The Astral Ordinance, Book I (#Wattys2015)

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Jayna was waiting by their lockers when Pavlina arrived at school.

"Get your books and let's go," Jayna said pulling Pavlina down the hallway.

"Hey, our class is not that way" Pavlina protested.

"No, it's not, but the washroom is."

"Why do we have to go to the washroom?"

"You'll see." Jayna was all business, not wasting time or words.

When they walked into the girls washroom Jayna pulled out a pregnancy test from her backpack and shoved it in Pavlina's hand.

"Take this, go in there, and pee on it. Now!"

"What? Why do I have to pee on this thing?" Pavlina asked.

"Don't ask questions, you are wasting time, just go in there and do as I ask. No arguments, please."

Pavlina knew that arguing with her was useless. If her best friend wanted her to pee on a stick, she would. She took the kit, went into the stall and closed the door.

Jayna waited impatiently.

"Coming out?" she asked through the stall.

No answer.

"Pav! What are you doing in there? Open this door and come out. I want to see that stick."

Still no answer.

"Okay, open that door and come out Pav," Jayna ordered.

The door opened quietly and Pavlina emerged from the stall. She was ghost white, disbelief written all over her face. She was holding the home pregnancy kit in her hand with two red lines on the indicator strip. Pavlina was most definitely pregnant.

"Okay, put that back in the box, go wash your hands, then we gotta go."

Pavlina followed Jayna's instructions like a robot. She was in shock of finding out. This was not something she was prepared for; words escaped her.

Jayna pulled her friend by the hand; they went to the office and signed out for medical reasons. The secretary in the office was sympathetic; she could see that something was wrong with Pavlina.

Pavlina did not say a single word while they drove to the Regional Health Unit. She just sat in the car and looked straight ahead. Jayna didn't push by asking questions. Pavlina was not in any shape to talk about it yet. There would be plenty of time for that later.

When they arrived at the Health Unit, a Registered Nurse performed a second pregnancy test that confirmed the first one. Pavlina was pregnant. They offered her counseling, gave her a business card and sent her home.

When they left the Health Unit, Jayna drove to a coffee shop where they weren't likely to run into anyone they knew. They sat at a table in the corner - that's when the floodgates opened and Pavlina sobbed.

It broke Jayna's heart to see her friend totally broken up. She figured the best thing was to let her cry, and get it all out.

After about half an hour of shedding uncontrolled tears Pavlina looked up with red eyes. "What am I going to do, Jay?"

Jayna remembered Ethan's warning, that all her emotions would be amplified and affect those around her. She took a deep breath and held Pavlina's hand. "We will figure it out."

Jayna wished she had warned her friend earlier to be careful; yet Darren was equally responsible. If he wanted to jump in the sack he should have remember something called birth control. They had been learning about this stuff since grade school. It was obvious that in the heat of the moment, hormones overrode common sense.