Anything but Normal - Melody Carlson [60]
She could still hear Mom downstairs talking to Bart. Sophie didn’t think that Bart would call her, but just in case, she turned her cell phone off. She couldn’t take any more family emotion tonight.
The next morning, Sophie noticed that Carrie Anne was standing out in the school parking lot, looking around as if she was waiting for someone. Sophie parked her car, then got out and walked over.
“There you are!” Carrie Anne exclaimed. “I’ve been trying to call your cell phone since last night.”
“It was off.”
“Sophie!” Carrie Anne’s eyes were wide with concern. “Tell me it’s not true.”
“What’s not true?”
“My mom said you were at the pregnancy center yesterday.” “That’s true. I was.” Sophie braced herself. It was time to tell her best friend. “And I have something—”
“My mom said you’re pregnant, Sophie! But I told her no way—if you were pregnant, you would’ve told me.” Carrie
Anne laughed. “I also told her that in order to be pregnant, you’d have to have had sex. And since I know that hasn’t happened, I know—”
“Why did your mom say I was pregnant?”
“Some girl there told everyone you were.”
“Leah!”
“Yeah, whatever. The point is, we need to do some damage control, Sophie. You don’t want the whole school thinking you’re pregnant.”
“I am pregnant.”
Carrie Anne just stared at her. “What?”
“I’m pregnant, Carrie Anne. I’m going to have a baby.”
“No . . . no way.”
“It’s true.”
Carrie Anne looked like she was going to either faint or be sick. “Sophie?”
“I’m sorry. But it is true.”
“No.” Carrie Anne firmly shook her head. “You’re pulling my leg. I know you cannot be pregnant. You’re a virgin. Like me.”
“I was. But I’m not now.”
“Sophie?” Her voice was shrill. “What are you saying?”
“That I was an idiot. That I had sex. Only twice. And it wasn’t fun. Then I got pregnant.”
“But Sophie . . .” Carrie Anne grabbed both of Sophie’s arms and shook her. “That’s not possible. You made a pledge.”
“I broke it.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Do you want to see my stomach?”
Carrie Anne glanced around nervously. “No!”
“Look, Carrie Anne, I understand your shock . . . and your disappointment. This hasn’t exactly been a walk in the park for me either.”
“You really are pregnant?” Her voice sounded small and scared. “My best friend is going to have a baby?”
“Yes, and don’t worry, it’s not catching.”
“Does Wes know?”
Sophie pressed her lips together. “Not yet.”
“How do you think he’ll handle it?”
“I have no idea.”
“So my mom was right after all.” Carrie Anne sighed.
“We’re late for class,” Sophie pointed out.
“Yeah.” Carrie Anne started walking toward school. Then she turned to look at Sophie. “In fact, I better make a run for it. I’ve been late once already this week.” She took off.
Sophie watched her best friend running away from her, and somehow she knew that was an image of things to come.
18
The last couple of days before Christmas break were like a walking nightmare for Sophie. Thanks to Leah’s big mouth, the whole school seemed to know. Some kids acted like it was no big deal. Some just tossed her the look—she decided it was a weird mixture of sympathy and scorn. Others used the opportunity to make fun of her, saying she must’ve “caught something” at the pregnancy center.
Naturally Kelsey, Hannah, and even Jenny were all shocked and disappointed, but they at least spoke to her, albeit with judgment. Meanwhile Carrie Anne avoided her like the plague. Yet Sophie was glad the news was out. It felt better to be criticized for something real than to be praised for something false. She was done being a hypocrite.
Still, it wasn’t easy. And perhaps the hardest part of what went on at school was how everyone assumed that Wes was the father.
“I’m so sorry they’re blaming you,” Sophie told him on the second day