Tatum Jameson sat on the edge of the bath tub. She sighed and said, "This just isn't the right time."
Her sister, Sophie, took her hand and replied, "Would there ever be a good time for this to happen?"
"When I'm married, out of high school and have a job. Soph, I'm scared. I don't know what to do. I can't have a baby. I'm only a junior in high school!"
"You don't have to..."
"Don't finish that sentence. It isn't this poor baby's fault that I was an idiot. I should have known better."
"You weren't an idiot."
"Mom and dad are going to kill me. Scott is going to hate me. I just can't believe I let this happen."
"Mom and dad are not going to hate you. Scott is going to be mad for a while, but he will get over it. He loves you too much. He's just overprotective. What about the father?"
Tatum gasped. "Oh! This is such a mess! He is going to hate me. I'm just going to give him an out. He doesn't need this. He is getting ready for college."
"You are not going to do this alone! I'm not going to let you. You know that I am your big sister. I will always have your back no matter what. You are a junior in high school. You still have a year left. If you are going to make it work with a baby, then he will too."
"He wouldn't want to be there anyway."
"Who is it?"
"Soph... I'm fine. He doesn't need to be involved or even know. He has too much riding on the coming months to be worried about me and this unexpected occurrence."
"Unexpected occurrence? This is a baby. A little bitty baby, that I am sure is going to be gorgeous, by the way. Think about how good our lives have been because we have both mom and dad. Are you really going to keep that from your baby? Are you going to keep a baby from its father? Tate, who is it? You have to tell him."
"You are sworn to secrecy. You can't tell anyone. It's just between the two of us."
"Okay."
"Promise?"
"Yes. I promise. It will be just between the two of us."
"Dempsey."
The football captain?! Our brother's best friend, Dempsey?"
Tatum lowered her head. This was going to be harder than she thought. She had just been thinking about ruining football when she thought of the mess they were in. She hadn't put any thought into how much this would ruin the friendship between her brother and Dempsey. They had been best friends since Kindergarten. Now one night and a baby were going to jeopardize all of that. Tatum told her, "Yes, that Dempsey."
"No way! Tate!"
"I know. I'm sorry. I was stupid."
"When? Where? The two of you have hardly ever talked. You have never been with him alone. Well, at least I had never thought the two of you had been alone before. Apparently I was wrong. How did this happen?"
"Well..."
Flashback
Tatum's mind went to the night that changed her life.
Tatum had went to her first high school party with her twin siblings, Scott and Sophie. Scott and Sophie were both well liked and very popular. They were seniors while Tatum was a junior. Sophie and Scott wanted Tatum to get out of her little bubble. She didn't have many friends, and the friends she did have were friends were her by association because of her siblings. Scott and Sophie were worried about her. They didn't know what was going to happen when they graduated and she was left alone.
Sophie had taken it upon herself to do Tatum's hair and makeup. She wanted her to be confident and get herself out there. Sophie had done such a good job that Tatum looked like a different person. Rather than her normal ponytail and t-shirt, she was wearing a sundress and her hair was done in ringlet curls. She had never thought she would look anything like this, and she liked it.
Tatum had never felt more out of place than she did at that moment. There were so many people at the party and all she could get herself to do was stand off to the back of the party.
Someone came up to her and said, "Hey pretty girl. I haven't seen you around before."
Tatum looked up to be met face to face with Dempsey Larson, the football captain and her brother's best friend. She laughed and said, "Hi Dempsey. You've seen me before. You've been to my house more times than I can count. It's Tatum."
Dempsey said, "Whoa! Sorry Tate. I didn't recognize you. What are you doing here? You never come to these things."
It was time for a change. Scott and Soph are graduating this year. They are worried about me. I need to get out of their shadows and make some friends of my own. Their friends are only friends with me because they feel sorry for me."
"That's not true. You are a cool girl. You don't give yourself enough credit. You put so much pressure on yourself and that isn't fair."
"Thanks, Dempsey. That makes me feel a little bit better."
"Let me get you a drink." Dempsey got her a drink. The two of them hung out.
Tatum had a couple of drinks. She couldn't hold her alcohol. She slurred, "D, you're hot."
Dempsey laughed. "Thanks, Tate. You're cute."
"I've always liked you." Dempsey didn't truly take it to heart. He knew she was drunk. Then the unexpected happened. Tatum leaned over and kissed him.
Before they knew what was happening, they were in a bedroom and Tatum was losing herself to her big brother's best friend and the guy that she had had a crush on for the biggest part of her life.
Tatum sighed as she came back to the present. She said, "And when my baby asks how they came about I get to tell them I was drunk. That I don't remember much. That their dad didn't like me."
Sophie asked, "You are keeping the baby?"
"I don't know. I just don't know if I am strong enough to give the baby up. To know that a part of me is out in the world. To not know if they are stuck in the system or if they have a family that is taking care of them."
"No matter what you decide, you will always have me. I have your back."
"Thanks. Do you have Dempsey's number? I need to tell him while I still have the guts. You were right. He has a right to know about the baby. Then I'll tell mom, dad and Scott when I get back."
Sophie put Dempsey's number in Tatum's phone. Tatum text him, "Hi Dempsey. It's Tatum. Can you meet me at the park?"
He text back quickly, "30 okay?"
"Yes."
"See you then."
Tatum gave Sophie a hug and told her, "Thank you for being the best sister. I'm so glad I have you on my side. Wish me luck. I'm off to have one of the hardest conversations I have ever had."
Sophie squeezed her sister a little tighter and said, "Good luck. You are going to be fine. No matter what. I love you and I love my little niece or nephew."
Tatum left to head to the park. She wasn't sure what was about to happen, but she was glad that she took her sister's advice.
Thank you for taking the time to read this story. This is the first "real" attempt I have made at writing for others to read on Wattpad. Please leave your thoughts. I'd love to hear them. Happy reading!