*THank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much*

"Teagan Madison?" asks the Headmaster of my Catholic high school in shock as he sees me standing in the doorway of his office. "You were sent to my office for disciplinary actions on the FIRST day of school?" he asks and I can hear the shock in his voice, he looks at me as my shirt is still tied up and my skirt is rolled at the waist making it too short for school regulations. I am aware I am in violation of some stupid dress code the school has. I hate wearing a uniform but I hate being expected of being someone that always follows the rules and the good girl. "Have a seat," he commands, "and fix your uniform I see you're in violation of the school dress code."

I walk in and take a seat without fixing my uniform. "I guess I am," I say with a bit too much attitude and shrug my shoulders. "It's better this way," I say.

"Teagan," he begins. "I don't know what has gotten into you but this is not how you want to begin your year. To be in my office on the first day is not a good sign is this how you want your year to go?"

"I don't know," I say with a shrug.

"What exactly happened in your class? Why were you sent to my office?" he asks.

"Well, I don't think I should have to change my new look," I say honestly. "I don't think I should have to follow a dress code. There is nothing wrong with a girl showing off her body. I don't want to be like everyone else, I don't want to be the person everyone expects me to be."

"The school has rules, Teagan," he says. "There is a mandatory uniform to be worn APPROPRIATELY not inappropriately. Your skirt should fall below the knee not above the knee and your shirt is to be tucked in not tied showing off your stomach. Your parents signed a contract when they enrolled you in this school and being dressed like that is violating that contract. I'm surprised by you, Teagan. This is not who you are. I understand last year you had some issues but I never expected this type of behavior from you."

"Maybe I am tired of being the person everyone expects me to be. I am sure no one expected me to get pregnant last year which I assume is the 'issue' you're talking about. Bet that was a big shocker huh? I'm just tired of being the girl everyone expects me to be."

"Teagan, I am not sure what has gotten into you but you need to dial back that attitude, fix your uniform to the mandatory standards and get back to class. This is only the first day so I am going to let you off with a warning but if you continue to be defiant and obstinate you're going to be expelled and I know for a fact your father and your mother pay a good deal of money for you to attend this school because they want you to have the best education possible getting expelled from school your junior year for disciplinary actions is not something colleges want to be on your record. What colleges are you looking at, Teagan?"

"NYU, UCLA," I answer, "Definitely NYU," I say, "that's my top school."

"And one of the nation's top schools so why don't you tell me what's really bothering you, Teagan. You have never acted up like this before," he says as I stand up to fix my uniform back to the mandatory requirements. I don't want to risk my chances of getting into NYU. I have worked extremely hard to get into NYU by carrying distinguished honors all through high school and middle school, I joined clubs like FBLA, National Honor Society, Debate team not to mention a couple sports teams like Lacrosse and volleyball. I have come too far and worked too hard to give it up over my feminist crusade. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Last year was just a really long year," I begin. "I had that abortion that I still regret every day but there was no way I was ready to be a mother, I couldn't be a mother. I have goals and dreams to achieve. I couldn't do that with a baby and obviously I can't even take care of myself and then I lost myself because of some boy. I lowered my worth to make him happy and I didn't even care. I'm just trying to find myself again, everyone expects so much from me and expects me to be this good girl but I don't want to always be the good girl, the sweet girl. I don't want people to think they can walk all over me," I say, "so I guess I thought violating school rules would help eliminate that issue and get students talking about me in other ways besides being the good girl. It was a stupid move. I still don't agree with dress codes and how they limit a female's opportunity to express themselves freely and it tells them that boys or men can't handle seeing skin because it distracts their learning process. I don't think it's fair to be honest."

"Teagan, you are too smart to let some boy define you, to ruin you and cause you to lose yourself. You're sitting at the top of your class with your academic excellence do not let a boy tear you down. I understand what you're saying about the dress code. Maybe some parents should teach their sons to respect a female and not look at them like they are a sex object but in this school you do have to dress modestly not because it distracts boys if you don't but this is a Catholic school we are based on God, Jesus, Virgin Mary and our beliefs in the Catholic faith. I understand you regret your abortion last year but make it so it wasn't done in vain, Teagan."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I mean you aborted your child so that you could have a future, reach your dreams and achieve your goals don't let that be in vain continue to strive and be the best woman you can be for your child so that you didn't get an abortion for nothing be the person you want to be, be the business woman I know you want to be, be everything you're destined to be for your child so that terminating your pregnancy wasn't done in vain."

"Do you think I will go to Hell for having an abortion?" I ask.

"I believe that everyone makes choices and I believe everyone sins because no one is perfect. If everyone was perfect there would be no need for forgiveness and there would have been no need for confession or for Jesus' death if we were all perfect. The Catholic church does frown upon abortion but they also frown upon pregnancy out of wedlock, birth control and a lot of other things do you think everyone in the Catholic church abides by the rules of the church?" he asks.

"No not really," I answer. "I'm sure they don't."

"And you're absolutely correct, Teagan. Have you gone to confession and confessed your sins since your abortion?"

"Yes," I say, "I don't want to burn in Hell because of that. I don't want to burn in Hell at all," I say.

"Then you'll be fine God designed us to make mistakes, he designed us to be less than perfect so that he could help us with his mercy and forgive us for the nature of our sins. Everyone sins," he says. "You'll be fine."

"I hope so," I say.

"I hope this is the last time I see you in my office Teagan for behavior reasons like I said you're too smart to let some boy define you, change you and make you someone you're not. From what I have seen in the last couple years is that you're driven, intelligent, hardworking and strong-willed. You're going to get into NYU I promise you but as long as you're cutting up and almost getting yourself kicked out of school that will never happen. You're better than some boy that wants to tear you down and make you feel less than yourself. You're way too smart and I know your dad raised you to be a strong woman even if sometimes your strong-willed nature drove him crazy which it has many times. I want you to enjoy your next two years here being who YOU are not who everyone wants you to be but in an appropriate way do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes," I say. "But do I have to have so many classes with Gina?" I ask.

"You're better than that, Teagan," he says. "Who cares what she thinks of you you're something special. You always have been ever since I met you when you were a little girl. Don't let Gina tear you down. Rise above that but I will keep an eye on that situation this year."

"Thank-you," I say, "can you not tell my mama and dad about this?" I ask.

"It stays between us," he says with a smile. "Now go back to class it's your first day you want to make a good impression."

"Right," I say with a smile. "Thank-you, Uncle Thomas." I say with a smile as I stand up. I shake his hand before I leave the room. I am just glad that he isn't going to say anything to my parents. I know my dad would not be happy. He has known my dad for a while they went to school together and he was the best man in my parents' wedding as well as my Godfather. He just also happens to be my headmaster and I do have a tremendous amount of respect for him. I make my way back to my class as it is about to end.

"Teagan," says Joe as we're walking out of class that I missed because of my escapades.

"What, Joe, what do you want?" I ask as we walk to our next class which of course we have together.

"Can you at least talk to me? Please, I really want to talk to you," he says and I know he isn't going to leave me alone until we talk.

"Fine, come to my house after school and we'll talk. I don't want to do it here. I have had enough drama today and I am exhausted from it and it's only 2nd period. We have a whole day to go and I want to enjoy it."

"You caused that drama," he says as we walk into our class. "You didn't have to cause a scene."

"You don't get it at all," I say as I walk away from him sitting on the opposite side of the classroom. My second class goes better than my first class and the rest of my day goes pretty well probably because after 2nd period Joe and I have a completely different schedule and I don't see either him or Gina the rest of my day it is relieving and enjoyable to be away from both of them it's like freedom.

At the end of the day I am at my locker putting things away as Joe comes up to his locker which is right next to mine unfortunately. "So I guess I am giving you a ride to my house?" I ask as I close my locker and watch him put his books in his locker.

"That would be great," he says with a smile and it stills my breath. I could be angry at him for as long as I want but that smile of his would still do things to me. He's cute and he knows it.

"All right," I say as I groan as I see Gina coming our way.

"Joe, what is going on," she says, "we only have one class together. I wish we had more."

"Yeah only one class," he says as he closes up his locker. "It looks like they spread all of us out."

"Actually," I say, "I am a lot of AP classes."

"That's true," he says with a smile.

"Teagan, no one asked you," says Gina. "So you were sleeping with MY man behind my back huh?"

"Maybe I was and maybe I wasn't," I say, "I don't really want to get into it this year. I have bigger things to worry about than any of this high school drama. I have a college to get into."

"You wish you could have Joe," she says.

"I think I already had him and I am sure if I wanted him again I could have him but I have a boyfriend so I'm really not into Joe that much anymore," I say. "Are you ready to go yet, Joe?"

"Where are you two going?" she asks.

"I'm going to Teagan's house to talk. We have a lot to talk about," he says.

"I was going to see if you wanted to hang out," she says. "Do you?"

"No not today," he says. "I am going to Teagan's house to talk. Let's go, Tea. Bye, Gina," he says as we walk away together. I feel like I won some imaginary victory to some imaginary competition between Gina and me.

When Joe and I get to my house no one is home. My mom is usually there when I get home from school but for some reason she's not there and I know my dad is probably working as football season for high school is in full swing and he is going to start scouting high school boys to join college teams, which means he will be gone on business a lot. "Do you want anything to drink?" I ask.

"Water please," he says.

"Okay," I say as I get into the fridge and pull out a bottle of water for each of us before we make our way upstairs to my bedroom. I close the door behind us and we take a seat on my floor. "So go ahead and talk," I say.

"I just feel like I don't know you anymore, Teagan. Like what was that today?"

"That was me making a statement."

"To me?" he asks.

"Yes to you and every other boy in that school and pretty much everyone. I don't want to be the good girl anymore. I'm tired of everyone expecting me to always be the good girl. I went through too much last year."

"I went through a lot too."

"No, Joe, you didn't. I had to be your dirty little secret behind Gina's back. It made me feel like crap. You made me feel like crap. You were telling me that you loved me but yet I was the dirty secret. You couldn't kiss me or hug me in public you could only sleep with me in private. I felt so trashy. I still feel trashy about it. Then I got pregnant and I got that abortion. I still regret it."

"I regret it too, Tea but you and I both know that we weren't ready for a baby. I have football and college, you have college. We both have to get through high school to reach our dreams," he says. "I am sorry it came to that but we did what we needed to do," he says.

"Right," I say, "but sometimes I wonder what would have happened if we didn't get an abortion and we didn't give the baby up for adoption. What if we had kept it?"

"Tea, we're too young, we were too young we never would have made it," he says. "There will be the right time for us to have a child whether it's together or apart but our day is going to come and we're going to have the most beautiful babies with the person we love the most. I'm not saying that any baby is going to replace the one we aborted but our time will come when we're older, wiser and able to provide for it. At 15 it wasn't the time," he says, "we were too young."

"I know," I say letting out a deep breath.

"Look, I'm sorry for everything that happened last year with Gina, you and me. I should have treated you better. I want to treat you better. I'm single," he says.

"But I'm not," I say. "I met a really nice guy in Houston on my Mammaw's farm and I love him, Joe. I'm not single."

"How can you even have a long distance relationship? Isn't that hard?"

"It may be hard but we are going to try but he's going to come visit sometimes. He's not a bad guy, Joe. I like him a lot."

"Well, I am glad you like him a lot," he says. "I just wish things were different with us. If you hadn't gone away for the summer they would be."

" I needed to go away for the summer," I say. "I had to get away from you."

"You left because of me?" he asks.

"Yes, Joe, I left because of you. I had to get away from you. I needed a break from you, I needed to think and clear my head. You hurt me, Joe. How could you hurt your best friend like you hurt me?"

"I'm sorry, Tea," he says with sincerity. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You may not have meant it but you did," I say. "It hurt me a lot. I thought maybe we would have had something but you were with Gina. You could have broken it off with her, Joe. You don't love her or you didn't love her but you didn't break it off with her. You kept me as the dirty secret I was to you. Can you see how that can fuck a person up? I had to get away, I had to discover myself. I just happened to meet Jesse along the way and he's awesome. I'm sorry, Joe."

"You don't have to apologize to me. I am the one that fucked up," he says. "I should have cut things off with Gina last year but I didn't. I screwed up. I'm glad that you're happy now. Is he a good guy? How old is he? And what does he do?"

"He is a great guy. He's so sweet and treats me like a princess. He's in his 20's well 21," I say, "and he is the farm hand on my Mammaw's farm. He's really good to her and a big help she can't manage that farm by herself."

"Oh," he says, "don't you think he's too old for you?"

"A little," I say, "but I don't care about age just character."

"So you got yourself a country boy, I haven't seen you country since you moved here but I saw some country come out in you today," he smiles.

"Stop smiling at me," I say as I blush.

"Why?" he asks.

"It just does things to me, Joe. I don't think you understand how attractive you are."

"So you think I am attractive huh?" he asks with a smile.

"You're not ugly," I say with a smile and all my feelings I have tried to avoid, tried to push away have come flooding back. "You're gorgeous," I say, "definitely homecoming king material and prom king material," I say.

"And maybe you'll be my prom queen or homecoming queen," he says, "I don't think you understand how beautiful you are."

"Nah," I say, "there are plenty of blonde haired, blue eyed girls, I'm nothing special. There aren't many Pacific Islanders with beautiful brown eyes and kissable plump lips. You're one of a kind, Joe," I say with a smile.

"Kissable huh?" he asks with a smile and before I can stop him he leans in and kisses my lips softly. I don't even fight it. I kiss him back as I pull him closer to me. "Just so you know your little statement to me today made me want you even more," he says.

"Shut up," I smile before I kiss his lips again. I feel his hands slide to the front of my body and down to the bottom of my shirt before he takes his hands up my shirt. I feel his large hands on my body as they find my breasts. I moan against his lips. I could have stopped him from going further as he takes my shirt off, I could have not taken his shirt off but I didn't stop him not even as he kisses my neck softly, trails kisses down my body. I didn't even stop him as he takes my skirt off or kisses my inner thigh before taking off my underwear. I could have stopped him as he places his mouth on my sex, kissing it softly, sucking it softly and making love to me with his tongue but I don't, I don't stop him as he takes off his pants and his briefs. I don't stop him as he makes love to me on my bedroom floor, in the warm heat of the August afternoon. All thoughts of Gina and Jesse gone from our minds as I fall back into who I used to be, the person I tried so hard not to be but Joe will always hold this power over me; the power of making me submit to him. We finish making love to one another as we release ourselves together and he removes himself from me. "Well," I say, "I don't think that was supposed to happen."

"Probably not," he says with a smile as we catch our breath, "but I enjoyed it."

"Of course you did," I say as I hear the front door open. "Get dressed," I say as I stand up. I hurry to dress myself as he does the same. Just as I am fixing my hair my mom opens my bedroom door.

"Joe," she says, "I didn't know you were going to be here."

"I was just leaving," he says, "we'll talk again tomorrow?" he asks.

"See you tomorrow," I say with a soft smile before he walks out of my bedroom he leaves me so confused. I will never understand how I am so weak to him let alone how I can cheat on my boyfriend with him. "Mama, what's up?"

"You, your dad and I need to talk at dinner," she says.

"Is everything okay?" I ask.

"Yes," she says, "I just went to the doctor's today. We need to talk," she says, "so don't make plans."

"Okay," I say before she walks out of my room leaving me anxious at what she needs to talk to us about. I'm worried that she's sick. I don't even know what to expect from her.

*A/N: What did you think of Teagan's talk with the headmaster? Do you think she is doing too much? What about her talk with Joe? Are you surprised she cheated on her boyfriend with Joe? What's wrong with her mom? What do you think she needs to talk to them about? Please review and thank-you for reading.