15 Simple Stories

Everything is Perfectly Fine

"Polly, I have something to tell you."

"Jason, what is it?"

"I'm worried you're gonna hate me."

"I could never hate you, babe."

"You say that now."

"I promise I won't hate you."

"You promise?"

"I do."

"Remember that pregnancy test you took?"

"From the pharmacy, yeah. What about it?"

"The results came back positive."

"Wait, what?"

"Please don't hate me."

"Jason, I don't hate you but, you know."

"We're only teenagers so our parents would never approve."

"My point exactly."

"I mean, my family has clout so they could-"

"I couldn't do that to you though."

"You couldn't do what to me?"
"Get you in trouble over me."

"Polly, I love you and however they feel about you doesn't change that."

"Which I'm grateful for but..."

"I accept you and that's what matters."

"That is what matters. You're right."

"There's a "but" coming."

"Your family has status and reach and mine doesn't."

"Status and reach don't matter, babe."

"They matter in this town."

"Not to me."

"The rest of your family isn't like you or I'd be on board."

"What about your family?"

"What about my family?"

"Why would they want some spoiled rotten kid courting their daughter?"

"Because it could mean a better life for them."

"Our reputation isn't the nicest."

"It isn't the worst either."

"True. Polly, I don't know what we could do."

"Maybe we could run away together."

"Where would we go?"
"Anywhere far from here."

"I don't know anywhere far from here."

"I don't either and maybe that's the best part."

"What if we're wandering around the woods and we get mauled by a bear or something?"

"I'm pretty sure we don't have bears around here unless they're stuffed or gutted and used as a rug."

"Where do you think those bears come from?"

"Maybe you're right but the odds of us getting mauled by a bear are slim."

"You don't know that."

"I don't but I know that I'm having our baby and we aren't safe in town."

"We can be if you let me handle things."

"And risk getting hazed or exiled? Hard pass."

"You'd get hazed and exiled if your mom found out."