle asked me why I didn’t pick up my phone on Monday night, and I’d said I was with Zach, and then he’s just all ‘we’re dating!’ and I had no say in the whole thing. So please,
spare me, okay?”

Riley’s gaze softened. “Why didn’t you just tell me that? I would’ve believed you…”

“Because,” I groaned, smacking my head again, “I didn’t want anyone to know. Lindsey would find out, and then… Everything would be ruined, okay?”

She was quiet. I just stared at the plastic door in front of me. I could slowly feel the anger ebbing away as I stood there for God knows how long, counting to ten and trying to calm myself down. It helped a little, the counting thing. I’d had to teach that to Harper one time when she punched some guy in the face for calling me a bitch. (Not that she knew what it meant – heck, I was only twelve, I hardly knew what it meant.)

And then, out of the blue, Riley told me. “I… I think I’m pregnant, Miranda.”

I spun around so fast it’d make an ice skater jealous. “What?!”

“Don’t make me say it again. It was hard enough the first time,” she whimpered, burying her face in her hands. “I-I don’t know what to do. I mean, I just found out-”

I held up a hand to stop her, still a little dizzy from shock. “When? How?”

“You know precisely how,” she said dryly, “When? I don’t know. A few weeks ago, I guess… But we’ve been, you know, sleeping together for a while…”

“I know that,” I said, still trying to make everything fit together in my head, “But… Riley, you’re not ready to be a mother! You can barely watch Meg for five minutes while I’m in the bathroom!”

“That was one time! How was I supposed to know that she didn’t know not to play with matches?!”

“She’s THREE!” I let out a breath and ran a hand shakily through my hair.

Riley sighed and put her head in her hands again. “Look, I know I’m not ready to be a mother, Miranda, okay? I’m not stupid. I’m just… going to put it up for adoption, I guess.”

“Still.” I crossed my arms over my chest and lowered my voice. “Have you told Mika yet?”

“Not yet,” she grumbled, staring at the pattern on the tile floor. “All these years we made fun of that one girl who was always pregnant at graduation. Remember? I’m that girl now, Miranda. I don’t want to be that girl.”

I went over to her and wrapped my arms around her. “I know, Riley. I know.” I glanced at the clock. Not so great timing. “We have to get back to school or we’ll be late. And I really can’t be late or Mr. Arneson’s class again.”

She giggled, even though her eyes were filling up with tears. “Right. He’ll totally flip out.”

I smiled, and we walked out of the room.

Just like that, Riley’s whole life was about to change. I knew that I’d be there for her, whenever she needed me, and that Mika would, too – her parents, I wasn’t too sure about. All I knew was that whatever happened, we were going to be okay.

And I thought my life was screwed up.