STORY: FINDING YOU (Alice and Jasper)
Please read Alice and Jaspers story. This will be a continuation of Follow You, posted as a new story.
Chapter 1
ALICE POV
The timer on my phone is set for three minutes. Gripping onto the instruction sheet with shaky hands, I wait.
And I wait some more.
"Please please, please don't let this be positive?" I say a silent prayer, hoping mercy exists.
Never in my life have two lines looked so terrifying. Because that means the test is positive right? The blue and white stick that has the power to change my entire future is starring daggers at me, judging my bad decisions. I am in a public restroom close to the boardwalk where I work part time, scooping ice-cream for rich kids who have nothing better to do.
I laugh, thinking that I too am just a kid. Who is now going to have a kid? Slouching down against the wall of the small bathroom, I take a deep breath and palm my face. This environment is unhygienic as fuck but who am I to judge when there's literally a life growing inside of me.
A mistake. I immediately look down at my flat belly, guilt sucking the last little pride I have left in me. A few months ago I was a seventeen year girl who had a grand plan to live out my senior year like a boss. I had a plan, I remind myself. A really good one that involved college, good grades and maybe even falling in love.
Purple nail polish chip off my left thumb and I stick the thing in my mouth, hoping to hold one thing in my life together. I contemplate calling my best friend Bella, but what can she do? The girl has her own shit to deal with, and let's not forget how secretive she has become lately. My old iPhone has seen better days with multiple cracks on the screen. I put my camera onto selfie mode and stare at my reflection without having any intention to taking a picture. Broken doesn't even begin to describe how I feel staring into empty ocean eyes.
The blue streaks in my hair contrast long dark waves that cascade down my back. Ideally, blue is the colour of choice for this month. I never did like anything permanent, choosing change and temporary choices. My plump lips are free of Chap Stick and my cheeks are flushed from this minor life crisis I think I might be having. The unfortunate reality is that I don't know who to call. Correction, I have got nobody to call. I tuck my phone back into my pocket and begin an inner interrogation.
I wrap my brain around how far along I could be and if I have the balls to make an appointment at the clinic for an abortion. Scratch that, I don't think I'll ever have the willpower to kill an unborn baby. But I'm seventeen; single and freaking broke as hell.
"Hurry up!" Banging on the restroom door brings me back to reality and I mutter a few more curses at the impatient prick ruining my moment of self pity. The judgemental stick that's placed on the sanitation bin goes flying, and I reach out just in time before it hits the floor.
"What is taking you so long?" Another voice demands and I guess this is my cue to skedaddle. I tuck the pregnancy test into my Minnie Mouse sling purse and brush unruly waves out of my face. As I unlock the door, little miss impatient has lost all modesty by bumping me out of the way.
"Watch it, asshole." I think I almost yell, but I am a breathless emotional mess and I'm fucking pregnant.
I am aware that false positive tests exist, but being two months late for my usually regular period does raise alarm bells. And did I mention every smell makes me want to barf? Yesterday in biology Jessica decided it was the perfect time to dig into her PB&J sandwich. The smell alone had me excusing myself and rushing off to the restroom.
I laugh to myself because of the irony, thinking how well acquainted I have become with restrooms. I am pretty sure it was the very place the situation in my belly decided it was time to be conceived.
I have a couple of hours remaining on my shift, but right now my last bit of emotional restraint is declining at a rapid pace.
I text my boss, and explain my situation, using the "I got sick" excuse. He responds with an okay and I shudder at the fact that his message lacks any remorse.
I hop onto my bike that has a basket in the front and head home, because right now all I want to do is bury my head under the covers and pray that this is all one bad dream.
Tomorrow is another day, so I paddle with my head up, shoulders back and brush away my current problems.