Don't Give up on Me

I stepped into the warmth of my house about 15 minutes later, the rain still coming down from the sky. I was soaked as I slipped off my bag, tossing it onto the stairs and pulling off my hoodie. I hung it on the hook and slowly walked into the kitchen, knowing my parents were probably eating breakfast in there with my little sister Valerie.

And I was right, as I walked into the kitchen to find my 13 year old sister Valerie in one of the chairs eating toast, my two parents at the sink doing the dishes. My parents looked up at me as I took a seat at the table next to Valerie, my dad wiping his hands on the towel before walking over. “What are you doing home?” he simply asked, looking me up and down. My jeans were soaked to the point that they weren’t a light shade of blue anymore – instead a deep, nearly black, shade, and my black ACDC shirt was just a little damp from the parts that were visible from underneath my hoodie.

“I dunno,” I whispered, shrugging my shoulders. I didn’t want to go into full explanation on the reason why I had cut school again. They didn’t even know the most important thing about my life right now – I hadn’t told anyone. Not even my best friend Rachel. Everyone else had just happened to find out apparently. And I have no idea how. “I just decided to come home…” I shrugged, and my dad shook his head.

“This is the third time this week you have been coming home from school early, Nicole, or just skipping all together. The first two times we’ve been letting it slide; but not this time. What’s going on, Nicole?” Dad asked, taking a seat at the table. My mum put the last of the dishes away and walked over, wiping her hands on a towel as she did so. I didn’t know if I should tell them…if this was the right time to tell them. My life would be even more complicated if they were in on it. They would most likely disown me as a child. My mum never believed in teen pregnancy – let alone unmarried. I gulped.

“Uh…nothing. Nothing’s going on.” I said, standing from the table and scurrying out of the room. I couldn’t do it. Just as I grabbed my bag, my dad grabbed my arm to stop me. I squeezed my eyes shut and turned swiftly, reopening them slowly. My mum was stood beside him, arms crossed over her chest. I looked over to the kitchen to see Valerie walking out, standing beside mum and peering up at me.

“Nicole, tell us what’s going on.” Mum said, smiling softly. “We just want to know why you have been so distant for the past few weeks. Is it about you and Damien’s breakup?” my mum asked and I looked down at my feet, rocking back and forth on my heel and toes. My dad dropped his hand after a few moments, letting me free of his grasp. I dropped my bag and looked up, running my hand through my wet hair.

“Kind of…” I whispered, shrugging. My mum gently grabbed my arm and pulled me into the living room, knowing that it was private; as dad was uncomfortable with this particular topic – boys. Valerie and my dad went back into the kitchen to finish breakfast, and my mum sat me down on the couch, sitting beside me. She turned slightly in her seat to face me completely.

“You can tell me anything, Nicole, you know that.” Mum reminded me, placing a hand on my shoulder. I nodded, but I wasn’t too sure if she was going to be okay with what I was about to tell her. “Is Damien following you again?” she asked, and I nodded.

“Yeah…but that’s not it.” I mused, looking down. I bit my lip, my green eyes running over the coffee table – a family magazine on the table causing my stomach to go into a knot. There was a teen holding a baby on the cover, a wide smile on her face. The baby looked to have been laughing and I couldn’t help but smile.

“Then what is it, hunny?” Mum asked, and I averted my eyes from the magazine, looking up at her. Her own green eyes looked into mine, curious as to what was going on. I looked exactly like my mum – the same shade of green eyes as hers, same nose, same lips… except I didn’t get her insanely straight hair; I got my dad’s curls. Damn him. Finally, I got the courage to say what I’ve been avoiding.

“Mum…I’m pregnant.” I whispered.