Chapter 11:

Lynny's POV:

Over the next few weeks I was sick most mornings and then felt find during the rest of the day. I didn't tell anyone about it, I tried not to think about it, or worry about it. But Mum heard me, and after a while she jumped to a terrifying conclusion.

'Lynette' she said, if her tone hadn't told me this was serious then the use of my full name would've. Callum was playing outside, Jude was at school and Dad was at work and somehow I knew Mum had been waiting until no one else was around to say – or rather ask – this 'Are you pregnant?'

'What?!' I shrieked in pure horror. 'Don't be ridiculous'

'Oh don't look at me like that' Mum said 'It was a fair assumption to make; you're being sick most morning. I've had three children, Lynette, I know all about morning sickness, believe me. I mean, as far as I know you don't even had a boyfriend, but you could have.' Her tone was making me feel guilty for having not told her about Jed. This was getting so difficult, I felt guilty to everyone through not telling. 'You're 17, you wouldn't necessarily tell me if you were…' she paused as if wondering how to word it 'sexually active'

She was right, I wouldn't and I hadn't. I knew this was the perfect time for a mother/daughter heart-to-heart. 'Mum, I'm not pregnant' is all I said though. Partly because I knew Mum couldn't stay and talk because she had to go to work, but mostly because I was too scared. Again.

'Then you must be ill' Mum looked worried 'We should make a doctor's appointment for you'

'It's all right' I said calmly 'I'll make one myself' I smiled 'I'm a big girl now, Mum, I can go to the doctor's on my own'

Mum smiled back 'Of course, but make sure you tell me what they say' I nodded in agreement 'Right' Mum said and stood up 'I should go to work while I still have a job to go to. CAL!'

'He's outside, Mum, he won't hear you' I said.

'Oh yeah' Mum said and laughed. The located Callum and left for work.

As soon as I knew Mum had been gone long enough for there to be no chance of me running into her, I grabbed the small bit of money I had and ran out the house. What Mum had said had me scared, I knew she could be right. I also knew that getting worked up before I knew for definite was pointless so I tried to stay calm until I had a pregnancy test. I wouldn't go in a shop anywhere near home. I wasn't going to risk 'So Meggie is your Lynette pregnant? Only she was in here the other day buying a test', that definitely wouldn't help. So I went into town, into a random shop that would sell them and that had no staff that would recognise me.

Once I had it I was almost too nervous to use it. The major 'what ifs?' were floating around my mind. What if I was pregnant? Eventually I remembered what I thought before about now getting worked up before hand and got on with it.

My hand was shaking like mad as I held it waiting for it to come up with the answer. My heartbeat increased and I started to feel sick. A feeling that didn't fade after the answer came. Two blue lines which could only mean one thing. I was pregnant. I was 17 years old, pregnant with the baby of a Cross the same ages.

Without so much as another thought I ran out of the public toilets, the pregnancy test still tightly in my hand. I ran straight out of town and to Jed's house. I barely even paused long enough to check it was safe before crossing the roads.

By the time I reached Jed's I was so out of breath that I felt faint, and more sick. My chest hurt a lot as my heart thumped against it. As I stopped running tears fell from my eyes and I knocked the door.

'Lynny?' It was only when relief that it was Jed who answered the door hit me, that I realised there had only been a one in three chance that it would be him. What's wrong?'

I didn't say anything. I wanted to but a) I didn't know what to say and b) I wouldn't have been able to talk through my tears. I stepped in and leaned against him and he held me close. He stroked my hair softly and let me just stand there for a moment.

'Come in properly' he said and I realised we were standing with the front door still open. I stepped away from the door and Jed shut it behind me. He called to his parents 'It's Lynny, we'll be upstairs'

'Hi Lynny' Mrs Matthew's called back.

I swallowed a couple of times before trusting myself to call 'hi' back without it being obvious I was crying.

Jed took my hand (the one not holding the test) and led me upstairs. Once we were in his bedroom, he closed the door and we sat on the bed. He sat facing me and looking seriously at me asked what was wrong.

'I… I…' I started badly. 'Jed I…' I couldn't say it. I wasn't scared of his reaction; I was just scared of it. Even if I wasn't a nought or Jed wasn't a Cross we were still only 17. Even if we weren't 17 we were still a nought and a Cross. Fact was we were both 17 and a nought and a Cross with a baby on the way. I had to tell him 'Jed we're…' I gave up trying to say it and raised my hand, revealing the pregnancy test and the result on it.

'Oh, my god' Jed said in shock.