Maria was in the middle of doing her homework when she heard her cell phone ring. She picked up after about 3 rings.

"Hello?" She spoke into the phone.

"Maria?" She heard her best friend say on the other end, in a trembling voice. She sounded really upset, almost frightened in fact. It was weird. She knew Sharon was sick, but that shouldn't do it.

"Sharon?" Maria asked, her voice now filled with concern "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not. My life is over."

"Okay, don't worry. It's all right. Just calm down and tell me what happened."

"I... um... I... just took a pregnancy test..."

"A pregnancy test? Why would you... oh my god! Sharon, are you...?

"I am! The test was positive. I'm pregnant!" Sharon was now in tears and Maria knew that she would not calm down unless somebody was there to comfort her.

"Are you home alone right now?"

"Yeah..."

"Okay, I'm going to be over there in a few minutes. Just try to calm down until then. Go read a magazine or something."

"Okay..."

Maria ended the call and put her books away. She didn't care if her homework didn't get finished tonight. Her best friend needed her and that was all that mattered right now. She grabbed her car keys and her purse. She quickly let her parents know that she was going over to Sharon's house. She headed out the door, got into her car and started driving to the house she knew the directions to by heart.


Sharon laid down on the couch in her living room as she waited for Maria. She tried to read a magazine like Maria had suggested, but it didn't help. She couldn't concentrate on it. Even playing with her dogs and cats didn't cheer her up, and her pets usually always made her feel better. All she could think about was the fact that she was now pregnant.

Pregnant. The word stuck in her head. It just didn't sound right. It didn't sound like something that she ever thought would happen to her. Maybe to other people, but not her. At least not until she was married. But right now she was only seventeen. She was too young to be a mother. She was supposed to graduate from high school, go to college, get a job as veterinarian and then get married and have children. She wasn't ready to raise a child yet... and neither was Alden, who she still hasn't told about her pregnancy. He still had no idea that his life was over and that he was going to become a father. Then again, he wasn't the one who was stuck carrying the baby. In fact, he didn't even have to be involved at all if he didn't want to be. He could just go off on tour with his band, Mangled Metal, and leave Sharon to take care of the baby all by herself... and that was probably exactly what he was going to do when he found out. Guys have it so easy.

Sharon's thoughts were suddenly shaken when she heard the bell ring. She knew that it was her best friend waiting for her. She got up from the couch and ran to the door.