Counting Down The Days To Go

I was minding my own business when my phone started buzzing around violently. Amanda was calling me.

“Yellow?” I asked. I was in a happy mood because I had just came back from Mike’s house a while ago.

“Hey…” Amanda whispered. I was really worried about Amanda and her baby. She seemed to have lost her spark, her bounce ever since she found out she was pregnant]. It just hurts me so bad to see my best friend so unhappy and lost.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“I just told Brad,” Amanda said as she let out a sigh.

“And…?”

“And he asked whether it was really his and…” Amanda could say no more as she broke into tears.

“Sshh…Amanda. Don’t cry. He’s an teenage guy and teenage guys think with their dicks. He’s just a selfish prick,” I said, trying to make Amanda feel better.

“H-he…He thinks I’m a fucking slut! He actually thinks that I slept around with other guys behind his back and got pregnant! How…how could he? I have never cheated on him.”

“I know, I know. Calm down. Maybe he’d come around eventually?” I asked.

“I don’t care. I don’t care whether he’s supportive or not. I’ve got the money. I think I might keep this baby. After thinking about it for one whole night, I decided that abortion…it’s just wrong. I remember the video that we watched during sex-ed,” Amanda paused as she drew in a breath. “I can’t think about my baby going through a painful death. And adoption is just not me. I’d rather own up and take care of my own kid.”

I was speechless after what Amanda said. My dear best friend had matured after all. Was she the same girl who used to think that boys had cooties? Was she the same girl that laughed at monkeys’ asses because they looked weird? And now, she’s the same girl that is actually thinking about the future of her kid. I felt so out of place and immature at that moment.

“Crystal, are you still there?” Amanda’s soft voice broke the silence.

“Oh, umm, yeah. I was just thinking about how much you’ve grown up and I just took a walk down memory lane, I guess. It’s just so unbelievable that you’re going to be a mother soon. It’s just so shocking that you have another life in you!” I said.

“Yeah, I’m in shock too. But oh well. When life gives you lemons, make lime juice.”

“Have you told your parents?” I asked, the sudden thought of her snobbish parents turning up their noses at Amanda came into my mind.

“Well…I was trying to put off that matter for awhile. But maybe I’d tell them tonight during dinner. I thought the baby’s father had the right to know first. But I thought wrong, I guess. I just can’t believe Brad is such a jerk.” Amanda ranted. She wasn’t really crying anymore.

“Alright. Cheer up. Tell me how the whole parental thing went down, alright?” I said.

“Mkay. Sure. Bye!” Amanda said, sounding almost like her old self. Almost.

“Bye.”

***

“I chickened out. I didn’t tell them.” Amanda’s text message read. It turned out that she didn’t dare tell her parents after all. I think both of us knew very well that Amanda’s parents would either kick her out of the house and disown her or force her to abort the kid. They couldn’t bear to let their teenage daughter’s pregnancy ruin their reputation.

“They’d find out sooner or later.” I texted back. A baby bump wasn’t really that easy to hide unless Amanda started living in sweats. But Amanda usually wore fitting and revealing tops with short shorts and tights even though it was getting colder. If she started living in sweats, I’m sure her mom would notice the huge change.

My phone buzzed again, signaling that I had received a message.

“I’d rather them find out later. Keep this thing under wraps okay? You can’t tell anyone except maybe Mike bcos I thnk u’ve told him alrdi. I dun want the whole schl to find out. ” Amanda’s long text message read.

I bit the inside of my cheek in guilt as I texted her back. “Sry! I told him not to tell any1 else alrdi. He can keep secrets. :D”

“Kk. Sure. Gdnite” Amanda replied in a matter of seconds. I shut off my phone and placed it under my pillow before turning in for the night.

I knew what would happen if word of Amanda’s pregnancy got out. She would be the first girl to get pregnant this year and it just isn’t good for her reputation. People would just see her as an even bigger slut now. With Amanda’s petite and cute as a button looks, I think teachers actually thought she was a virgin. So if the school’s students and teachers found out, it would just spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E for Amanda. And her parents had a right to know before the rest of the world.

You know, for once, I was glad that this sort of drama wasn’t happening in my life. Usually, I was just so jealous that Amanda was going out of dates while I was rotting at home.

Everything happens for a reason.