Splinters: Part One

Part One | 51

"But what if she's not?"

"Then wouldn't it make even more sense if she started talking to you again?"

I put a hand on my forehead. I was going to throw up.

"Brayden?"

It did make sense. It made so much sense. Collie wouldn't avoid me this long. She must've found out. She had to have.

"Grady..."

"Yeah?"

I looked at him, on the verge of tears. "I'm gonna be a dad."

"Hold on, Brayden. You don't know for sure-"

"Grady, you're right."

"How?"

I covered my eyes, on the brink of collapsing. "I didn't-... I didn't use..."

"You didn't use a condom, did you."

I shook my head and bent over, placing my hands on my knees. "Collie's pregnant."

"Okay, just wait. Alright?"

Obviously, I wasn't stable enough to go home, so Grady took me to his house. His mom was in the living room, watching a cooking channel.

"Brayden's here, Mom," Grady said to her when we stood in the entry way.

"Hi, Brayden," she smiled, turning around to see me.

I just swallowed and awkwardly waved.

"We'll be in my room," he told her quickly as the two of us sprinted upstairs to his room.

I paced around Grady's room as he shut the door. This can't be happening.

"Oh my gosh, Grady, what if she's pregnant. I can't... I can't-"

"Brayden, you don't know!"

"It makes sense! What if Collie's one of those girls who can just feel it." I was getting slightly dizzy so I sat down at his desk. "I think I can feel it."

"You're just freaking yourself out."

"What if she's pregnant, Grady!"

He sighed. "Well, let's talk about it. What can you do?"

I shook my head. "I'm not going to try out for basketball so I guess I can get a job to help pay for things."

"Your parents will be able to help."

"Yeah, but what if they don't want to, Gray! This is exactly what happened with my mom! My mom got pregnant at, like, seventeen. Collie's seventeen. I'm still sixteen. We can't do things for ourselves! And what if they kick me out? And I know for sure that Collie's parents won't be all right with it."

"Where would you go? I mean, my house is big enough. Maybe I can talk to my mom."

"Not yet, Grady," I sighed. "No one can find out."

"Well..." he began slowly. "Maybe no one would have to."

I gave him a flat look. "What, your saying running away is a good idea?"

"No," he shook his head. "I'm saying you could... Get rid of it."

My stomach fell. "Are you suggesting an abortion?"

"It's an option," he replied gently.

I shook my head, mortified at the idea. Never in a million years would I have ever thought that I would even think about aborting my kid. I couldn't. I can't suggest that to Collie.