Chapter1

I fell against the wall of the bathroom, tears streaming down my cheek. I glared at the test that proved my fate. How could this have happened? I had protected sex. Or so I thought I did. Maybe the condom slipped off or broke. Maybe Gabriel didn't wear one and told me he did. How would I know? I was too drunk to remember hardly anything from Katherine's graduation party.

"Bailey, sweetheart? Bailey, are you okay?" my mother's voice called, breaking my thoughts.

"Yes," I lied.

"It's almost dinner. Are you hungry?" she asked.

"No, mom."

I came out of the bathroom, the pregnancy test hidden under my shirt.

"Bailey, are you feeling okay? You look a little pale. Is it that time of the month already?" my mom asked. I hated when she did this.

"Yes," I lied again. "I'm just going to lay down for a bit." I slipped past her and went to my room. I locked the door and threw the test into the plastic bag that was hung on my door. I went to my bed and picked up my cell phone. I punched in Katherine's number and waited.

"Hello?" Katherine's voice answered.

"Kitty, there's something I have to tell you."

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Hours later, Katherine sat on my bed, horrified at what I had told her.

"You slept with my brother, whom you'll never see again? And got pregnant? Bail, I thought we were friends." She said.

I stared at the floor, unable to reply. Finally, I looked up. "Katherine, I'm sorry. I regret ever doing it."

"Yeah, I bet you do. Look I got to go. I have other important people I have to talk to."

"Promise me you won't tell anyone. Not Gabe, not my mom, no one."

She stood and grabbed her coat. "So you tell the person you just betrayed that you're knocked up by her brother and you expect her not to say anything."

"Yeah, actually I do." I replied, a bit annoyed.

"Well, Bailey, your secret isn't safe with me. Expect hell tomorrow."

"Can you at least tell everyone after we get out of school?" I asked.

She walked to the door. "No, paybacks are hell." She said with an evil smile. Then she turned and left.

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As I lay in bed that night, I wondered what to do. I can't go to school; I'll be laughed at. I played the image in my head. "Ooh, goodie good gets pregnant her last day of senior year. Aww, too bad for her." Then they would laugh.

I pushed a pillow over my face and cried. The only thing I could think of doing was running away. "Seventeen and running away, pregnant. What a life my baby and I would live," I muttered, pushing the pillow from my face. I stared out at the black night, the stars shimmering in the sky, and the moon at it's palest. Slowly I drifted to sleep.

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I had gotten into my car and was driving straight. There were no curves on the road ahead, just trees and the black asphalt. The sun was shining brightly down onto the ground. Ahh, I'm free at last. Suddenly, a sharp turn came from nowhere, sending me into the trees.

I jolted awake. My body covered in sweat and the clothes I'd worn the day before still on. I glanced at the clock. It read 3:47a.m. Rolling over, I pulled out a book from under my bed, and switched on the light. Opening it to the spot I had last stopped at, I began to read.

There was only one thing left to do now. That was run.

I set the book down and began to think again. What would it matter if I ran away? My best friend hates me. I'm going to be the laughing stock of the school in less that 6 hours. I'll be moving out in a few months for college. Maybe running away was a good choice.

Sliding from my bed, I went to my closet and put on a fresh pair of clothes. I grabbed the suitcase that took up no room in my giant closet, and pulled clothes off the hangers. Stuffing them in, I went quietly to the bathroom and grabbed my essentials.

I stared at my features before I went back to my room. My curly brown hair sprung from the ponytail it was in and my green eyes were red from crying earlier. In my opinion, I looked like a drugged vampire. Silently laughing at the thought, I went back to my room and set the essentials on top of my clothes and began stuffing more clothes into the suitcase.

When I was finished, I zipped the suitcase up and headed to my jeep to put my suitcase in. I went back inside, careful not to make a noise and went back to the room. I tiptoed to my jewelry box and pulled out a wad of money from a secret compartment. There had to be at least a hundred dollars there, so I was good with some money.

Snatching the pillow and blanket that lay on my bed, I headed to the door again. I picked my car keys up and opened the door. I looked back in, "I love you, mom," I whispered and shut the door. I ran to the jeep and threw the rest of my stuff in. It started easily. I backed out and headed for the highway.