The Life of Bay

A young teen finds her in a tough spot during the first semester of her senior year. After much pleading she gives in to her friends and goes to a party, the night changes the rest of her life.

Sitting in the school bathroom I wait, two pairs of converse, red and white; sit outside the stall anxiously taping the floor. I finishing peeing and cap the plastic test.
"Here!" I say shoving it under the stall door. Long fingers with pastel green nail polish grab it Libby I think to myself their feet tap faster as I flush the toilet and unhinge the door. Libby's face is the first thing I see, and its so pale for her tan complexion; with brown eyes light as dry soil. Alex gasps. No no no no my mind cries. "Bay... you're 17..." she states like I don't know. I snatch the stupid plastic test out of Libby's hands and stare at the small faded pink. "NO." I cry. My knees try to give out as Alex places her hand on my shoulder
"Dude... what are you-" she looks at Libby who is shaking her head no.
Im speechless, placing my hand on my stomach. "I'm screwed." My voice shakes, the bell rings startling all three of us. "I really gotta go to 4th..." Libby whispers. I nod, still frozen with test in my hand. "I think I'm gonna go home.." I can hardly hear myself speak. "Want me to come?" Alex offers. "I... I don't know." "I love you Bay. Call me later ok?" Libby says placing a hand on my shoulder. I nod.. "love you too." My mind is blank. "What about him." Alex puts emphasise on the word him. Anger boils in my chest. He promised he had a condom on.. "he never even called you after that night.... but he has a responsibility" I can hear the bathrooms main door creak. Alex snatches the test and throws it in my bookbag. "Lets go before the next period starts." She insists pushing me toward the door. Girls flood in laughing, giggling. I follow her in a haze. I spot him at his locker and I stop. Barley noticing half the football team surrounding him. Alex turns to look at me then him. Her blue eyes burning into me as she opens her mouth; predicting what i was about to do. "Bay wai-" but I'm charging him, hand reaching into my bag. I grip the plastic test that told me my life was over and I'll be damned if his isn't too. "Hey Steven." I call out his buddies stare at me questioning, as he turns around eyes meeting mine. Hazel. The night we were together creeps into my brain but I push it away. "Bailey!" Alex calls. I shove the test at him. "Now what." Tears swell in my eyes and he flips it over and sees the pink plus sign clear as day now. His face white, shock, panic, then nothing. "Who have you been sleeping with?" Laughter slipping from his lips his buddies crowding him joining the laugh fest. Alex pops up right next to me, "wow Steven real mature," she spits. "Wont be laughing when you have to pay child support. " she grabs me and the test. Dragging me away as I watch his face go pale again. I can hear his buddies surrounding him "dude" "knocked up" "your dad's gonna kill you."
The outside light blinds me as Alex leads me to her car. "Mine or yours" she asks. "Yours." I whisper remembering my mom is home sick. She opens my door and even seatbelts me in while whispering 'it's gonna be ok.' As the door closed I can see I'm basically balling in the side view mirror.

STEVEN -

"Duuuude" Tony rushes up to me. "I heard about that party two weeks ago!" I nod to him as I shove 3 math textbooks into my locker. "I can't believe I missed it." He leans against Mallory's locker looking at me. "Tony, you went to hawaii." I glare at him. "You can't be that disappointed." A few of Tony's other friends gather around him. "Hey man! How was Hawaii! " Garrett, our quarterback at our school nudges Tony in the shoulder. Tony tried out for football team but didn't make the cut; yet the boys on the team befriended him anyways. More guys come up and suddenly my locker is surrounded by 6 of the biggest football players at our school. Tony goes on about his trip to Hawaii, the girls in bikini's, the ocean, the hotel; but my mind was to that party two weeks ago. Most of it is a blur, except the blue eyes I remember gazing into the whole night. I didn't know her before the party, but she stuck out like a sore thumb; not in a bad way, at all. Her long curled brown hair and the simplicity of the outfit she wore. It all screamed to me, and my first thought was I have to talk to her. "Steeeeven, did you even here me?" Tony complains. "Yeah dude. You were going on about some hot chick in hawaii." He ponders what I said then laughs and continues on about her b***s. " Bay wa-" I hear someone call. Bay. "Hey Steven." I turn to my left my eyes meet hers and my stomach drops. She has tears in her eyes but they burn like ice on fire. She shoves something in to my chest and I grab it. "Now what." She spits. I turn over the plastic stick now in my hands and immediately my heart drops. A pink plus sign looks back at me. I look up at her, and feel eyes burning into the back of my head from the boys. Tony peaking over my shoulder to see what it is. Her eyes start streaming tears and I can't help myself. "Who have you been sleeping with" my heart breaks a little, I force a laugh as Tony and his football buddies join. Behind her a small red head charges me. "Wow Steven real mature." She snarls. I feel my face go placid. "Wont be laughing when you have to pay child support" she grabs Bay's arm, the test and drags her away.. I see her eyes go from hate to completely broken in just a few seconds and my stomach starts doing flips. The boys surround me talking about getting her knocked up, why I didn't wrap it up, my dad's gonna kill me. My heads spinning and I feel like I'm gonna throw up. I want to chase after her but she's out of view. The warning bell rings and the boys split, Tony shaking his head patting my back. "S**t dude... hey who knows maybe I'll be getting a call from Hawaii about some girl I knocked up." He laughs, then shakes his head, walking away. I grab my book bag and my keys and shoot for the exit. I don't know where I'm going to go, or what I'm going to do but i cant suffocate in that school any longer. The final bell rings as I unlock my car and slip in.

Bay -

We approach Alex's house turning right into her driveway. I always forget how big it is, I mean mine isn't small either but hers is huge. Her dad's a lawyer and her mom owns like 5 different restaurants. "Common babes" she says getting out of the car. I follow obediently to the front door as she unlocks it I can smell the cinnamon they leave on the stove. It fills the entire house. Her cat Bentley immediately races down the stairs and rubs our legs meowing and purring. He has a black smooth coat with a small white patch on his chin "Someone's happy we are home." She smiles at him giving his chin a little scratch. "You can go up to my room, I'm gonna let Jasper out." Her white German shepherd they got 2 months ago is still a pup. I nod slipping my shoes off. Im still speechless but I pick Bentley up, skipping steps on the stairs, and open her door right at the top of the stairs. I stop for a second, don't know why it still shocks me but her room is shifted around again for the 15th time this year. I drop my bag on her floor and cuddle Bentley on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her pink walls seem brighter. About 10 minutes later I hear light thuds followed by Alex, Jasper whimpers at the edge of the bed tail wagging. She lifts him onto the bed and immediately Bentley runs away still annoyed by the newest addition to their family. I can see Jasper wants to be friends with the cat but Bentley won't have anything to do with him. She lays down next to me. The silence becomes deafening. "Go on." I tell her as I can feel she has something she needs to say. "I... " she ponders it again. "I don't think Steven meant what he said. " taken back by what just came out of her mouth after two weeks of talking s**t about him I look over at her. We both have blue eyes but hers are more like a bright coastal ocean while mine are like the sky on a perfect day. "What?" I ask. She stares back at me. "I just.. I don't know.. the look on his face when he saw you, and then when he realized you were upset..." she stops again. "It doesn't excuse the fact he never called or spoke to you after, and leave it to you to get knocked up after your first time having sex." I stare at her ceiling again, tears swelling In my eyes. "I don't know.. I just think if he reaches out to you, you should hear him out." She pets Jasper who's chewing on an old stuffed animal.
I've known Alex since I was 6. I still remember the day we met like it was yesterday. This boy Julius was picking on her for her bright firery red hair, and she started crying when he snatched her favorite stuffed animal. It was a small black cat with white from the chin down it's belly, kind of like Bentley. This boy was 2 grades older and I was new to town, but I just remember this anger bubble forming in my throat as I ran over to them and shoved him as hard as my little body could. The kid had to have been twice my size but he tumbled over and the kids around us laughed and laughed. He scrapped his elbows and hit his head, I remember whistles being blown and teachers yelling but Alex grabbed my hand and held it all the way to the principles office. Because I was new and Alex was so very loved by her I got off with a warning while Julius got iss for bullying. I remember telling her how much I loved her firery hair, and for the next few years she always drew a girl with fire for hair

Ever since that day we've never been apart really.. 2 years later we met Libby and we just became this clique. "Bay." Alex says startling me from my memory. She standing over me now with my phone in her hand, "it's a random number blowing your phone up. I think it's Steven." I roll over. "Bay!" She says frustrated. "In not ready to speak to him." I grunt. She pulls my shoulder to roll back facing her. "He's freaking out too. Just like you." It was one of the most sincere voices I've ever heard from her. The phone blinks missed call and I take it from her. 4 missed calls and 6 text messages. Sliding my lock screen over it clicks to unlock. A picture of the three of us as my background in matching best friend shirts stares at me as I move my thumb over to the text app. The unsaved number is first, 7th message just coming through. I click on it.
Bay
Its Steven. Libby gave me your number
Please answer bay
I'm sorry okay?
Bailey... please..
Jesus bay come on .
Im freakin out too!
I sigh, and start typing, Alex curls up next to me to see what I'm typing watching my expression and then back to my fingers.
Hey.. sorry..
My fingers hover over the keyboard doing a little dance as I search my brain for the words but I can't find anything else to say, and hit the send button. My chest rises and falls and I reread the messages, anger filling my chest. Why did i apologize? And then my fingers fly across my screen. Alex seems to protest at first but shrugs and continues to read as I type.
Actually, I'm not sorry. Why should I be sorry. The only one who should be is you! How could you laugh in my face? How could you not use a condom? How could we be in this dann situation. I should of never gone to that stupid party, I should of never let you convince me to drink. I hate you so much right now, I thought you were different! You didn't even call Steven.... I wish I never met you. I hit send "well then.. so much for hearing him out. " Alex sighs. "You said yourself, there's no excuse for ghosting me after the party. " she shrugs with a face that says true, and my phone vibrates.
Where are you
My heart sinks a little. "You two do have to talk, might be better before you talk to your parents. " Alex says placing an arm around me. I curl up into her, my heart aching. "I need to see a doctor, not Steven." I say. Her face lights up. "Hey! My cousin Susan works at that free clinic in town remember! " she perks up a bit. "Lets go before schools out. " I nod, even though I don't want too. "You gotta Bay. " she says and moves to get up. I start typing back to him.
Going to a clinic
Send.
I put my phone in my pocket and as she races Jasper down the stairs jumping off the last 2. I follow, slipping my converse on. I can feel my phone vibrate in my back pocket to many times to count and Alex locks the door behind us. I don't pull it out until I'm in her black leather seat. I love Alex's car. It's the newest BMW out this year and it drives so nice compared to my hammie down Chevy Malibu.
Slipping my phone from my pocket Alex's bubbly self hops in. "Seeeeat belts!" She sings. I can see I have 5 missed calls now and 10 messages. I sigh, grabbing the seatbelt and clicking it into place as she does the same. She looks at me confused as I show her all the notifications, then continues backing up. "Well, you gotta read it out loud now, I'm driving. " I sigh again, unlocking my phone.
I can see 9 from Steven, and one from Libby. I click libby's first. "Libby said, are you okay. " I say smirking as I can feel the side glare from Alex. "Common, Bay!" She says annoyed putting the car in drive and pulling forward down the road. "Is Susan gonna tell my parents ..." I ask my stomach dropping. "She can't Bay, it's against the law." The pressure on my chest eases slightly. "Reeeeead!" She pleads. "Okay okay " I click on Stevens messages and begin reading them out loud.
What? A clinic?
Bailey?! Shouldn't we talk about this.
You can't do this.
Don't abort our baby.
Bailey god damn it.
"Oh my god Bay! He thinks-" I cut her off. "I know hold on!" I say continuing to read the rest.
Please... answer your phone..
Why would you tell me if you were going to just do this to me?!
Im sorry okay! Please don't. I don't care if my dad's gonna kill me..
It's my child too!
My phone begins to vibrate as he calls.
"Bailey answer it." Alex says sternly. I groan, "I hate talking on the phone. " "Bay! You've got to grow up!.... put it on speaker" she smirks. I click the answer icon and then the speaker.
"He..hello" I stutter.
"Bailey! Where are you!" He's practically screaming.
"On my way to the free clinic."
There's silence.
"To confirm the pregnancy..." I add.
"Where." He sounds angry,
" You cant-"
"BAILEY WHERE." I snap my head towards Alex as her jaw drops. Tell him she mouths.
"Ill text you the address.. jesus.." I say, finger hovering the end call button.
"I.. I'm sorry Bailey... you.. you just scared the s**t out of me..." he sounds like he's been crying, and that he might start again. "I'll be there." He says, and the call ends. I quickly send him the address for the clinic and sit there. "What the..." Alex stops herself. She's been trying to stop cussing, she claims I made her start cause my dad has bad language and that's where I get it from. "I guess he's going.." my voice is quiet. "I don't understand. " I fiddle with my phone. "He doesn't have to go in bay. " she reassured me. "If you don't want." I sit there lost in my head..


Steven -
I sit in my car for a second feeling like my life has completely fallen apart, my phone begins to ring trumpets from the military. Dylan . He's probably the best person I could talk to right now.. I can't believe he's calling, he said he couldn't for the next few months because of them being shipped out over seas. I fumble my phone and answer. "Dylan?" I feel like a kid, he always makes me feel this way. I haven't seen him in almost a year.
" Hey little bro." His voice sounds deeper, and sad. "How are you, you good? " I duck down in my car realizing I'm still in the school parking lot. "Yeah yeah.. I'm.. uh.. going on this mission.. they let us use the phone I called off before they shipped us out.." "I know.. I saved it.. What kind of mission." My chest starts to hurt.. I can sense there's something really wrong.. "Well I mean.. it's pretty dangerous.. I just wanted to let you know bro, I love you.. I actually got to go.. but ill call you as soon as I'm done.. Tell mom I love her.. " tears rise in my eyes.. "I love you Dylan.. um..." I stutter. I want to tell him he's gonna be an uncle.. but I don't want him to be distracted.. but God forbid something happen to him.. "what's up? Hold on! I'm almost done." He shouts behind him. "I'm sorry..." I can hear the sob in my throat and I know he can too. "Steven... What is it?! Is mom ok?" The guys in the background back off when he says that. "Yeah, she's fine." I bite my lip so hard I can taste blood. "STEVEN. I have to go. What is it." He's rushing and my mind is racing. "You're gonna be an uncle. " I blurt out. Silence. It feels like it burns my soul. "You're dumb steven.. but I love you. I'll call in a few months, and NO. I'm not mad.. I love you bro." I sigh. "I love you too." The line goes dead and I hit my steering wheel. Turning the engine on, I tear out of the school parking lot. Bay. I gotta talk to her. I search on facebook her name, but there's so many Bailey's. Libby. Her friend. I search and she's the top suggested. Please answer. I type a message quickly looking at the road and my phone again. Within minutes she responds with her number.
I call. It rings twice and I hang up.
Bay
I hit send, my chest panicking. 30 seconds no response. Well she doesn't know it's me. I type again.
Its Steven. Libby gave me your number
Waiting, I break at a red light about 4 blocks from our school. I dial her number. It rings but no answer.
Please answer bay
My mind is racing, I push the pedal of my car to the floor as the light turns green.
I'm sorry okay? I beg her. Calling again
Bailey... please.. call again
Jesus bay come on . And I call once more.
Im freakin out too!
I pull into an empty parking lot, slamming my hands on the steering wheel, and then my phone chimes. My heart skips as I reach for it in my passenger seat.
Hey.. sorry..
I stare at her message. Sorry? For what? Then another comes through.
Actually, I'm not sorry. Why should I be sorry. The only one who should be is you! How could you laugh in my face? How could you not use a condom? How could we be in this dann situation. I should of never gone to that stupid party, I should of never let you convince me to drink. I hate you so much right now, I thought you were different! You didn't even call Steven.... I wish I never met you.
Im stunned. My baby momma hates me. I chuckle at the thought of a baby momma.. but I reread her message, and remember how broken she look just an hour ago. My mind races with things to say but all I can type out is
Where are you
I just need to see her. I have to talk to her. I have to show her I'm right here next to her.. that I'm sorry for laughing or not calling.. losing her number isn't an excuse, I should have tried to talk to her in school after that party but her clique didn't mingle with my group..
Her next message startled me out of my thought
Going to a clinic
My chest panics, my hands get sweaty, I call no answer. I call again no answer. "DAMN IT BAILEY." I'm screaming in my car. I call again, straight to voice mail. I send her 5 texts back to back.
What? A clinic?
Bailey?! Shouldn't we talk about this.
You can't do this.
Don't abort our baby.
Bailey god damn it.
Calling again still no answer.
Im crying, my chest has never hurt so bad before. For a split second I see myself holding a child with Bay in the hospital and I cry harder.
Please... answer your phone..
Why would you tell me if you were going to just do this to me?!
Im sorry okay! Please don't. I don't care if my dad's gonna kill me..
It's my child too!
Slamming my head on my steering wheel, I call again, it rings twice and then there's silence. I straighten up.
"He..hello" she stutters and I can hear it's on speaker phone but i don't care.
"Bailey! Where are you!" I can feel myself practically screaming.
"On my way to the free clinic."
I don't speak, heart still pouding in my ears
"To confirm the pregnancy..." she adds. I take a deep breath, anger replacing my fear.
"Where." It comes out harsher then I intended
" You cant-" she tries to protest but I cut her off, yelling again.
"BAILEY WHERE." My hands are still shaking as I sling myself against my seat.
"Ill text you the address.. jesus.." she almost whispers. My heart aches. I don't know what my feelings for her are but I know I love that baby.
"I.. I'm sorry Bailey... you.. you just scared the s**t out of me..." tears swell in my eyes again. "I'll be there." I hang up, waiting on the address. Within seconds my phone chirps and I plug it into gps. I tear out of the parking lot. Glancing at my phone for direction.
Bay - We pull into the parking lot of the clinic. The building is a boring white, with a blue sign free clinic. Alex looks at me. "You want to wait for hi-" before she can finish a red camaro fly's into the parking lot, tires screeching to a stop. I watch as Steven gets out and my heart races. "Nevermind then, you ready?" Alex asks. I shake my head no while I unclip my seatbelt. "Lets get this over with. My door opens as I reach for the handle. "Bay.." Stevens voice is soft as I look up at him, I watch him stare at me then at Alex. "Uh.." he rubs the back of his neck, tense. "Can I speak to Bay before we go in..." Alex looks at me for approval and I nod. "I'll meet y'all inside." She throws me her keys and walks toward the building. Steven offers me his hand, and I take it, getting out of her car. Closing the door, I lean against it staring at him. I study his face, watching him search for words, and my eyes wonder, mind wonders to the night we were together. I look at his arms imagining how much of my hand could wrap around. Tracing the line in my mind of his triceps. "Bay... I...." his words are soft disrupting my thoughts. Why am I thinking like this! "I am so so sorry..." he chokes a little on what I think is a sob. I stare at my shoes counting the stitches that hold them together, I can see Alex's faded handwriting on the left one that says I <3 u. Stevens hand moves slowly cupping my cheek, I flinch at first then relax closing my eyes. I can smell him. His specific scent that has no name. And I feel a tear slip down my cheek. "Hey..." he whispers, and my eyes meet his. "I should of spoke to you after that night, I was stupid for that... and for even thinking what I said when you gave me the test.. I panicked, but it's no excuse. I want to be right here, right next to you for all of this.. and.. no matter what your choice is... besides abortion... I'm right here.." his eyes are so sincere, and apologetic.. I cave into him, into his arms. Locking my fingers behind his back his head fitting perfectly on my shoulder. Right there in this moment I felt like we were one.. "we should probably go in...." Steven says after a few minutes slowly pushing me away to look me in the eyes. His hand slips down my arm to my hand and our fingers intertwine. Leading me to the building he stops before the door. "Do you forgive me?" He asks. I look down, his hazel eyes so captivating. "Yes." I whisper. He uses his finger to gently pull my chin up to look at him. "I really am sorry. " I can see where the brown mixes with the green in his eyes, on the right one theres a small patch of blue by his cornea. He opens the door for me and I walk in, immediately looking for Alex. I spot her on the far side of the room and she waves for me to come over. As Steven and I sit down she whispers "i talked to Susan, she's gonna keep you off the record.. as a favor she owed me. They should call you in, any minute. " I grab her hand and squeeze it. Stevens hand finds my knee and stays there. I close my eyes. Maybe it will be negative. Maybe it was just a false alarm. I picture my senior prom with a huge stomach, then realizing I probably wouldn't even go. My mom and dad's face pop into my head. Faces of disappointment and anger. I shiver. I've never been in trouble.. not like this... "Bailey Hooks" Susan calls my name snapping me back to reality. "Do you want one of us to go?" Alex asks. I stare at Susan who smiles politely. "I think Steven should...." I whisper. Alex nods, her face saying she totally understands. I stand up, legs wobbling a little. Steven places his hand on the small of my back steadying me. Every step echos in my head. I look back at Alex who anxiously jiggles her right leg but smiles at me and then she's out of sight behind a closed door. "Right this way." Susan's chipper voice makes my heart hurt. I wonder how many cases she sees like this. Steven walks closely behind me. Steven- I study Bay's hair as she walks infront of me following the nurse. My heart is pounding but all I can think about his how beautiful Bay's eyes were outside. The sun caught them perfectly, making my heart melt. I can't get the ache in my chest out from seeing her cry for the 3rd time today and I know its probably not over. I never imagined my first child to be in this kind of situation. I always imagined pictures with my wife and her tummy and building a baby room.. having a gender reveal party with her... I'm snapped back to reality as we enter a room. "Ok, I'm just gonna take some vitals first" the nurse says as Bailey sits on the patient seat and I grab the chair from the corner moving it a little closer to Bay. I watch as the nurse hooks up a blood pressure cuff around her left arm and pumps it. Bailey stares aat her shoes the whole time her right fingers twitching anxiously, I can't help but reach for it, squeezing it twice to remind her I'm here. They're freezing, but I guess they were earlier too. She must get cold a lot I think to myself. I can spot goosebumps on her arms and I immediately slip my hoodie off as the doctor removes the cuff. Handing it to her she gives me a weak smile. "Ok! If you wanna follow me, were gonna have you take a urine test." I look at the nurse confused. "She already took one." I say. The nurse smiles tightly at me. "I know, but it's procedure to do it again here, if it's positive we will take blood and you'll know that result in about 3 days." Bailey hops down from the seat, my hoodie looks 3x her size. She smiles at me weakly and I wish I could follow her but I guess that would be weird. "She'll be back in a second." The nurse laughs. I look down and the door closes. Pulling out my phone I see a message from Ricky. Hey man, Tony texted me. You okay dude. He said you weren't in your last period. I check the time, school will be out in 25 minutes. I start to type back. Honestly, I don't know. I'm at a few clinic right now. She's confirming the pregnancy. Send. I open Instagram and scroll, trying to keep my mind clear. My father's voice creeping in the back of my mind. Are you stupid boy! You got a girl knocked up. What are you gonna do now? How are you going to support her. I sigh. My phone vibrates and I open Rickys message. Keep me posted, praying for you. Can you meet after this? I reply. A few seconds pass Of course dude. Time passes so slow I'm about to go insane when the door opens, startling me. Bay walks in and sits back down. My hoodie almost reaches her knees. "S.. so" I clear my throat. She doesn't look at me just her fingers, the sleeves of my hoodie only showing the tips. "Its gonna take a few minutes, then Susan will be back in here." She sounds so sad an do feel like crap all over again. "Im..." she cuts me off "If you apologize again steven... I swear.." I lean back a little. "Okay.." her shoulders rise and fall in a sigh, and the door opens again, Bay's eyes shooting up. The nurse, Susan walks in and sits down. "Well Bailey... Steven.. looks like you two are gonna be parents according to this test." Bailey looses it.. and when I say looses it I mean looses it. She puts her head into her knees. There's no sound just her shoulders moving up and down from sobs. I stand wrapping my arms around her. "Im gonna give you two a minute.. I know this is hard.. I just gotta get blood from you, Alex already took care of the contact information." Susan sounds so sincere standing up she walks out. I'm alone with Bay and I'm lost of words. Bay- I can feel Steven staring at me and anger rises from my stomach. I'm so nervous I wanna puke. "Im.." he starts to say and I cut him off. "If you apologize again steven... I swear.." I spit, continuing to inspect my fingers his hoodie only revealing the tips of them. "Okay." He says meaning back into the chair. There's a shudder in my breath as I sigh not looking up. I can feel tears already bagging to be released from my eyes but I push them away. The door opens, startling me. Susan sits down and I can tell by her face what she's about to say, tears no longer holding back. "Well Bailey... Steven.. looks like you two are gonna be parents according to this test." She sighs and I can't stop myself. Pulling my knees up to my face I lose it. I bite my lips so hard to keep from making noise, holding my breath trying to control my sobs. I can heaar Steven get up and for a second I think he's going to leave but arms fold around my small frame and a sense of comfort warms me a little. "Im gonna give you two a minute.. I know this is hard.. I just gotta get blood from you, Alex already took care of the contact information." She says in the most apologetic voice I've heard. I can hear her get up and the door close behind her. Okay Bailey. Pull yourself together. I breathe in through my nose and out of my mouth, tasting a little blood from biting my lips so hard. A quiet shhh-ing comes from Steven but I can tell he's crying too. I bet he regrets meeting me that night now too. I shift a little and Steven backs off, avoiding looking at him wiping my eyes I know he does too. Okay Bailey, composure. Within a few minutes of complete silence Susan comes in again. I put my knees down and try to stand. My feet tingle and I realize they're asleep. Steven grabs my side and holds me up. "Sorry" I whisper. He winks at me and we follow Susan out. Fear creeps into my chest thinking about her taking blood. I've never liked needles. She leads is to a hall of to the side where they weigh you and take your height. Insisting to the seat with an arm rest across the chest I hesitate. "I'll hold your hand if you want. " Steven offers. I nod, sweat on my forehead. I hate needles. I force myself to sit down, she has her back to me gathering a few items, and steven squats by me holding the opposite had she's about to use. He tried to hold eye contact but I'm so embarrassed.. I'm 17 and still afraid to get my blood taken. "I don't like needles either" he whispers to me. I smile slightly glad that he's here. "Ok!" Susan says "I'll try to make it quick." I place my right arm on the resting spot, and roll Stevens hoodie up as far as it can go. She ties a rubber looking band around my upper arm, It's tight and pinches my skin. I squeeze Stevens hand and he chuckles a little bit. Giving him a quick glare I turn my attention back to Susan who now wipes a cold cloth right below the crease of my elbow. The alcohol burns my nose, as she looks for a vain. I can't watch. Squeezing my eyes shut she counts down so I don't jump. One Two Three There's a pinch and then a burning sensation runs up my arm. I squeeze Stevens hand and my eyes tighter. "Almost done.." and then I can feel the needle slide out of my arm. She outs pressure on my arm, "just hold this here" I let go of Stevens hand, but my own are shaking. He's chuckling again and I roll my eyes as he takes the cotton from under her fingers and puts pressure on my arm. "You really don't like needles huh." He teases. He's so close to my face, I watch him stare from my eyes to my lips and I almost for a second think he's gonna kiss me but Susan comes back over with a bandaid and takes the job of holding the cotton over, tapping the bandaid down. "Okay miss Bailey, you will get results in 3 days, I will call YOU." She makes sure I know she will call only me. I nod and she leads us to the waiting room where I can see Alex waiting anxiously.

Author's Note

This isnt finished obviously, and takes on a two person perspective. I'm debating maybe including other perspectives. I hope ya'll like it. Feel free to leave feed back, and im not concerned about spelling its simply a rough draft while the ideas are flowing.