'So have you heard then?'

'Heard what?' said Chris quietly.

'That I'm pregnant.'

Chris nodded but couldn't speak for a moment. 'Is it–?'

Bex nodded. 'I'm sorry,' she said and breathed deeply to try and stop herself from breaking down.

'No, I'm sorry,' said Chris. 'I should have realised what you were going through, I shouldn't have just left you. I should have been more careful in the first place. In fact, maybe there shouldn't have been a first place.'

'No!' cried Bex. 'Please don't say that! Please don't say you regret it! It's the only thing that's kept me going, knowing that at least we both loved each other.' Her voice trailed off.

Chris pinched the bridge of his nose and shook slightly.

'No, I won't lie. I did love you. And I still do. But I've made a mess of it now, and I don't know what I can do. Has Jess told you that we–?'

Bex nodded, tears splashing down her nose. 'Would it break her heart if we told her?'

Chris gave up, and let himself cry.

'I don't know,' he admitted, his voice breaking. 'I care about her, but not in the same way. I just don't want to hurt her any more – it was a stupid mistake and I don't want to make it worse.'

'It's such a mess,' sobbed Bex. Chris got up and came and sat next to her. He pulled her into a hug, and squeezed her tightly. He then pulled away and looked at her.

'We can't tell your mum. She won't be able to bear it, that I slept with both of her daughters.'

'But you didn't know we were sisters, or how old we were,' said Bex.

'I know, but do you think it will make any difference?' said Chris, sniffing.

Bex wiped a tear from his cheek.

'I'll have to have an abortion. That will sort this out, at least.'

'No!' said Chris. 'Please, no! You can't hurt the only innocent thing in all of this. It's a baby – it's half you and half me.'

'Sorry, but I have to,' said Bex, finding her voice steadier now she had made a decision.

'You can't,' said Chris. 'The baby's the only thing that will get us through this terrible situation with any hope.'

'No, it's not,' said Bex firmly. 'It's the thing that's causing the whole problem! And anyway, you haven't exactly been there to help me since I got pregnant! You can't just tell me what to do, now!'

'Bex, I didn't abandon you – you left me!' said Chris. 'If I'd realised what you were going through, I'd never have let you go.'

Bex knew he was right, but she was beyond caring.

'But if you'd really loved me anyway, you wouldn't have let me go in the first place. You'd have helped me, you'd have let me live with you and beat my addiction. But no, you let me go back to living on the streets, getting paid to sh** any dirty old pervert with a bit of money or drugs.'

'But I didn't realise, Bex. I know I should have done, and I'm sorry, but you lied to me, too. You didn't tell me your real name, and you said you had a house and that you were a teacher.' Chris' eyes were red and swollen, and he sat down and wept. 'I'm so sorry, I just didn't realise.'

Bex knew he was genuinely sorry, and that she needed his help and love. But she couldn't cope with it, and she ran out, leaving Chris alone and heartbroken.

Bex dialled Janeece's number, and she sat in a bus stop to protect her from the rain.

'Hello?'

'Hi Jan, it's Bex.'

'Bex! Are you OK? Are you crying?'

'Janeece, I'm going for an abortion tomorrow, and I need someone to come with me. Would you be able to come?'

'Um, yeah, sure, don't you want your mum to come?'

'No, I'm not telling her. Can you just say you have a baby scan or something?'

'Bex, are you sure this is a good idea?'

'Yeah, I'm certain. Can you meet me in there at five to eleven tomorrow? The appointment's at eleven.'

'OK, Bex, but please think about this overnight.'

'Yeah, will do. Thanks, Janeece, see you tomorrow.'

And Bex was left alone, and as she walked home, the rain mixed with her tears so no one except her knew how much she was hurting.