Splinters: Part One

Part One | 51

"You never told me exactly what happened," he pointed out.

I ran a hand through my hair and wiped some sweat off my forehead. "We were having issues before then about the whole Bailey White thing but then I said I'd let it go."

"Then what happened?"

I sighed. "She told me she's been hanging out with Zech."

He gawked. "Hold on. What?"

I waved him off, rolling my eyes. "She's been confiding in him or whatever."

"Not. Cool."

I didn't agree. I already knew it wasn't cool. "I thought we could make it work. I decided not to break up with her, but we just constantly screamed at each other over Zech and I guess she just couldn't take it anymore and said that if we can't work things out, we might as well not talk."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know!" I yelled, going and leaning against a lamp post. "Maybe she just... I don't know."

I had the urge to tell Grady what we did, but I knew Collie wouldn't appreciate it in the least. I hadn't told anyone and it was killing me. I froze, thinking something that could potentially make sense. What if Collie felt bad about having sex, too? What if Dr. Johnson was right? What if that is the foundation for all the fighting? Maybe it is.

"Grady?"

"What?"

I knew Collie would go crazy if she knew I was going to tell him, but we don't listen to each other anyway. Besides, she's probably already told Zech everything. "I've got to tell you something."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "What?"

I avoided eye contact. "Um... Do girls... Do they get weird after doing it?"

"Doing it?"

"You know, doing it."

"Like, with each other?"

"No, Grady." I was getting frustrated now. "Like, with their boyfriends."

"Oh, that doing it. No, I don't think so. If anything, don't they want to stick around more?"

I bit my lip, waiting for him to catch the hint. A few seconds later, his eyes widened.

"No way! You guys had sex?!"

My eyes widened. "Shh, Grady! Scream it to all of Barrington, why don't you?!" I hushed him urgently. "You can't tell anyone!"

He looked at the ground in hard concentration and horrified realization. I was confused as I watched him.

"What is it?"

Grady started laughing nervously. "I was just thinking, like, what if she was pregnant or something."

Just then, my entire world stopped. I suddenly felt sick and leaned against the post again for stability. No. It can't make sense.

"I was kidding, Brayden."

"Collie wouldn't know. It's too soon," I said, even though I wasn't sure I believed myself.

Grady shrugged. "Well I mean, my mom said she knew she was pregnant with me almost a few days later. She could just feel it."

"That doesn't mean Collie could."

He bit his lip and gave me a concerned look. I shook my head. No. Collie cannot be pregnant!

"Well what about now? Can you know you're pregnant after three and a half weeks?"

"Brayden, you can know after two weeks," he said, grabbing my shoulders. He sighed. "I'm not trying to prove you wrong or freak you out or anything, but if Collie had a feeling she was pregnant and took a test and she was, it would make a whole bunch of sense as to why she's not talking to you right now."