Our Minor Mistake

two months later

I only just made it to the toilet in time. Two month later from the party and I still felt terrible. The girls toilet door slammed shut from outside my cubicle. I flushed the toilet.

‘’Are you okay Elizabeth?’’ says Laura from outside. I open the door and face her. Her overly made up face has a worried expression on her face.

‘’Yeah I’m fine, must have just eaten some bad chicken at lunch’’ I say smiling weakly.

‘’Are you sure because you’ve been ill for ages. When was your last period?’’ she asked grabbing my arm.

‘’Laura? As if you just asked that’’ I say blushing, which with my red hair made me look like a tomato.

‘’No stupid you might be pregnant. I mean you and Dan aren’t exactly virgins are you?’’ she says.

For once she made sense. I haven’t had my period for a while. I haven’t really been bothered because I’m irregular anyway but it still made sense. I simply stare at her. ‘’I can’t be pregnant. I’m only sixteen’’ I say quietly.

‘’You probably aren’t’’ said Laura trying to comfort me but I know she’s just trying to make me feel better. ‘’But if you aren’t name it after me’’ she said jokingly.

I laugh but only slightly as emotions fill me. My head was spinning. What if I really was pregnant? Would mum and dad understand? What about Dan? Then a terrible thought hit me. It could be Ben’s. I had sex with him on the same night as Dan. Panic rushed through my head.

There was a flush from one of the cubicles and I instantly froze. I couldn’t believe it. Someone else had overheard. The bolt slid across on the other side of the door and a small girl with wavy blonde hair came out. Carmen Blake. Carmen was Elle Crosby’s best friend and Elle Crosby was the biggest bitch in all of Stamford high. This news would travel fast as wild fire which made me suddenly glad that Ben didn’t go to this school.

Dan in the other hand did and he would definitely think it was his. It probably was. I might not even be pregnant. I needed to sort this out right now. I grabbed my bag and stormed out. I could hear Laura’s footsteps behind me as I walked. I went up to the woman at the front desk. ‘’I don’t feel too good and I’d like permission to leave please’’ I said to the office woman.

‘’Name?’’ she says not even looking up.

‘’Elizabeth Fenton’’ I say sighing. I have to think about it for a moment, my head is just that fucked up.

‘’I’m sorry miss Fenton but you don’t have permission to leave’’ she says.

Anger and frustration courses through me and I lean on the desk in anger.

‘’Look bitch either you let me go and sign me out or I become an unexplained absence and my father will personally sue the school because he is a lawyer’’ I snap at her.

The bitch looks at me and then rolled her eyes. ‘’Temper temper and watch your mouth young lady. Its not a lady like way to talk’’ she says clicking some buttons on the computer. ‘’You’re free to go’’ she said.

I look at her in surprise. I had not expected the spoilt mean thing to work. ‘’Urm…thanks’’ I say walking through the glass door. Then I remember Laura.

‘’And if you could let Laura Parkinson out as well’’ I ask. The woman raises her eyebrows but does it anyway.

Together we walk into the glorious midday sunshine. ‘’Wow, that was amazing Elizabeth. I never knew you had it in you’’ says Laura beaming at me.

I walk straight to the chemist. The small bell rings above the door. I hope it’s not Mrs Riley on the till. She’s our neighbour and if I bought a pregnancy test from her then the news will get to my parents before it gets to me.

Thankfully it doesn’t seem to be Mrs Riley’s shift because a tall fat woman is behind the till. I pick about five pregnancy tests off the shelves and walk up to her. ‘’Just these?’’ she asked looking judgementally at me.

‘’Yes please’’ I say giving her a sheepish smile. I can hear Laura sniggering beside me.

‘’Are you sure? We have condoms on sale?’’ she asks completely unaware of the irony of her words.

This becomes too much for me and Laura. We both instantly start laughing. The woman stares at us blankly as tears of laughter trail down our cheeks. We hand over the money and run out of the shop with the pregnancy tests.

It being the middle of the day neither of my parents will be at home but I still think it would be better if we did it at Laura’s so we both go back to hers.

Laura’s house is also empty and we go upstairs. I go into the bathroom and take the first test. I held it in my hands for two minutes until a tiny, pink plus appears on it. I shake it like an etcher sketch but nothing happens.

I try all the others with the same result and go back outside. ‘’Its positive’’ I say sadly. Laura’s eyes widened as we both sit on the bed.

‘’You’d better tell Dan’’ says Laura handing me the phone. I nod. Using the phone seems so much easier than telling him face to face so I dial the number and let it ring.

‘’Hello’’ says a voice. Laura puts her thumb up at me.

‘’Hi I have something big to tell you. I’m pregnant and you’re the father’’ I say quickly before anything could stop me.

‘’This is Mark’s phone and this is his girlfriend. Who the fuck are you and why have you been sleeping with my boyfriend’’ came a woman’s voice.

I go bright red. As if I got the wrong number. Laura is staring at me worried. ‘’What did he say.’’ She said. ‘’Was it bad honey I’m so glad I’m not you right now’’ she says.

‘’It was the wrong number. Some poor cow picked up her boyfriend’s phone’’ I splutter.

Laura bursts out laughing. ‘’You can’t not cause trouble can you?’’ she asks.

We decide to tell Dan later. It was pretty funny though.