First chapter of the sequel. It takes place right where we left off =D

There were whispers from all sides as she walked down the hall. Eyes following every step she took, heads turning all the way. The rumors were flying fast, how could this have happened? She didn't know what to do, there were very few she could turn to. Even now it was hard to believe it was happening at all.

Sydney walked into the bathroom, hurriedly. She could not stand the whispers any longer. Two girls who had been talking animatedly looked at Sydney and then left, giggling as they went. Sydney stepped into a stall and sunk to the floor.

"I can't be pregnant," she thought. But she knew it was true. The test that bared positive sat in the trash can that rested in her room. The memory was always in the front of her mind. The fear was always in her system. She could not escape the terrorizing truth that blinded her.

A bell sounded throughout the school signaling the start of classes. Reluctantly, Sydney stood and left the comfort of the bathroom, hurrying through the halls and avoiding gazes. It had only been a few days since she, herself, had discovered the horrifying truth. How was it possible that the news had traveled so fast?

She entered her English class, cautiously. This was the class she had been dreading the most, for this was the class that involved both the father of her future child and said father's recent ex-girlfriend.

Sydney grabbed a seat in the far back corner, wanting to stay as far from attention as possible. This, however, did not work as well as she had hoped.

"Sydney," Eli spoke in her ear, "we need to talk."

Sydney said nothing.

Eli sat down beside her and leaned towards her, "You haven't said a word to me since you told me … you know."

Sydney looked at him and examined his face. He was not angry, he was not sad. He just looked … scared.

"Sydney, please talk to me."

"I don't know what to say, Eli," Sydney finally said.

He was silent for a moment, contemplating what he should do.

"Sydney," but he was at a loss of what to say. He sat there with his mouth gaping open, just staring at her.

"Well, well, well, the happy couple doesn't look so happy now, do they?"

They both looked up and saw Clare standing beside them. She smiled evilly at them both and walked down the aisle and to her own seat near the front. As she passed Sydney whispered, "Bite me." Eli smiled in spite of himself, but quickly wiped his face clean. Sydney composed herself as well and returned to their conversation.

"Look, Eli, I don't think that this is really the place for us to be talking about this," she said.

"Well when are we going to talk about it?" Eli began to get a little frustrated. "You won't return my calls, my texts, you ignore me in the halls. When are going to talk about this?"

Sydney became stern, "Not now, Eli."

Eli looked at her for a bit before abandoning the conversation and looking forward. The news had come as such a shock to him. He was in a particularly good mood that morning. His baby sister Angie had slept through the night and his older sister Lyssa had taken the morning off work to take care of the child. He loved his baby sister, but he was, after all, only sixteen.

Walking up to Sydney that morning was indeed a shock for many reasons. He had never seen Sydney lose her composure. Never had he seen her disheveled, unkempt. But she was every bit as beautiful.

The news had smacked Eli hard in the face. At first he thought that she must be mistaken. There could be no way. But the more he thought about it, the more he examined the devastation on her face, the more he had to believe it was true. As he looked back, he could only remember using protection with her a few times. Eli had just assumed by the way she had spoken with him that she was on the pill. Apparently, he was wrong. He guessed it was his own fault he had not properly asked her.

It certainly was a lot to take in and perhaps Eli still had not processed everything. Sydney was pregnant and it was his baby. He was already raising one infant, now he would have to raise another. That is, if Sydney was going to it. Eli raised his head from his notebook. He had barely noticed that the teacher had already delved into that day's lesson.

Eli peeked over at Sydney. Her face was set hard at the front of the room, her eyes blazing yet not focusing on anything in particular. Even as Eli sat watching her, he saw her eyes slowly well with tears. Just as one was about to fall from the corner of her eye, she shot her hand in the air and mumbled something about needing to use the bathroom before rushing herself up from her seat and running out of the room.

Eli sat paralyzed for a moment before he raised his own hand.

"Miss Dawes?" he said, "I need to use the bathroom."

Miss Dawes stared at him for a bit before nodding her head.

Eli quickly walked out of the classroom and almost immediately ran into Sydney.

She was walking slowly and was sobbing. Eli went up to her and turned her around. Tears streaked her face. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her sense of composure was gone.

"Sydney," Eli started, but again he was at a loss.

"Eli, I don't know what you want from me. I don't know what to do," she cried.

"Hey, it's okay," he took her in his arms and kissed her hair. "We'll figure it out together. You don't have to make a decision right now."

"I'm scared, Eli."

"I am too."

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