She was innocent. That's what her father had told her just a few months ago. He said she was innocent and pure and his little princess. At the time those words had rung true but now, here, today it was a lie. She was the furthest thing from innocent and a long way from pure. Daddy's little princess was harboring a secret that was growing a little more and more each day and it was becoming too much of a burden to bare alone .
For what seemed like the millionth time she stood from the bathroom floor, wiped tears from her eyes, splashed water on her face and flushed her stomach contents. She was exhausted from throwing up again and felt herself breaking just a little more. Nobody planned for this but here she was, only 15 years old, and pregnant. Daddy's princess was going to have a baby.
"Ally?" a voice penetrated through her thoughts followed by a knock on the locked bathroom door startling her, "are you okay in there? You have been gone all morning and now you are locked in the bathroom doing what sounds like throwing up."
Ally looked in the mirror one last time to make sure the redness of her eyes was concealed and opened the door to her best friend Trish. It only took one look and she broke. She threw herself into her friend's arms and cried into her shoulder.
Trish didn't know what was wrong but she knew Ally needed a friend right now so she hugged her and rubbed small circles into the back of her tiny frame. "Do you want to talk about it? Or do you want me to go get Austin or something?" Trish whispered not knowing what else to say.
Ally choked a little and pulled back to face Trish not caring that her eyes were puffy and her makeup was probably running down her face.
"No I can't talk to Austin about this…not yet. I just need a friend…I-I need to tell you something." Ally whimpered sinking down to the floor beside the wall. Trish followed and took Ally's hand suddenly worried. "What? You can tell me anything Ally…I'm here for you…" Ally looked at Trish and squeezed her hand in silent thanks.
"I'm pregnant…" she whispered so quietly that Trish thought she must have heard wrong.
She didn't know how to respond to that but she just pulled her friend into her. Ally's head fell willingly to Trish's lap and she curled up tightly while Trish brushed the stray hair from Ally's tear stained cheeks. Instead of trying to find some perfect response Trish just held her friend while she cried and comforted her as best she could.
"Shhh…Ally…it's okay. You are okay…everything is going to be okay. Shh…." She soothed as she rocked gently back and forth against the wall. Her heart was breaking for her best friend but she truly believed the words she spoke. It would all be okay.
The two sat there for what seemed like hours. Before long Ally's breathing had become slow and deep and she had drifted off to sleep in Trish's lap. Trish didn't want to wake her but her legs had fallen asleep and she wanted so badly to move them.
Her prayers were answered when Austin entered the store and came bounding up the steps to where the girls were. Upon seeing Ally asleep Austin softened his walk so he wouldn't be too loud. He pointed questioningly to Ally and Trish motioned for him to come close.
"She's exhausted. Can you lift her and put her on the couch in the rehearsal room? My legs fell asleep forever ago and I have to pee." Trish questioned in a hushed tone.
Austin nodded and carefully slid one arm under Ally's legs and the other under her neck. In one swift movement he had lifted Ally from the ground and was gently carrying her to the couch. He placed her down but as soon as he let go she began to reach out for contact with someone again.
He slipped out of his shoes and lowered himself next to her, wrapping her body into his arms and surrounding her. She immediately stilled and her breathing relaxed back into its steady state. A few moments passed before Trish appeared in the doorway still wobbling from lack of sensation in her lower extremities.
Austin could clearly handle watching Ally but Trish wanted to be sure that when she woke up she didn't think that her best friend had abandoned and betrayed her. She thought about staying but decided it was getting late.
She whispered a message to Austin that she was leaving but that he should tell Ally that she was going to be back first thing and that she could count on her. She could call her any time she needed to and she would be there. Austin waved goodbye and nodded in understanding as Trish left the two of them alone.
Even in the dim light of the open doorway Austin could see Ally's cheeks were still red and damp from tears. He didn't know what was wrong but he knew that Ally had fallen asleep crying in her best friend's arms so it had to be bad. Still, as nosy as he was, he knew that Ally would tell him when she was ready.