A/N - Aaah...I just need to purge the rest of this story out of my system! It's not coming easily, I must admit...but I'm updating a little to remind you that I'm not rolling over and giving up. Though it is tempting...For some crazy reason, I feel the need to end this story with an "everything happens for a reason" kind of theme. So we'll see what happens. As always, suggestions are welcome and appreciated, as are reviews! Thanks to the following for reviewing the last chap: HandsOff, Jesusrocks, Jane and Adam, spikes-storm, AL, Celestial Aurora, and especially lemontwist291 (long review!!!).
Much to Joan's dismay, the lunch lady had been just that - a lunch lady. No omniscience whatsoever - she couldn't seem to even understand the words "No thank you," which Joan had semi-urgently uttered right before Lunch Lady had plopped a grayish mound of potatoes on her tray. Joan felt her stomach sloshing, and she hoped she wouldn't throw up. She searched the lunchroom, and found Avery sitting all by herself.
"Hey," Joan said awkwardly, seating herself across from Avery.
"Oh, hi," Avery replied, beaming. She seemed so happy just to have someone to sit with.
Joan returned the smile, and slid her tray away in disgust.
"Here," Avery said, handing Joan a packet of crackers. "I always bring some with me, just in case."
"Thanks," Joan said, accepting the crackers. She conciously wondered if people were staring and thinking, "Ah, so now we have a pregnant girls' table?"
They didn't really talk much, just sought solace in one another's company, and simply knowing that somebody finally understood. But Avery was so...sad. Joan felt the desire to befriend her, whether it was what God intended her to do or not. She invited her over to her house the next night, since her parents would be out at some special banquet for Kevin's newspaper staff.
The two girls settled on Joan's couch, each leaning against an end with their snack of choice - ketchup and butter finger sandwiches. Avery seemed thrilled to be in Joan's company, but the looming sadness clung to her like static.
"So," Joan began."What's your due date?"
Avery chewed a bite of sandwich thoughtfully.
"February 10th," she replied. "I'm beating you."
She grinned and chuckled slightly.
"Good," Joan said. "That way you can tell me what it's like."
Avery's eyes darkened.
"Well," she said. "It's going to be pretty different for you than it is for me."
Joan frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Avery slid her empty plate onto the coffee table, and drew her legs up in front of her round tummy.
"Because you'll have Adam there with you," Avery replied. "I won't have anybody."
Joan felt her eyes sting with tears. How could any guy want to leave Avery like that? She was so nice, and, as far as guys' minds operate, she was very pretty. If Adam would stay with Joan, why wouldn't whoever this guy was stay with Avery? Joan heard the answer echo through the back of her mind: Because Adam loves you.
"Who is he?"
Joan didn't mean to ask it - it just popped out. She felt stupid, and flushed with embarrassment.
Avery was quiet a moment.
"I'm sorry, it's none of my business," Joan insisted.
"He'd probably kill me if I told anyone," Avery said. "Our seeing each other, it was kind of a secret. He said it would be better that way, too much publicity is bad for romance, or something dumb like that. I mean, he'd totally blow me off in school, but when we were alone together, he made me feel like the most special person...I can't believe I was so stupid."
Joan was dying to know who it was. She held her breath, wondering if Avery would stop there.
"Avery, who would do something like that to you?" she asked finally.
Avery's glistening eyes stared off into the distance. She sighed.
"Matthew Friedman."
A/N - Had to throw in a twist, that's the best I had! I was a heartbeat away from making it Kevin...but that would've been a tad too unbelievable, yes?
Much to Joan's dismay, the lunch lady had been just that - a lunch lady. No omniscience whatsoever - she couldn't seem to even understand the words "No thank you," which Joan had semi-urgently uttered right before Lunch Lady had plopped a grayish mound of potatoes on her tray. Joan felt her stomach sloshing, and she hoped she wouldn't throw up. She searched the lunchroom, and found Avery sitting all by herself.
"Hey," Joan said awkwardly, seating herself across from Avery.
"Oh, hi," Avery replied, beaming. She seemed so happy just to have someone to sit with.
Joan returned the smile, and slid her tray away in disgust.
"Here," Avery said, handing Joan a packet of crackers. "I always bring some with me, just in case."
"Thanks," Joan said, accepting the crackers. She conciously wondered if people were staring and thinking, "Ah, so now we have a pregnant girls' table?"
They didn't really talk much, just sought solace in one another's company, and simply knowing that somebody finally understood. But Avery was so...sad. Joan felt the desire to befriend her, whether it was what God intended her to do or not. She invited her over to her house the next night, since her parents would be out at some special banquet for Kevin's newspaper staff.
The two girls settled on Joan's couch, each leaning against an end with their snack of choice - ketchup and butter finger sandwiches. Avery seemed thrilled to be in Joan's company, but the looming sadness clung to her like static.
"So," Joan began."What's your due date?"
Avery chewed a bite of sandwich thoughtfully.
"February 10th," she replied. "I'm beating you."
She grinned and chuckled slightly.
"Good," Joan said. "That way you can tell me what it's like."
Avery's eyes darkened.
"Well," she said. "It's going to be pretty different for you than it is for me."
Joan frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Avery slid her empty plate onto the coffee table, and drew her legs up in front of her round tummy.
"Because you'll have Adam there with you," Avery replied. "I won't have anybody."
Joan felt her eyes sting with tears. How could any guy want to leave Avery like that? She was so nice, and, as far as guys' minds operate, she was very pretty. If Adam would stay with Joan, why wouldn't whoever this guy was stay with Avery? Joan heard the answer echo through the back of her mind: Because Adam loves you.
"Who is he?"
Joan didn't mean to ask it - it just popped out. She felt stupid, and flushed with embarrassment.
Avery was quiet a moment.
"I'm sorry, it's none of my business," Joan insisted.
"He'd probably kill me if I told anyone," Avery said. "Our seeing each other, it was kind of a secret. He said it would be better that way, too much publicity is bad for romance, or something dumb like that. I mean, he'd totally blow me off in school, but when we were alone together, he made me feel like the most special person...I can't believe I was so stupid."
Joan was dying to know who it was. She held her breath, wondering if Avery would stop there.
"Avery, who would do something like that to you?" she asked finally.
Avery's glistening eyes stared off into the distance. She sighed.
"Matthew Friedman."
A/N - Had to throw in a twist, that's the best I had! I was a heartbeat away from making it Kevin...but that would've been a tad too unbelievable, yes?