Kaitlin, Ethan, and her mom walked into their house with the dog that they got. It was a small golden retriever puppy. Ethan named it Alex. Kaitlin and her mother let Alex go and run through the house until he knocked something over. Kaitlin and her mother looked at each other.

"I'll get it," Kaitlin said.

"Thank you, sweetie," her mother said as she took the dog supplies from her.

Kaitlin ran into the living room and saw Ethan being attacked by Alex's tongue. She smiled and picked up the lamp that the puppy knocked over.

"Kait!" her mother yelled from the kitchen. Kaitlin walked into the kitchen. "Who was that guy that I saw you talking with before you came to the pet store?"

"You saw me talking to a guy?" Kaitlin asked.

"Yeah," he mother said, "He was cute, too. Did he give you his number?"

"Yeah. He wants me to hang out with him."

"Call him up and invite him to dinner," her mother said.

"Ma, I can't. I don't want him to find out about Ethan. If he does, he won't want to be a part of my life anymore just like everyone else!" Kaitlin yelled.

"You need to tell him before he finds out on his own."

"I'd rather have him do that," Kaitlin mumbled.

"Kaitlin!" her mother yelled.

"I don't want him to know that I was raped and didn't have an abortion because I'm against it."

"You were only thirteen."

"And, I should have had it! But, did I? No! I didn't have it because I would be killing someone!"

"Sweetie, calm down," her mother said pulling her into her arms.

"I hate what life is doing to me. It's killing me, ma. It's killing me," she cried, "I can't take this anymore."

"Doesn't Ethan make you happy?" her mother asked.

"He does. When he walks into a room, I smile because I know that a part of me will always be here if I'm gone."

"Don't do that," her mother said, "We both need you."

"Believe me," Kaitlin began, "I want to do it. It's all I've wanted since I had Ethan. But, he stopped me whenever he came to me and not you."

"You're his mother. He loves you."

"I know," Kaitlin said wiping her eyes.

"Call up that boy," her mother demanded, "You need to get out."

Kaitlin smiled at how determined her mother was to get her out of the house.

"I lied to him, though. I told him that I was busy all weekend."

"Tell him that you lied because you were scared. Don't worry about Ethan. He and I will go out for a grandmother/grandson day."

"Are you sure? What about the puppy?" Kaitlin asked.

"You're father will be home to take care of it," her mother said.

Bradin sat in his house watching television.

"Hello, dear. How was your day?" his aunt asked walking into the room to get to the kitchen.

"It was okay," he said as he searched through the channels for something to watch.

"Nothing interesting happened?" she asked sitting down next to him.

"Not really," he said as he continued looking at the television.

"Bradin," his brother said walking up to him.

"What?" he asked irritated, "What do you all want from me? There's someone that I want to hang out with and she won't hang out with me! She's just like everyone else that I know! She thinks she's too good for me!"

"I just came to tell you that your phone was ringing in our room and I answered it," he said handing his brother his phone.

Bradin took the phone. "Hello?" he asked.

"Do you really think that about me?" he heard. It was Kaitlin.

"Kaitlin, don't listen to what I just said. I was only mad that you said you wouldn't hang out with me. I thought that you said no because you hated me or something."

"I'm scared to hang out with you," she said, "But, I will. Is tomorrow okay?"

"Tomorrow is perfect," he said smiling.

Kaitlin hung up the phone, sighed, and ran her fingers through her hair. Her mother walked into the room and sat next to her.

"Tomorrow at noon, I have to meet Bradin near the board walk," Kaitlin said knowing why her mother was there.

"Ethan wants you," her mother said.

Kaitlin walked into Ethan's room and sat on his bed. "Hey, sweetie," he said.

"Mommy!" he yelled hugging her. She smiled and hugged him back. She let him go and tucked him into bed. "Grandma is taking me to the zoo tomorrow," he told her.

"Really? Will you take pictures of the tigers for me?" she asked.

"Yes," he said.

"What's your favorite animal?" she asked him.

"Hyena!" he yelled.

"The ones from The Lion King that do this?" she asked as he began to tickle him he laughed and screeched for her to stop. She smiled and stopped. She kissed his forehead. "I love you, sweetie," she said softly.

"I love you, too mommy," he said.

"Good night. I'll see you in the morning," she said as she walked to the door. She turned around and looked at her son who had his eyes closed. She shut the light off, closed his door, and went to her own room.

She sat on her bed crying. She didn't know if what she was doing was right in any way. She was really confused and needed help.