Anything but Normal - Melody Carlson [42]
Halloween party for their babies. Why babies needed a Halloween party was a mystery to Sophie. But maybe it was for the moms. Anyway, it provided a good opportunity for Sophie to get her interviews done.
“You’re back,” Serena said.
Sophie nodded. “We have an appointment, remember?”
“I remember. But I figured you might just forget. Most kids try to avoid this place like they think we have some disease that’s catching.”
“Is that really how you feel?” Sophie turned on the mini recorder as they sat down in Mrs. Manchester’s office.
“It’s how we all feel. Like we have the plague or something.” She rubbed her oversized stomach, then shook her head. “I promise you it’s not contagious. But you do catch it from a boy.” She laughed.
“Right.”
“I don’t see what the big deal is, really. I mean, you sleep with a guy and you get pregnant. I guess it’s just a problem because I’m still in high school.”
“Do you plan to graduate?”
Serena frowned. “I don’t know for sure.”
“What year are you?”
“Just a sophomore.”
Sophie tried not to act shocked. “Oh.”
“I know, I know. It sounds hopeless. My mama is furious at me for doing this to her.”
“To her?”
“Well, yeah, that’s how she puts it. Like I went and got myself knocked up just to punish her or something. It wasn’t like that.”
“No, I didn’t think so.”
“Anyway, she keeps telling me that I got no business wanting to keep my baby when I don’t even have a high school diploma. Like she thinks she’s going to have to support me and my son for the rest of her life.”
“Your son?”
“Yeah. It’s a boy. I told his daddy that I have a feeling he’s gonna look just like him.” She pulled up her shirt to show off an enormous belly. “See how big I am? His daddy is six foot four. You know Reggie Grant, the senior, varsity basketball?”
“He’s your boyfriend?”
“Well, he ain’t my boyfriend no more.”
“You broke up?”
“Yeah, you could say that.”
“What happened?”
“He dumped me.” She shook her head. “As soon as he heard I was pregnant, he went running the other way.”
“Sorry.”
“Yeah . . . me too.” To Sophie’s relief, Serena pulled her shirt back down. “Now he’s dating Chelsea Walters.”
“That must be rough.”
“Yeah . . . but I probably don’t want to go there right now. Not with that thing on anyway.” She nodded toward the recorder. “By the way, Mrs. Manchester said you could use fake names in your article.”
“You want me to do that?”
“Yeah. Please.”
Sophie asked about a dozen more questions and finally thanked Serena for her honesty.
“You won’t make me sound like an idiot, will you?”
“That’s not my goal. But I do want to write this honestly. I mean, it’s possible that some girl might learn something by reading your story.”
“Like not to let her boyfriend pressure her into sex?”
“Yeah.”
“And to use protection if he does?”
Sophie just nodded. She wasn’t sure she wanted to go there.
Serena stood and rubbed her back. “Want me to send in the next girl?”
“Thanks.” Sophie looked down at her notes. “Natasha Lebkowski.”
“Oh yeah. That Natasha gal. She’s a real piece of work.”
“You don’t like her?”
“She don’t give anyone the chance to like her.”
“Oh.”
When Natasha came into the room, Sophie knew this girl had a serious attitude. Her long, dark hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, and her face, while pretty, looked strained and angry. Sophie introduced herself and extended her hand.
But Natasha ignored the gesture. Instead, she sat down, folded her arms over her rounded midsection, and just glared at Sophie.
“So . . .” Sophie began carefully, “you seem unhappy.”
“You got that right.”
“Any particular reason?”
“I’m looking at her.”
Sophie blinked. “I’m surprised you agreed to be interviewed then.”
“I agreed to be interviewed for one reason.”
“And that is?”
“To set you straight.”
“Okay.” Sophie nodded. “Go for it.”
“You don’t know me.”
“That’s true.”
“And yet you feel qualified to write about me—about girls like me