Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognize, and everything that you don't.

"Why?" was the first though that crossed Tibby's mind. "why?" But that was the problem. There was no why that was good enough. Lena, Bridget and Carmen would all be going on vacation this summer, but she was stuck.

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" I don't even like chemistry anyway, why do they have to require it?" She thought as she peddled her bike to the bookshop of the local college.

" I have to be responsible and take care of business. How stupid. I didn't ask to have to take chemistry. This had better be worth it!" But as she pulled up to the bike rack, and chained her bike with her new U - lock she wasn't sure it would be.

" Just because I'm finishing up my high school chemistry … how does that mean I should take it again? How will this ever be useful in film?" But she knew it would be no use arguing. Her dad had said that that was what she needed to do, and that was the end of that. It was the way it always had been, and wasn't about to stop being that way now.

She stepped into the Student Union Building, and looked around. There was the cafeteria, the campus post office, and a big sign pointing to the bookstore. She followed the sign through a winding hallway covered in post office boxes to the entrance to the bookstore.

Might as well get this over with." she thought as she placed her backpack on the tile and pushed open the door, walking inside.

" Wow. All the textbooks. All shiny looking and pretty. But I shouldn't let myself get distracted now. I have to find the book I need for chemistry." She pulled out her schedule, and looked at the course number.

" Chem. 103. Nice." Her high school chemistry teacher had been nice, but she hated the subject.

" chemistry … chemistry … ah, here it is. Chem. 451 … yikes. Chem. 389 … bah. Chem. 245 .. Grr. Ah, here it is. Chem. 103. Wow. One hundred dollars. I'm glad that This isn't coming from my non existent income. I'd get a job this summer, but I'll have no time with the class and homework. Oh, well."

After picking up her chemistry book, Tibby went over to get her bill.

" We might have to disenrol you from your chemistry course" the person at the registrar's office informed her. " Yay! An excuse!"

" Why?"

" because you aren't taking the co - requisite, trigonometry.

" Merde! That's not an excuse … well, okay, only an excuse to pile on more work! Merde, Merde, Merde! Not to mention I'll have to explain to Dad why I need more money. Oh, well, Thus goes life." And so, feeling discouraged, Tibby got back on her bike and went home.

Tibby pulled into her driveway and parked her bike. " Well, at least my parents don't live on the outskirts of town. It'd take forever to get to my classes. It'll take me 20 minutes as it is!" Tibby's thoughts were interrupted by her older sister bursting into the room.

" What are you doing here?" she asked " I hope I don't sound as bitter as I feel … I guess"

" well, I just broke up with my boyfriend" "oh, boo hoo" " and Dad said I could move back in." " oh, great. Just what I needed to make my summer perfect. As if I'm not miserable enough already, you HAVE to come and make me feel worse. I shouldn't be so mean, I know you don't mean to make me feel bad, but how can I not? You're everything I'm not - very pretty and sexy. Not to mention 21 … you always make me miserable. Can't you just go away and leave me alone and stop making me feel more down and out than I already am?"

As soon as was politely possible, Tibby went to her room. She didn't want to think about her classes for that summer. She knew she'd struggle with Chemistry - her high school chemistry teacher was really good, and she'd struggled with the class. He'd offered to help her, but she knew she'd never take him up on it. Again, her sister intruded on her thoughts, bursting into the room, smiling happily, oblivious to Tibby's dislike.

" what is it now?" Tibby asked, a little annoyed.

" Dinner's ready" her sister said. Tibby looked at her clock, and sure enough, it was six pm.

" How did it get so late? I could have sworn I was only in here for a few minutes." Tibby became totally immersed in an awareness of her surroundings, and especially her sister. There seemed to be something different about her …

"oh, great. I think I know what it is, too."

" what's up""

" what do you mean?" " don't lie. You know exactly what I mean."

" you're pregnant, aren't you?"

" how did you know?" " I HATE YOU!"

" I don't know."

" Did you tell Dad yet?"

" No." "of course you wouldn't."

" So what are you planning to do?"

" I don't know. I want to keep it." " fuck you."

FLASHBACK (Tibby)

I was sitting on one of those little exam tables, my mind wandering around, not really paying attention to what the doctor was saying . Until he said those words

"You'll never be able to have children." I didn't realize how much that would change my world, but it did..

END FLASHBACK

Tibby went to dinner obediently, only talking about the new class she would have to take. Her mom told her not to worry, she'd get her a trig book. Since Tibby couldn't find a decent excuse to go to bed early, she had to endure hours of staying up before she finally got to go to bed.

She couldn't fall asleep. Finally she decided that the best thing to do would be to cry.

" She always comes in and ruins everything! Now she's pregnant! Why? Why'd she have to do that? She knew it would make me miserable, didn't she! Oh, sure it was an accident, I DON"T CARE!" Tibby sobbed into her pillow until she finally fell asleep.

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