Betty POV
Walking through the school halls with Toni I notice that everyone is giving her evil glares, especially the pregnant girls who seem to travel in smaller clicks, or occasionally one big posse. Judging by the looks today, speaking out against the pregnancy trend won't exactly be allowed here unless you want almost half of the girls in the student body to make your life a living hell. They think they can treat people however they want now, and they have people like Polly to encourage it. I wonder why the principle won't just add a daycare to this place.
"What's so good about it anyway? You know, having a baby." I asked
"Well, for some strange reason most girls can't wait to have kids, even though I think they're all monsters." Toni said
We both chuckle a little. A random girl walking by gives us a nasty look. Toni has always said she'd never have children which is part of the reason she's so strongly against this trend.
"They think they can handle them now which just proves how delusional girls at this school are." Toni said
"Tell me about it. Did you know that Veronica is actually considering getting pregnant?" I asked
"What the fuck? She doesn't even have a boyfriend." Toni said
"Like any guy would even want to touch a girl here now. Archie is just lucky to have someone like me who's not trying to make him a father at sixteen." I said
"Right!" Toni agreed
"Hey guys!" Cheryl said
She drapes her arm around my shoulder. Ethel comes along as well and the four of us begin to walk together. If I'm going to feel like an outsider here, I might as well feel like one with these girls.
"Has anyone seen Veronica?" Cheryl asked
"She's probably somewhere trying to get pregnant. Yesterday she called me and tried to convince me to do it, too." I said
"No not Veronica!" Ethel said
"Yes our Veronica!" I said
Toni sighs.
"She's joined them. There's not much we can do now but let her go." Toni said
I don't want to give up on Veronica but her mind seems to already be made. What would make her think she's ready for a baby now? Josie? She doesn't even have a high school diploma yet, or a boyfriend for that matter.
"Never mind that nonsense, did anyone do Chemistry homework?" Toni asked
She eyes me. She knows I always do mine so I go in my bag and slip the packet into her hand. She tucks it away in her binder.
"Thanks Betty, I know I can always count on you for that." Toni said
"Which is why I always put it at the front of my backpack." I said, smirking
Up ahead I can see Evelyn leaning on her locker with a group of expecting students, two of them being Josie and Veronica. They seemed to have all been talking up until they saw us, then they all just start to stare. They must still be mad about yesterday in the cafeteria. But what do they expect? They're the ones telling everyone it's okay to get knocked up. I nudge Toni and point to them. She only shrugs.
"Oh look, here comes the anti-pregnancy crew!" Evelyn announced
All of the girls around us in the hall start to point and laugh, all except a few who give us I'm sorry looks. The boys continue to talk and playfully shove each other back and forth, not giving us the slightest bit of attention. Most of them act like the pregnancy thing isn't going on at all. They completely turn a blind eye to it.
"I never said I was against pregnancy, neither of us did." I said
"Uh I'm pretty sure the emo bitch with you did. Toni right?" Evelyn said
She crosses her arms over her big belly and taps her foot impatiently. She's baiting Toni. We all know this.
"If you want to keep that baby of yours alive I would shut my mouth." Toni warned
Evelyn gasps and the other girls mimic her.
"That sounds like a threat to me, I'm afraid I'll have to talk to Principal Weatherbee about this. See it's people like you who challenge the safety of our little ones." Evelyn said
"You idiot! You shouldn't even be having little ones now while you're in high school!" Toni said
"Whatever let the jealousy talk." Evelyn said
She puts her hand up as if she's done listening to us. Then she turns to Josie and Veronica.
"Aren't you guys so glad you have us as friends now? We'd never make you feel bad about having a baby young." Evelyn said
"Veronica isn't even pregnant!" Cheryl said
"But she's working towards it. And aren't you the traitor who was supposed to get pregnant to support Polly and didn't? I don't even have much to say to you... traitor. You should be agreeing with us right now. Let's go girls, we need to leave this trash." Evelyn said
They all turn their backs to us to leave in the other direction. When the posse start to walk off, Veronica hesitantly turns back around. I almost yell at her to snap back into reality.
"Wait!" Veronica cried out
We all look each other.
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't and end up rejected like you guys." Veronica said
There's so much I could say but I spit out the realest thing that comes to mind. I don't want Veronica to be like these girls. Just like them one day she's going to regret making a stupid decision.
"Don't you want this baby to have a good life? It can't if you don't have a job and you're still in high school. That just not the way the world works!" I said
"She can get a job before she has her baby Betty!" Josie snapped
"And some of us can actually take care of a baby while we're in high school." Evelyn said
Evelyn flips her blonde hair and links her arm through Veronica's. At this point I don't know who's worst Polly or Evelyn.
"She's a goner." Ethel said
Toni nods.
The first half of the school day mostly goes by the same. Just a lot of girls either talking about getting pregnant, being pregnant, or who's getting pregnant. It's so hard to focus when that's all I hear. On top of that, they get to eat and go to restroom whenever they want which I don't think is fair. They make so many class disruption it's nearly impossible to learn.
"Not that most of you care much about school now judging by your bellies, but I still have to teach so turn to page 237 in your green textbooks." Mr. Featherhead instructed
Most of the pregnant girls giggle amongst each other about their babies, and the two next to me look in a baby catalogue for things to buy. It makes me a little sick to my stomach. I can only stare at them.
"Is there a problem?" One girl asked
The other rolls her eyes at me.
"Don't waste your time with this loser. She's one of the ones from that hater lunch table." The second girl said
They both erupt into laughter. It makes me laugh too.
"Jealous that your baby's going to come out with an IQ twice as better as yours is? You clearly need school if you think you should be sixteen and pregnant." I said
"Oh shut up you stupid nerd!" Ginger shouted
"You shut up!" Josie yelled
My eyes go wide. Hearing Josie stick up for me was surprising since I thought she hated me after yesterday.
"Both of you quiet before I send you both to principal's office with a referral." Mr. Featherhead yelled
Poor guy. He has hormonal pregnant girls to deal with all day. There will no longer be a time he's not exhausted getting off of work.
"Everyone should be on page 237 now." Mr. Featherhead said
Mr. Featherhead sighs and takes a hand through his thinning hair.
"Ginger will begin us reading since she's so eager to speak all of a sudden." Mr. Featherhead said
We all listen attentively as Ginger starts us off. During her turn Josie turns around in her seat and smiles at me, I smile at her back and return to the textbook.
Lunch seems to come around slower without Josie to keep my company in the class before. When I walk to the lunch table I see that Archie is already there talking with all of my friends. He has his head propped up on his hand, leaning on the table. His hair is a little messy but it looks adorable.
"Hi!" I said
I come behind him and kiss his cheek. When he turns around I kiss him on his mouth and plop down next to him.
"What are you doing here baby? You never sit here at lunch." I said
"Yeah I know but I don't want anyone bothering you because of what Toni said yesterday." Archie said
She cuts him off.
"Which was totally called for." Toni said
I laugh.
"Yeah I know it was. But no one's going to mess with my girlfriend because of it. You guys have your opinion too, and people are going to respect that." Archie said
"How exactly do you feel about all of this stuff?" Cheryl wondered
Archie shakes his head.
"Well, it's all kind of crazy I guess. I was expecting like one or two girls but not like fifty." Archie said
"Exactly, and to think I'd be one of them if I didn't have my own mind." I said
"Maybe we should throw some type of party for being different! And no pregnant chicks would be allowed." Ethel suggested
Toni laughs and snorts a little.
"The party would be pretty lame since so many well liked people wouldn't be able to go, that's the funny thing." Toni said
"Damn it. That's so true. Just look at them." Ethel said
We all turn our heads to the other side of the lunch room where all of the pregnant girls look happy nibbling on their heathy foods and chatting it up, some with their boyfriends at their side. Evelyn is giggling to Josie about something and Veronica is taking a selfie with Ginger, one of Cheryl's ex-best friends. I quickly look away when I see her gaze shift to the table. The others at our table must notice too as they all go back to eating the not-so-nutritional school lunch.
"They don't seem to be too bothered about being pregnant." Archie said
"Because they're not, baby. That's what they wanted. This trend is spreading like wildfire." I said
"And soon enough everyone will be pregnant." A nasally voice behind me said
We all turn around and see Midge Klump staring back at us. She had the third highest GPA of the Junior class and has never even been spotted talking to a boy. I'm sure no one has any doubt she won't be having a baby anytime soon.
"It's just a few of us with sense around here. But when our high school reunion comes we'll see who it was that made the right and wrong decisions." Midge said
"Agreed." I said
We all turn back around.
It's not that I don't want to talk to Midge but she's always been very awkward, and I can't see myself holding a good conversation with her. It's almost like a pig eating bacon. It just shouldn't happen. Or like all of these girls having babies.
I decide to skip dinner and just go right to my school work to get things off of my mind. Once I'm done I dial Josie's number. Part of me hopes she doesn't pick up the other part of me hopes she answers on the first ring. I'm very disappointed in her for doing what she did but at the end of the day I still love her. She's going to need me by her side when things get crazy. And something tells me all won't be calm for long.
"I just called to say thanks for backing me in Mr. Featherhead's class. That was kind of cool." I said
It almost a feels different talking to Josie. I still can't believe she hid a pregnancy from us for three whole months.
"Can we just stop this? You're closer to me than anyone else. Sure we might not agree on the pregnancy thing but we can still be friends." Josie said
I breath a sigh of relieve. Thank goodness.
"I've been waiting on you to say that forever. I missed you today!" I said
"I missed you too Betty, oh my gosh!" Josie said
"Did you enjoy Evelyn all day?" I joked
She goes quiet for a moment. I'm afraid she's going to say what hoping she won't.
"I actually did. Evelyn is really good company even if she seems kind of evil. And she doesn't make me feel bad about choosing to have a baby now." Josie said
"I'm so sorry if I did that to you. I was just kind of mad yesterday since I still don't support the whole trend." I said
"It's okay." Josie said
I smile at those words.
"So we're friends again?" I asked
"You know it girl! Meet me in the hall near the vending machine tomorrow... I have to go." Josie said
"Okay bye!" I said
I hang up the phone and open up my Instagram app. The first thing I see is a picture of Polly holding her twins, the boy's in a blue striped onesie and the girl's in a pink striped onesie. I can't help but to admire the photo. I might not be in agreement about the chaos she caused but it really does look like she loves the twins a lot. I have to give her that.