Elise slammed down a book on my nightstand. "What is it?" I asked.

"It's an 'Everything You Need to Know and Do When You're a Teen Mom' book. You better read this, it cost me forty dollars! You think they would make it cheaper to get for teen moms." Then she looked at me. "Kelsey, you're due in five months and you're still not prepared. You- you don't even know where you'll be living."

"I know, Elise, I know. I've gotten a job at the restaurant down the street. I've been working double shifts since last weekend."

"It's not just that! You need to go see a doctor."

"It's like, I've been dreaming and pretty soon I'll wake up and I won't be pregnant anymore, you know?"

"But you are," she continued. "and you need to get ready to bring this baby into the world."

"I know, I know," I whispered. "I'm pregnant."

"Look, I've gotten you an appointment tomorrow after school… I can go with you, if you want."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

"No," I said and took her hand. "Thank you, Elise, for everything. You -- you've been more than a friend to me."

"I am," she replied smiling. "I'm you sister in Christ. What else am I supposed to do?" I hugged her and that night thanked God with all my heart for her.

We walked into the clean smelling doctors' office the next day and confirmed my appointment. "Hi. I'm Kelsey Anderson; I have an appointment to see Dr. Gangee today at four o'clock." I told the mean looking woman at the desk. I told her I was a Canadian citizen and handed her my medical card.

"Yes…," she replied looking me up and down. When I handed it to her and she turned to her assistant and whispered with a raised eyebrow, "Only seventeen… It'll be a dead end for her life…" She turned back to me and said in a dry voice, "The doctor will see you when it's you're turn."

I went back with Elise and looked around us. The office was pretty empty except for a girl and another couple. I imagined what their life was like. It reminded me of a game I used to play with my friends when I was little, at the mall. We would follow someone around and try and imagine what their age was, who they were buying for and what their home life was like.

From the looks it, the woman looked like she was about twenty-four. She was wearing a nice yellow flowered sundress. She was just married, about two years ago, and they had been trying for a child ever since. He looked like he loved her very much. He had his arm around her and her head lightly rested on his strong shoulder. She still wore her engagement ring as well as her wedding ring. She looked like she was about to explode, she was so far into her pregnancy. They both looked very happy. I smiled but then my gaze fell upon the girl sitting in the corner, alone.

Wow, she was young. Not any older than thirteen. She was an awkward girl, her red hair falling around her shoulders, freckles threatening to devour her face and arms, with braces forcing her mouth to remain slightly open. She wasn't showing yet though. Her eyes were a bright blue but I could tell she had seen things she shouldn't have and her pain was obvious. Her eyes were faintly red, showing she had been crying. "I'll be right back," I told Elise.

"Where you going?" she asked.

"Nowhere. I'll be back," I replied and stepped across the waiting room to sit next to the girl. "Hi. Mind if I sit here?" I said tentatively. She didn't move her gaze from the floor and it was only then that I saw her hearing aid. I gently touched her shoulder and repeated what I had said. She looked up hesitantly, shook her head and tried to give me a weak smile. "How far along are you?" I asked trying my best to mouth the words.

"Four months," she said. "You?"

"Five," then I thought of something. I had learnt sign language years ago but I still remembered how to spell my name so I pointed to myself and signed, "Kelsey". Her face lit up. "What's your name?"

"Alex."

How ironic was that! "My baby's father's name is Alex," I said.

"My baby's father is my foster father," she said boldly, setting her face waiting for my reaction. Her statement startled me. Then I was thrust back into my own memories of my father.

There was me at three years old, in my closet. He would be home soon. I heard the car door close and heard his yells come into my room. He pulled me out of the closet and yelled things I didn't understand. He picked me up and slapped my face.

I fast forwarded five years. There was me trembling in my bed. Maybe he wouldn't come home today. Maybe he would decide to go over to his girlfriend's house instead. I heard the car door slam. I heard his drunken laughter down the hall. I pulled the covers tighter around me. But he didn't stay away that night. He never stayed away. The next morning, before he woke up, I took an extra long shower. I scrubbed and scrubbed until I bled. That morning I put on an extra layer of makeup. Hopefully they all won't see what he had done.

"Alexandria Carman!" said the voice on the loud speaker and I was yanked back to reality. Alex got up when the doctor came forward but turned back to smile at me. I numbly walked back to sit with Elise.

"What's up?" asked Elise.

"She was raped, by her foster dad," I said, disgusted.

"How old is she?" she asked.

"I don't know. Thirteen maybe."

"Gosh, guys who take advantage like that just make me mad."

"Yeah… me too."