This is one of the two continuations of Fall to Pieces.
Chapter 1: Hanging on for Hope
Sean's POV
"I'm pregnant."
It's funny how two little words can knock the wind out of you. They can make you want to throw-up. They make you want to scream and cry and... "You're what?" I whispered. I had heard her, but it's one of those situations where you have to hear it twice to really get it through your head. To really understand the impact this moment will have on the rest of your life.
"I think I'm pregnant," Ellie whispered back to me. We were both too nervous to talk above a whisper.
"You think?" God, I was hanging on to hope here.
"I'm pretty sure."
"Pretty sure? But not completely sure?"
Ellie didn't say anything. She just sat down on my front step and put her head in her hands. I paced across my tiny front porch trying to think of what to say next. What do you say to your ex-girlfriend after she tells you that she's pregnant? Nothing came to mind so I just sighed.
"I don't know, okay? I mean, I know my body pretty well and it feels like I'm pregnant."
"But you haven't taken a test or anything yet?"
"No."
"Then we need to!"
"No!" Ellie jumped up and started to walk down the sidewalk away from my house.
I chased her and made her stop. "Where are you going?"
"Home. It's so stupid. I shouldn't have come here. Just... forget I said anything, okay?"
"Ellie. Shut up and let me talk for once. Listen, we're going to go down to the pharmacy, get you a pregnancy test and make sure, okay?"
She shook her head, "No."
"Why not?"
"Because then it's real!" she sobbed. She put a hand over her mouth and turned away from me, tears sliding down her cheeks. She looked back at me. "I've been feeling this way for awhile now, okay? And if I take a test, then it all becomes a reality. Right now, I can just tell myself that I don't know for sure. But if I take that test, then I will know. And I'm not ready to know. I don't want to know."
"You have to know. I have to know."
"You act like it's that simple. It's not, okay? I'm the one who has to deal with this."
"I do too. If you're pregnant, it's my kid, too. Come on, let's go."
"No!"
"Ellie!"
"I'm scared!" She collapsed onto the sidewalk crying. I had never seen her look more pathetic in my life.
I went over to her and sat next to her, putting my arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer, resting my chin on my head. "Shhhh... I know you're scared. I'm scared, too. But we don't know yet what we have to be scared of."
I sat there and stroked her soft hair for an hour before she finally agreed to go get a test. I noticed the hesitation in her steps, though, as we walked to the 24-hour pharmacy a couple blocks down the street. I'd be nervous if I were her, too. This little trip to the pharmacy would tell us our fate.
Ellie's POVI thanked God that I had Sean at that moment. Knowing that he was there for me, that his hand was holding mine, comforted me in a way he couldn't even imagine. I wanted to just crawl into bed and sleep the rest of my life. How could I possibly get pregnant? Didn't I learn before? Am I that stupid? And now Sean has to go through this. I should have just kept my mouth shut. I hadn't wanted to tell him in the first place, but I had broke down tonight at home and I knew that I couldn't get through this if it weren't for him.
The door to the pharmacy jingled as we walked in. The sound hit me like a ton of bricks. I was too lost in my own world to be scared out of it by a bell. Sean noticed the sudden change in my grip and he looked over at me worried. He was worried for me. Thank God I had him. I don't know what I'd do without him. You don't have him yet, Ellie. Remember? You broke up with him! Oh yeah, I keep forgetting that.
We quickly picked out three pregnancy tests, although one would have sufficed, but Sean wanted options and he wanted to make absolute sure. We paid for our purchases and got the hell out of there. We took our time getting back to Sean's house, not wanting to face the consequences. I thought we had been careful, but I guess some things just happen...
When it got time to take the test, I told Sean I wanted to do it in private. I had to be able to control my emotions before I showed him that it was positive. I had already broken down in front of him once; I didn't need to do it again. 90 seconds until the rest of my life is ruined. I sat on the toilet and waited and waited. 90 seconds seemed to last an hour. Finally, Sean knocked on the door, asking if I was okay. My eyes welled up and I threw the door open and crashed into his arms.
"Elle... it'll be okay, I promise. We'll get through this. I'll make sure-"
"I'm not pregnant."
"What?"
"I'm not pregnant. It was negative."
Sean held me out at arm's length and then pulled me into a tight hug. We stood there for probably an hour just holding each other. Things wouldn't be so bad. We could go on with our lives. We could make something of ourselves. I wouldn't have to give Sean up.
Yeah, it's short, but it was basically just an introduction. Okay, so Ellie's not pregnant, but as well all know, she has a lot more problems that need to be addressed further. Will Sean be able to help her?