Kirsty noticed that Jade was trying to make more of an effort with her, which didn't suit her at all. She had dragged Kirsty to the diner, when an afternoon staring into space would have suited her perfectly. She didn't feel like talking to people, so was hardly overjoyed to see Nick and Seb sitting at a table.
"Hi Kirsty, " said Nick, with his usual cheeky grin.
"Long time no see, " said Seb.
"Likewise, " said Kirsty. She sat opposite Seb, while Jade sat facing Nick. Jade and Nick proceeded in acting the perfect couple, leaving Kirsty and Seb to sit with each other while they canoodled at a table nearby.
"That's nice of her, " said Kirsty. "Invite your sister out, and then ignore her."
"That's how life is, "said Seb nonchalantly. "So how are you anyway? We haven't seen you down here since you got back."
"I'm fine, " lied Kirsty. Of course she wasn't fine, this pregnancy thing was hardly pleasant. She changed the subject. "I'm hungry, I fancy cake, do you want some cake?" Kirsty wasn't lying now. She'd heard about cravings during pregnancy, and now she definitely needed some chocolate cake. Leaving Seb, she went up to the counter and ordered cake, from an inquisitive Colleen.
"So that's chocolate cake you'd like Kirsty Sutherland, it was baked fresh today, it's got an awful lot of calories," piped Colleen, as she cut a large piece of cake. "Where did you go to for three months, I hope you weren't off with a mystery boyfriend, I'm surprised your parents didn't bother to find you sooner. And why aren't you doing homework or doing your chores, instead of ordering chocolate cake, frittering away your parents money? What is the world coming to?!"
"It's my money actually, " said Kirsty as she snatched the cake.
"Oooh I say!" Colleen went back into the kitchen, no doubt to gossip about Kirsty's apparent rudeness to Alf. Kirsty went to sit back down, and started devouring her piece of cake.
"Wow, that's a lot of cake!" said Nick, looking over. "Can I have some?"
"Get your own!" exclaimed Kirsty. No one was going to take her cake away from her.
"Oooh touchy."
"You can get your own cake if you'd like Nick, " said Jade trying to keep the peace. "Nick suggested we go to Irene's afterwards, for videos and pizza."
"Yeah, and Irene's got loads of alcohol in the house, she wouldn't notice if some went missing. She's staying with Paris all week, we'll have the house to ourselves Jade." Kirsty felt physically sick, seeing Jade kiss Nick, and looked at Seb abruptly, a slightly less sickening option.
"Can we go already?!"
***
At Irene's the atmosphere wasn't much better, with the Jade, Seb and Nick gorging on alcohol, and Kirsty gorging on pizza. Jade was trying to show her wild side, much to the annoyance of Kirsty, and was canoodling with Nick at every opportunity.
"Kirsty, why aren't you drinking anything?" enquired Nick, in between kissing Jade. "Anyone would think you were the sensible twin!"
"I'm lining the stomach, " said Kirsty with her mouth full. "Anyway, isn't it a bit early to be drinking, haven't you got school tomorrow?"
"School, Schmul, I'm having fun and it's about time you did too!"
Kirsty winced as he started kissing Jade again. She used to be kissed like that, better than that, more than that. Kirsty sighed. She longed to be kissed again; she longed to see Kane.
"So, how you doin?" asked Seb. Great, thought Kirsty. The last thing she needed was a drunken Seb, drooling over her.
"Haven't you asked me this already?"
"Hmmmm, well I'm asking you again." Seb held out his bottle to Kirsty. "Here, try this. It's wicked."
"Seb don't be such a dag, I'm not drinking anything." Drinking wasn't best recommended in pregnancy. She didn't want to hurt the baby, she still thought of it as a part of Kane.
"Well, well, well, Kirsty, look at them." He gestured to Jade and Nick canoodling behind the sofa. "They're having fun. Why can't we have fun?" Seb started touching Kirsty's knee, Kirsty grimaced.
"Get off me Seb." She kicked him. "Listen Jade I'm sick of this; I'm going home. I never wanted to come out with you anyway."
Jade popped up from behind the sofa, a little flustered. "Wait, we haven't watched the movie yet."
"I don't care, I've got more important things to think about!"
"I thought you liked this type of thing, " said Jade. "Didn't you do all this stuff before you went away? What's happened to you?"
"I've grown up, " said Kirsty. "And I think you should too."
"Whatever, " said Jade, going back to Nick. Kirsty left Irene's, feeling slightly queasy. Jade rarely wanted to get drunk before, it seemed like they'd had a role reversal. Kirsty used to love doing wild things, but after being away she'd put things into perspective. It wasn't really worth it.
***
Shelley sorted the last load of washing, while thinking about Kirsty's change of heart. Finally a sense of stability and discipline would be installed into her daughter. Her family was on the road to recovery, and with Christmas coming up soon it seemed that this year would be perfect. Shelley checked in the pockets of the clothes as she loaded them into the washing machine, and to her annoyance, a folded piece of paper had been left in Kirsty's jeans. These children, she thought, I've told them time and time again to check their pockets. If Shelley hadn't noticed a certain word on the piece of paper, she wouldn't have unfolded it, but she did. It showed a blue title, 'Your Pregnancy- the first eight weeks.' Shelley studied the page for a moment, and racked her brains trying to think of an alternative reason why Kirsty might have it. A school project? No, she didn't go to school. Maybe for a friend? It was unlikely. Shelley had a moment of realisation. Jade had come to her earlier, telling her that she thought Kirsty was bulimic. She was eating loads, and regularly being sick. Put together with her new lethargic attitude, and sudden reluctance for rollercoasters, and you had one answer. Pregnancy.