The Way that I Love You

Miley’s face turned pale as she stared at the little pink plus at the end of the long, white pregnancy test. She didn’t know what to do; she just paced back and forth in her best friend Claire’s bathroom.

It was only the middle of September in her senior year, and Miley was expected to be perfect; to get A’s and B’s, to go to college, and find someone wealthy and fall in love. However, Miley had a different life planned out for herself. She just wanted to be a normal teenage girl, with awesome friends, to be loved by her boyfriend, to just have fun, and find something new and exciting out of life. She had a lot of friends, but the people she really loved to hang out with was Claire, Riley, Annie, and of course her best friend, who turned into her boyfriend, Cole. Miley was always into something when she was wit them, but this was the worst.

Miley continued staring at the test, wishing it was a magic eight ball and just wishing she could shake the outcome away. She decided however, that she couldn’t lock herself in the bathroom, forever, so when she finally go the courage, she held the test tightly then slowly walked back to Claire’s room.

“Finally, where were you?” Claire asked.

“Claire, I have to tell you something,” Miley said trying desperately not to burst into tears.

“What’s wrong, Miley?” Claire said immediately getting up and going to her side. Claire hugged her friend tightly as Miley cried.

“Come on Miley, we aren’t best friends for nothing, what’s wrong?” Without saying anything, Miley loosened her grip on the pregnancy test so that Claire could see it.

“Miley, is this for real?” Claire said quietly and so softly, that you wouldn’t think it was her loud voice.

“Claire, this isn’t a joke, this is so real, and I really don’t know what to do, please help me,” Miley said still crying.

“Okay, well I am here for you, but first, I think we should take you to the doctor’s just to make sure you are, because those tests do lie sometimes.”

“Thanks, Claire,” Miley said hugging her friend.

“Ok, well its Monday, but the doctor is open till seven, and it is six, so we better go and make you an appointment.”

“Ok, can you drive? I don’t fell so great,” Miley said rubbing her stomach.

“Yea, my car anyway, come on now, if we can get there, maybe they can put you in last minute,” Claire said snatching her keys off the dresser with one hand, and Miley’s arm with the other.

“I’ll be back later, Sheri,” Claire said to her foster moms they walked out the front door to Claire’s viper.

It was Claire’s dad’s fault that she was in foster care, but now, he was trying more than ever to get Claire back, so he became the biggest suck-up. Claire loved her foster family more then she ever would love her dad, but she got a viper out of it, so whatever.

Miley slid into the car gently, not taking her hand off her stomach. Claire fixed her mirror while staring into them for a few minutes. Claire then started the car while turning on the radio to 92.1.

“I can’t believe you slept with Cole,” Claire finally said as if she had been holding it in for awhile now.

“Claire, I didn’t mean to, I mean it just happened. We were alone at his house and up in his room just talking and all the sudden we started making out, and then, well you know.” Miley said looking at her stomach.

“Well, how long ago did this happen?”

“I don’t know, like six weeks.”

“How are you going to tell Cole?” Claire said trying to look at Miley while still trying to drive.

“I don’t even know. How do you even tell you boyfriend that your pregnant,” Miley said staring out the window.

“I really don’t know what to tell you, but you love him, right?”

“Of course I do, Claire. I love him more than my own life, and I would do anything for us to stay together forever. This, is just evidence of our love,” Miley said rubbing and looking at her stomach.

“How are you even going to do this?” Claire said.

“Well, I am not going to have an abortion, nor would my mother let me, and I think that is just murder. Well, I am going to have to talk to Cole about this, and see what he wants to do.”

“Miley, I am with you whatever you decide, okay?”

“Thanks, Claire, you truly are my best friend,” Miley said smiling.

“Trust me, Miley, we have been friends for five years, and we have been through everything anyone can even imagine, and we are going to get through this too.”

“I hope so,” Miley said staring out the window.

Claire and Miley were silent the rest of the way to the doctors, and when they arrived there, it was six-thirty. They walked into the large building and walked to the elevator and waited. When the bell dinged, Claire and Miley stepped into the elevator with two other women. One was probably about eight months pregnant, and the other was a nurse carrying someone’s blood work. Miley kept looking back and forth between the two women. The pregnant women kept patting her stomach and rubbing it, while the nurse kept swinging the blood work back and forth. Miley became weak in the stomach and fell.

Miley woke up on a table with Claire and two doctors looking down at her. “Miley are you okay?” Claire’s voice was getting clearer.

“I guess I am, but what happened?” Miley said sitting up and rubbing her head.

“You passed out,” one of the doctor’s said while washing her hands and getting out her materials.

“What even made you pass out, Miley?” Claire said concerned.

“You said that in the elevator there was a pregnant woman and a nurse caring blood work, correct?”

“Correct.”

“Well, in some cases, when women pass out by blood, which may mean they are pregnant, unless they are just squeamish about blood.”

Miley just sighed and looked away, “That’s actually why I’m here; I want to know if I am pregnant.”

“Okay, well we will know when your blood test comes back. While you were out we took some blood to run tests on why you did, but we will need you to give a urine sample.”

“Okay,” Miley said taking the bottle and heading out of the room. Claire automatically took out her pink razor and called Annie. When Annie answered Claire immediately asked where she was.

“I am bored at home, why?”

“Well, do you think you would be able to come up to the mall?”

“I’m going to need a ride,” Annie said suddenly interested.

“Ok, well hand on, I will three way Riley.”

Claire quickly pulled up Riley’s number and started calling. When he picked up she automatically screamed. “Best friend for life Riley, what are you doing tonight?” Claire said jokingly.

“Best friend for life Claire, I was going to the mall to get a video game, why?”

“Hold that thought,” Claire said connecting the line.

“Riley? Annie?” Claire asked.

“Yea?” They both said confused. “Well, Riley you are going to the mall anyway, so can you please give Annie a ride?”

“What? Why?” Riley asked freaking out.

“You do know that I can hear you, right?” Annie said.

“Oh, well I am not taking you anyway.”

“Well, whose says I would want to go with you anyway?” Annie retorted back.

“Guys, knock it off, we aren’t thirteen anymore, this is serious; it’s about Miley and Cole.” They all became silent as they heard those words.

“Why? What’s the matter? Why the mall?” questions started pouring out of their mouths.

“There isn’t time to explain, just please meet us at the mall, we will explain everything there,” Claire said pacing back and forth getting frustrated.

“Okay, I will pick Annie up, and we will be there in a half and hour, okay?”

“Okay, that’s perfect, just meet us at the food court.” Claire said hanging up, and just in time as Miley walked back in.

“They said that they will be back with the results in fifteen minutes,” Miley said getting back up on the table Claire just nodded and was quiet for awhile.

“I called Annie and Riley, and told them to meet us at the mall, that you wanted them there,” Claire finally said in the quietest voice she ever spoke in.

“You did what?! Did you tell them?” Miley started flipping out.

“Chill out, Miley, they are out best friends, and they have a right to know that you may or may not be pregnant!”

“Claire, I can’t even tell Cole, how do you think that I will be able to tell my best friends if I can’t even tell him?”

“Miley, they do have a right to know if you are, so just tell them.” Miley didn’t like the fact that Claire was right, but she finally convinced herself that maybe that was the best thing to do. Claire and Miley didn’t say a word until the doctor walked back in with pamphlets.

“Miley,” the doctor said slowly, “You’re pregnant.”

Hearing those words Miley’s mind went blank and now became more scared than she was before. Claire looked at Miley who obviously needed some help. Miley just sat there trying to really comprehend what the doctor was saying. She didn’t want it to be true, she wanted it to just be a bad dream that she could wake up from tomorrow and laugh about, but it wasn’t, it was real, and that is what scared her more than anything else.

“Here are some pamphlets on becoming a teenager mother, read them, and call one of the numbers inside. If you have any problems or questions come back to the office and I would be glad to answer them.” The doctor said leaving the room.

When Miley finally pulled herself together, her and Claire left the building, and drove to the mall. Claire and Miley were silent the whole way to the mall. Miley sat facing the window with her hand on her stomach while Claire kept her eyes firmly on the road as she drove. When they pulled up to the mall, Claire got the parking space closest to the mall, and they walked into the food court. Miley just looked around at the people sitting down and eating dinner and walking around with shopping bags and felt like they all knew her secret which made her even more insecure. Claire guided Miley to a table in the middle of the mall and they sat down.

“I am going to get something to eat, are you hungry?” Claire asked. Miley simply shook her head and Claire walked over to one of the Chinese takeout places. Miley just sat there staring at the ceiling until her cell phone started ringing. She picked it up off the table and seen the caller: Cole. Miley mind went blank as she picked the phone up and managed to say, “Hey.”

“Hey baby, what are you doing?” Cole said in a really good mood.

“I am sitting in the food court with Claire, and Annie and Riley are coming up here too,” Miley said trying to sound cheerful.

“Well, I was going to ask if you wanted to come over, but if you are with Claire, Annie, and Riley I could just come up.” “No!” Miley said. “I mean…well…how about I be here with them, then I will swing by your house after, is that okay?” Miley said trying to cover it up.

“Sure babe, but are you sure your okay? You seem kind of worried or scared.”

“I’m fine honey, I just want to see and talk to you and just be with you.”

“Okay, I can’t wait to see you, just whenever you are finished there, I will be here waiting for you.”

“Thanks honey.”

“No problem, I love you, Miley.” Cole said.

“I love you too.” Miley said hanging up.

Claire soon returned with a bunch of Chinese noodles and chicken piled on her plate. The noodles were green, and Miley always called them snot noodles, but the smell of them were driving her senses crazy, so she ran to the bathroom before she puked all over the table. Claire ran after her trying to hold her hair back as she barely made it to the bathroom.

After about ten minutes in the bathroom puking, Claire and Miley went back to the table just as soon as Riley and Annie walked through the door. As they got closer Miley’s stomach began to turn again.