I looked at the door to my school and took a deep breath. I hadn't been to school in the week since my pregnancy announcement. Luckily, school was almost over for the year. I rearranged my uniform nervously, and stepped in.
"Ellie!" The cheerleading captain, Jen, ran up to me. "You're back! This is fumblastical! Just in time to sign up for cheer camp!"
I rolled my eyes. "I'm not going to cheer camp this year, Jen. Oh, and fumblastical isn't a word, dear."
She gasped. "Ellie, no, you're our best flyer! Does this have something to do your disappearance?" She looked me carefully. "You're not on drugs, right? You'll clear a drug test; we'll make sure of it."
"No, Jen," I said, already exhausted by my best friend's energetic babbling. I leaned close, and whispered, "I'm pregnant. I'm going to have a baby six months."
"OMG! Who's?"
"Not so loud," I hissed. "Tom's."
"You hooked up with your super-hot step-brother?" she whispered, clearly jealous. "Ew; that's like incest."
I snorted. "I wouldn't call it 'hooking-up'. And it's not any of your business."
"Wait," Jen paused for an electric-charged second. "No, Ellie. Is that why you were MIA in March, and how you broke your wrist? Do you want to go talk to the school physiologist?"
My gut lurched as I thought about the real reason behind the fracture. Luke, I thought with sudden longing. Where are you now? "It's not your business, Jennifer. Now, buzz off. I've got Algebra 2 first thing this morning."
"Wait, do you love him now?"
I froze mid-step. "Who?" She doesn't know about Luke. I reminded myself. He's safe.
"Tom, silly. The other girls would kill to be in your shoes. Minus the baby, of course."
"No," I sighed with relief. Of course, no knows who Luke is. He's my secret keeper. "Honestly, are you stupid? Or just clueless?"
"Don't go all hormonal on me, Winters! I can get you kicked off the squad." She said this loud enough to make our classmates stop and stare.
"Does it look like I care about the squad right now?" I threw my bag over my shoulder. "I'm going public next year." I leaned in again. "If Tom doesn't kill me first."
As I walked away, I saw Jen's face. It was nearly as red as her hair. "You'll regret this, freshman! Your name will mud when I'm done with you! You'll never cheer again!"
Diva, I snorted. You'll probably wish you were my shoes before long. Yours will be willing, I'm sure. I said, nothing, and walked to class, crying.
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Don't worry, folks. This chapter wasn't necessary, but like I said before, POV pattern. Luke will be coming back to Seattle next chapter. What will happen next? Review me with what you think will happen.
