^^Tiana Woods

Slowly heaving, I steady my breath as I hid behind the bushes. Gulping, I moved some leaves and peeped through them to see Andrew scratching his head and searching for me while AJ barked at him.

After being stalked by Ben and him in high school now I was an expert in recognizing when someone was following me.

When I realized he was behind me, I picked my pace. I didn't want him to know where I was going or else things would have gotten out of control and then I would have had to answer a lot of questions. Riding my bicycle at as much speed as I could, I turned around the street and hid behind the first thing I found.

The bushes.

"Let's go, AJ. She's not here." I heard Andrew saying, and he jogged backward with him.

I blew a breath in relief and after a few minutes of waiting for them to go ahead further; I got up and picked my cycle out of the other bushes.

"Ouch!" I winced when the thorn cut my finger and I hastily put it in my mouth to suck the blood.

Why do I always get in trouble?

When the pain relieved a little, I dusted my bicycle seat and mounted it. Taking a deep breath, I began pushing in the direction Tiana gave me.

I knew I didn't have to do this for her, but I felt a kind of guilty for keeping David's secret from her. Even though it wasn't intentional and I wanted to tell her so badly but I couldn't. So I thought maybe I would feel less miserable if I help her in this situation.

Andrew's face flickered in my head when he saw those test strips in my hands. His radiant blue eyes were wide open and his jaw looked like it was about to fall to the ground. I felt extremely embarrassed and couldn't think of anything.

I didn't know why, but I felt the need to explain to him it wasn't for me and wanted to clear it before he assumed something else. Though there was no need for that but deep inside I don't want him to think of me as a hooker.

Shaking my head to get rid of the scene, I stopped in front of the steel entrance, and without asking for anything, the guard let me in. I thanked him and walked inside with my cycle. Tiana bungalow was a double-story bungalow covered with greenery.

Every house on this side of the area fascinated me with its unique style and structures, while every house in my area is the same. Tiana's house was no doubt as amazing as the others.

Stepping on the porch, I was about to press the doorbell but paused when the main door burst open and Tiana came out.

"You're late." That was the only thing she uttered and abruptly yanked me inside.

Before I could say something or look at the interior of her house, she dragged me to the stairs quickly and quietly. It was clear that she didn't want others to know about my visit. She stopped in front of the brown door, which I presumed was her room. Opening the door, she pushed me inside, then locked the door behind her.

"That was close." She blew a breath and leaned her back to the door.

"Uh..." I looked around the creamed, wall-painted room.

It was a little girly, yet elegant. The curtains were light brown, and so was the furniture contrasting with beige. The dressing table was filled with different products and clothes were scattered around the room and over the bed.

"Don't mind that." She mumbled when she saw me observing her room. "I was going to clean it but got distracted by... You know." She shrugged.

"Right." I cleared my throat and gave her the shopping bag. "Here are your things."

"How many did you get?" she asked, peeking inside.

"Five."

"Just five?" She snapped her eyes at me. "You should have at least brought twelve of them."

"I think these will be enough to know," I replied, and she rolled her eyes.

She should be happy that I could get at least of these with Andrew watching me.

"Fine." She took her clothes off her bed and threw them on the floor. "You can sit here while I'll prove you wrong."

Me or herself?

"Sure." I nodded and took a seat on the silk cream color sheet.

"I'll be back. You wait here." She strode to the attached bathroom in her room.

One frame was the same picture of the Cliché group I saw in Andrew's room. Maybe they all have this same one. Another was of her family. There were her parents and Tiana with her older siblings.

She's the youngest one.

"Arg!" I jerked back when I heard Tiana grunting. "Why is it taking so long?!"

"You need to wait for at least three minutes."

"A minute feels like an hour!" She cried out. "Can you play some songs on my speakers? It's on the left table."

"Sure." I walked to the table next to her window and pressed the play button.

'Bang Bang' song by Ariana Grande, Jessie J, and Nicki Minaj played. I stood in front of the window and observed the surrounding. The sun was glowing in the sky and no sign of clouds today. I could see Chloe, Louis, and Andrew's houses from here.

"AAAAAA!" I flinched back from the window when I heard Tiana's shrieking.

This doesn't sound good.

The room was definitely soundproof or else I'm sure everyone would have come running here. Tiana stormed out of the bathroom with her brown eyes bugged out and looking horrified.

"IT'S POSITIVE!"

"I-"

"Two lines!" She held two fingers in front of me. "Do you know what it means? It means I AM PREGNANT!"

"Umm... Congratulations?" I blurted, not sure how to respond to her.

She immediately narrowed her eyes at me and growled. "You think this is funny?"

"No, it's not." I shook my head and took a step backward when she looked at me like she was about to split my body in half. "I'm not sure what else to say."

"This is all your fault!" She fumed as her face turned red.

"Me?" I pointed at myself in disbelief. "You got the wrong guy- I mean, girl. Technically, I can't even get you pregna-"

"Don't say that word!" she boomed and stepped back. "We used protection every time and I'm on pills too! How can this happen?" Her shoulders slumped down, and she ducked her head. "I can't be."

"Did you use the others to make sure?"

"I used all of them." She murmured and glanced at me. "They all are positive."

"Then you are," I concluded, and she rolled her eyes.

"No shit Sherlock." She began pacing her room, cursing her luck while I leaned my back to the window behind me. "This is a disaster. My parents are going to be furious!"

"They will be at first. But you can calm them down." I tried to soothe her. "I'm sure they'll understand."

"No, they won't." She scoffed and crossed her arms around her chest. "They won't do anything to me, but my Pop will kill David."

"I don't see any problem with that," I mumbled, adjusting my glasses. "I'm sure he will be willing to sacrifice himself for his child."

She stopped pacing and raised her brows at me. "My Pop is the Sheriff of the town. He will not just kill him. Do you have any idea what he's capable of?"

"I know. That's why I'm saying it." I shrugged.

David is the worst guy I've met. He cheats on his girlfriend and gets her knocked up. Not that anyone deserves to die, but he should get punished for it.

"I never imagined you to be this merciless." She said deadpan.

"I'm just saying."

"Of course you are relaxed. It's not your f**king problem." She put a hand on her stomach and clenched it. "It's mine."

"You're right." I nodded. "But wrong too." She raised her brows at me. "It's not my problem, but it's your boyfriend's."

"I'm not dragging him into this." She shook her head.

"Hello." I waved my hand and pointed at her stomach. "He already is dragged in there."

"He got his dad on his plate. I'm not pressuring him more with his." She glared at me.

"It takes two to tango. This isn't only your responsibility, Tiana, it's his, too."

"I'll take care of this on my own."

"He should at least be aware of this-"

"You won't tell him." She cut me off with her glare.

"Fine." I put my hands in surrender. "I'm not interested in talking to him, either."

"You won't tell anyone else about this." She stepped toward me. "Not a single word."

"What?" I looked at her in confusion.

"I thought you were a smarter, Nerd." She stopped in front of me and put her hand on my shoulder. "But let me spell it out for you. This is between you and me. That's it."

She's planning to keep it a secret?

"I won't tell anyone." I declared. "But you can't keep it a secret forever." I glanced at her stomach. "It will eventually show up one day."

"It won't." She calmly said, and my eyes jerked back in her dull brown ones.

"What does that mean?"

"Means it won't show because there will be no baby to begin with."

My face scrunched in confusion, but my eyes gradually widened when I understood what she meant by it.

"You are planning to get an abortion?"

"Yes," she responded without wasting a second.

"No, you can't do that!" I snapped. "You can't kill the baby."

"Kill it?" She forced a laugh. "You say that like I'm a murderer? It's not even born!"

"It is born! Inside you!"

"You are talking nonsense!"

"You don't look in the right state of mind either!"

We both began shouting at each other while 'Roar' by Katy Perry played in the background.

"This is my body and I'll decide what I do with it!"

"That doesn't give you the right to kill it!"

"Darn it! I'm not the only woman who is doing this! People do this all the time!"

"They do it for different reasons. You can't do this just because you think your father will kill that ridiculous boyfriend of yours!"

"Don't talk about him like that!"

"I will because he deserves it and you deserve better than him!"

"Shut up, will you! You are making my headache now!" She turned away and sat on her bed, messaging her head.

I took deep breaths to calm myself, too. I shouldn't be shouting at a pregnant woman, especially when she's confused and just found it out. It wasn't the right thing to do.

"Listen Tiana." I stepped towards her and said in a low voice. "You need to give some time and think about it."

"I can't give birth to this baby. I've made my decision." She looked at me, determine.

"It's not the right one." My shoulders slumped. "Please... Think about it just for tonight, at least. Do nothing outrageous right now and regret it for the rest of your life." She quietly watched me and I thought maybe it was working.

"Some people don't even get the chance to have their baby and I know this isn't the perfect time or way for this, but God has given you a miracle. Don't waste it like this. You are only thinking about David when you should think of the baby inside you. Imagine what a wonderful life he could lose because of this act." I illustrated.

She averted her gaze from mine and blankly stared at the floor. I waited for her to respond, but when she didn't, I walked out of her room.

"Think about it."

She needed some alone time and if I forced her too much, she'll just get mad. Quickly, I ran out of the house and picked up my cycle.

Things are getting crazy day by day.

It was around eleven in the morning when I reached my home. Parking my cycle in the driveway with my dad's car, I walked into my house and it was pretty quiet.

Mom had a late-night shift yesterday. She must be still sleeping. I stepped into the kitchen and saw my dad cooking.

"Morning Dad." I greeted, standing next to him and kissing his cheek. "Want some help?"

"Good morning to you, too." He kissed me back. "And no, I'm almost done." I nodded and took cups from the cabinet when he asked, making me stiffen. "Where were you?"

"I... Was outside." Pouring the tea into the cups, I thought of an excuse. "To clear my head."

"Exams pressure?" Dad asked, and I nonchalantly nodded. "You don't have to worry about that, dear. We know you'll score perfect, like always."

I smiled at him, and we sat at the table and ate our breakfast. After that, I helped my dad clean up and walked to my room. Without changing my clothes, I plopped on my bed and sighed in relief. I felt really exhausted with the cycling from my house to Tiana and then coming back here.

I closed my eyes and fell into a deep slumber.

"I'm disappointed in you."

"What?"

"I should have known better." He shook his head, disgusted.

"Why Andrew?" I pleaded. "What did I do?"

I was standing in the middle of my living room with no idea of what he was talking about.

"We're so happy for you Lillian!" I turned towards the voice of my dad and saw my parents looking at me joyously as they walked out of the kitchen.

"About what?" I asked them too.

"You knew how much I always wanted to be a grandmother." My mom squealed.

"Wait... Luke got a baby?!" I shrieked.

"No, silly." My mom giggled while my dad smiled at me. "He can't get pregnant."

"Then who's pregnant?"

"You are." My dad pointed at my stomach. "Look."

I glanced at my stomach, and a loud gasp escaped my lips when I saw a baby bump.

"This is not possible," I mumbled and looked up at my grinning parents.

"This is our lucky day, Honey." My dad said.

"Oh, we should start shopping for the baby. He can be here anytime."

"But mom I can't be pregnant!" I tried to tell them, but they ignored me and gushed about it.

"I really liked you, Lillian." I turned to Andrew, who was still standing at the spot with his hands crossed. "But you broke my heart."

"Listen Andrew. I'm not pregnant. Please believe me. I haven't slept with anyone!"

"Don't lie to me!" He fumed, making me shut my mouth. "You have always lied to me. I won't listen to you again!"

"Andrew..." I couldn't control myself and began sobbing.

"Who's the father?" He asked, and I continued crying like a baby. "It's the guy in your dreams, isn't it?"

"N-no... I'm not-"

"I'm disappointed in you..." He said again and shook his head.

"We're so happy for you!" I turned towards my parents and everything turned black.

"I'm disappointed in you Lillian... We're so happy for you Lillian..." They started chanting the same words again and again and I clasped my ears.

"Please stop," I whined.

"... Disappointed... Happy... Lillian... Lillian... LILLIAN!"

Someone shook me and I snapped my eyes open to see hazel ones looking at me.

"Lillian?" Chloe said, with her face close to mine.

"Huh?" I abruptly sat on my bed and looked around to find myself in the room.

"Are you alright?" Chloe put her hand on my shoulder. "You looked like you were having a nightmare." I glanced at her as I took a deep breath. "Or should I say daymare, since it's daytime?"

"What time is it?" I asked, composing myself.

"It's two o'clock." She answered, sitting crossed legs on my bed. "Your mom told me to wake you up for lunch."

"How long have you been here?"

"I just came." She shrugged. "I was in a hurry to tell you about yesterday and when I came to your room, I saw you all sweating and mumbling something."

"Yeah..." I cleared my throat and picked up my water bottle from the side table.

"What was it about?" She asked, blinking her curious eyes at me.

"I uh... I forgot." I ran my brain to think of what it was, but nothing came.

"No worries." She waved her hands in dismissal. "It happens all the time."

"Yeah..." I gulped some water down my dry throat. "Anyway... How was your date?"

It was like the whole moment she was waiting for me to ask this question. Her face split into a high grin and she began bouncing on the bed.

"IT WAS AMAZING!" she squealed, making me laugh. "It was like my dream date came true!"

"I'm so happy for you, Chloe." I hugged her tightly, and she returned. "It went according to your plan?"

"Yes, everything!" She beamed, but it faltered. "Expect the kiss..."

"You guys didn't kiss?"

"No..." She pouted and before I could open my mouth to ask what happened, she said. "I'll tell you." She untangled her legs and sat on them, leaning towards me. "After spending an amazing time with Louis. He dropped me at my house. Everything was going according to my plan, but guess what happened?" She blinked her eyes, waiting for me to say it.

"What?"

"My dad." She huffed. "When Louis and I said our goodbyes, we stood at my porch like idiots. I was waiting for him to make the first move like I planned..." She waved her hands as she told me her story. "But he didn't. I waited for a minute as but still nothing, nada, zilch!"

"Then?"

"Then..." She took a deep breath. "I thought of making the first move since he wasn't found anything. I gathered all the courage I had and was about to move..." She paused dramatically and watched me. "Boom! My dad opened the door and said in a monotone voice with a fake smile on his face." She plastered a smile on her face and said in a heavy voice. "'Are you both going to stand there like idiots or kiss each other already and come inside'."

"He said that?!" I shrieked.

"He did!" she huffed. "And when Louis was about to say something, he gave him the signature glare that made him shut."

"Poor Louis." I felt bad for him.

"My dad obviously didn't want us to kiss. That's why he scared Louis away." Chloe sighed.

"He was being a protective dad," I said.

"But I will not give up!" She jumped from my bed, looking determined. "I completed my first mission to go on a date with him. I'll kiss him one day too and then marry him and have babies with him and..."

She continued telling her missions about her future with Louis, but I zoned out when she said the word 'babies'. A flashback of my dream came to my head, and I remembered what I saw.

I shook my head to get rid of it. It was just the mix-up of Tiana's secret and what was going on in my life, nothing else. Something clenched in my stomach when I thought of Andrew and how disappointed he looked. Even though it was a dream but I didn't like that feeling.

What is wrong with me?!

"Lillian... Chloe!" We heard my mom's voice. "Lunch is ready!"

"Coming!" I answered, getting up from my bed.