2 months later ( in July )
chantelle: i'm going to invite lydia and beatrice along to our shopping spree later , if that's okay with you?
rachel: lydia?
chantelle: yeah 🥺
rachel: well.. she did apologise for everything and collin seems to have definitely changed her.
chantelle: so..?
rachel: so, i guess it'll be okay.
chantelle: thanks 🤗
rachel: you're always given people second chances, how can you be so forgiving? 🤔😌
chantelle: everyone deserves a second chance to better themselves and life a happier life. 😊
rachel: you're right 😘
chantelle: i know 😁😊
rachel: 😂 you're always so confident these days, keep it up.
chantelle: 😌i learnt from the best 😚
rachel: true 😋
°
"primark has the cutest pyjamas." bea says holding up a matching minnie mouse oversized t-shirt and booty shorts.
"true." lydia says, softly. everyone nods, agreeing.
"let's go pick out some outfits and try them on." keira says heading towards another section. alisha gasps with excitement.
"like a fashion show?" she exclaims. keira nods.
the others go their separate ways and choose some clothes and meet at the fitting room.
"where's chantelle?" rachel asks looking for her. lydia glances at her nails, tired of waiting.
"i saw over at the mom jeans section a while ago but i don't know where she went after that." she says before looking back up at the others.
"hey! don't go without me." chantelle calls up as she, slowly, walks up to them.
"took you long enough." rachel murmurs before walking ahead into the first fitting room. chantelle shrugs.
"i'm just feeling really tired today." she says walking into the fitting room besides rachel's.
since chantelle picked out a black spaghetti strap crop top, she starts to take off her own clothes but stops when she notices something strange.
why do i look so.. bloated?
she pauses and thinks back to what she ate today.
i had a waffle that my mum made and a smoothie.. so nothing major.
"girls.. come look at this." she calls out before stepping out behind the curtain.
they all step out of each of their fitting rooms, with slightly concerned faces.
"what's the matter?" beatrice asks looking at chantelle.
"doesn't my stomach looks a little bloated?" she asks rubbing it, gently. they all nod.
alisha and keira glance at each other slightly nervous, but don't say anything.
"maybe it's because of something you ate?" lydia asks before scratching her head. chantelle frowns, suddenly sad.
"but i only had a waffle and a banana and mango smoothie." she says pouting. rachel narrows her eyes, suspicious.
"is there anything else that you've noticed?" she asks, confused.
"my period is a month late and i-" chantelle's eyes widen and her eyes begin to tear up. beatrice walks up to her and takes her trembling hand, softly.
"don't freak out! it might just be a hormonal issue." she says trying to reassure her.
"liam and i did have sex.. so i could possibly be pregnant." she says feeling nervous.
"what?!" rachel exclaims, shocked at this news. alisha and keira sigh, before looking towards her.
"we knew." alisha and keira announce, causing chantelle to look at them.
"he told you?!" she asks, feeling faint. they nod. chantelle closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.
"it was obvious, wasn't it?" she admits, sadly. the two girls nod.
"i'll go to the pharmacy and buy a pregnancy test for you." lydia says, kindly before going back into her fitting room to change again.
"thank you." chantelle whispers feeling light headed.
it's so hot in here.
"how about we all get change and go to 'the yogurt shack' and grab some frozen yogurt?" beatrice suggests, squeezing chantelle's hand.
"sure." is all she can say as they all head back to their fitting rooms.
this couldn't get any worse.
she stares at her reflection, for a little while before getting dressed back into her own clothes.
why did this have to happen?
"i've got the test!" lydia announces as they all step out. chantelle takes it, trembling, out of fear and holds it in her hand.
"when we get to 'the yogurt shack', you can take it; okay?" alisha says placing her hand onto chantelle's shoulder.
"did you use protection?" rachel asks her as they walk out of the store. chantelle shakes her head, unsure.
"liam was drunk that night-" she starts, slowly, trying to remember.
"what? he knows he's always supposed to be safe and he never drinks like that." she whispers to herself, slightly confused by all this.
"it's not his fault. i was the one that suggested we do it- it's down to me." she says her voice shaking as they get closer and closer to their destination.
"well, if there is a baby inside of you- then both of you are responsible; whether you like it or not." keira says, raising an eyebrow at chantelle.
"but what if she doesn't want to keep-" lydia suggest but rachel glares at her.
"we can talk about keeping it or not after she takes the test." she says as they are walking into the shop.
"woah. it's packed in here." bea comments as she looks around at all the people. alisha chuckles.
"it is summer after all." she says before winking.
chantelle suddenly feels like throwing up and rushes towards the bathroom, immediately.
rachel and lydia follow her, while beatrice, keira and alisha stay behind.
"sorry. i don't know what came over me." she says wiping her mouth as she flushes the toilet, quickly.
"it's starting." lydia says tapping the heel of her loafers on the bathroom floor, slowly.
"what do you mean?" chantelle whispers before washing her face with water. rachel gulps, catching on.
"the symptoms." she says watching chantelle's face drop.
"take the test and we'll be waiting here, okay?" lydia says leading her into a different stall.
"okay.." chantelle whispers, quietly.
she does her business and holds the test out to look at it.
shit.
"are you done?" rachel asks biting her lips, anxious. chantelle steps out all cleaned up and begins to cry.
"it's positive." she mumbles, as streams of tears roll down her face. rachel hugs her and holds her, tightly in her arms.
"we have to tell liam and your parents- oh dear, his mum is going to be fuming." lydia says panicking slightly. rachel rolls her eyes and glares at her again.
"don't freak out! or else she'll start freaking out too." she explains whilst chantelle continues to sob.
"no, i have to tell them-" chantelle says her face covered with her salty tears of regret and fear.
"they're going to notice eventually." rachel says honest before looking at chantelle who nods.
"i'm so sorry for ruining our shopping spree." she says apologises, the guilt creeping in. lydia looks at her like she's crazy and & starts to laugh.
"i can't believe you! you just found out that you're pregnant and you're apologising for ruining our outing." she says chuckling. "i think you've got more important things to worry about."
chantelle wipes her tears and looks at lydia with a weary smile.
"you're right."
°
"good luck," beatrice says giving chantelle a tight hug before walking away with the others.
"thank you." she whispers, softly. she walks through her front door and goes upstairs to try and prepare herself for what's about to come next.
okay.. i can do this.
"mum, dad!" she calls out from the top of the stairs. they both come out of the living room totally confused.
"what's the matter, sweetie?" her mum asks watching her, closely. chantelle takes a deep breath.
"i have something to tell you but i need liam and his mum over, so could you wait a little bit?" she says her body trembling. they nod and slowly walk back into the living room, all sorts of thoughts running through their minds.
chantelle takes as seat by the kitchen counter and begins to text liam.
chantelle: is your mum home?
liam: yes, why?
chantelle: can you bring her over, please?
liam: um.. okay.
chantelle puts her phone down and holds her head on her hands, stressed.
she, suddenly, thinks back to a conversation they had a while back.
"how are you going to survive as a father? you can't even cope with living with your baby cousin for a few days." chantelle said a smug look on her face. liam scoffed, at the idea and glanced at her, bored.
"well, i'm not planning on becoming a dad anytime soon."
just then, there's a soft knock on the front door. she gets up, frightened and goes to open.
"hi." she whispers, glancing at liam's mum who is staring straight at her, bored.
"come let's go into the living room." she says, softly, feeling her heart beating out of her chest.
"hello, mr and mrs walker, it's a pleasure to meet you." miss green, liam's mum greets chantelle's parents kindly.
"likewise." mr walker says before looking at his daughter.
"so.. why are we here?" liam asks, saying what everyone else is thinking. chantelle stares down at her, hands as she plays with her fingers; nervously.
"i- uh have something to tell you all." she explains, her eyes losing focus as she looks at them.
"go ahead." hannah, her mum, says with a small smile.
"i- i'm pregnant."
the two dreadful words, none of them wanted to hear, coming out of her mouth.
"what?!" they all exclaim, surprised.
chantelle's mum looks at her daughter, almost in tears. "that's not true, is it?"
"it is." chantelle whispers, avoiding their eyes. liam's mum, alannah, runs her hands through her black hair and narrows her eyes at her son, in disbelief.
"i cannot believe you, liam! even after the several warnings that i gave you, you went and did whatever the hell you wanted anyway!" she screeches, causing liam to wince.
"it wasn't his fault-- i wanted to have sex! i was the one who suggested it, so please don't blame him." chantelle says, looking at his mum with sad eyes.
"regardless of who wanted to do it you should've been safe and used protection-" his mum starts before liam interuppts.
"i know that! but i was too drunk to even stop myself-" he pauses and looks at chantelle his eyes full of guilt. "i had an extra drink after we went back to mine-"
"what do you mean?" chantelle replies, bewildered. liam closes his eyes before continuing.
"after seeing jason and leaving the cinema early, my mind was just all over the place and like the idiot I am, i thought it would be okay to go and have another shot of vodka." he explains as chantelle watches him, speechless.
"you saw jason?!" his mum cries out, in surprise. liam nods. "why didn't you tell me?"
"because if i had told you, you would have found out about chantelle and i sleeping together-- then you would have killed me." he says before glancing down at his hands.
"chantelle- sweetheart say something." her mum calls out, worried. chantelle looks up at her parents and starts to cry, again.
"i'm so sorry, please forgive me. once again, i have disappointed you-" chantelle stops as her sobbing increases. jamal reaches forward and hugs his daughter, tightly.
"chantelle.. don't cry. we still love you and we always will regardless of whether you disappoint us or not." he says, gently, stroking her hair.
chantelle looks up, her eyes puffy and her nose running, slightly. she quickly grabs a few tissues and wipes her face, grateful.
liam looks at chantelle, his heart heavy. "chantelle, i'm sorry for not telling you and mum-"
he stops when he sees him mum, tearing up.
"she reminds me so much of myself when i was pregnant with you at seventeen." alannah says, looking at chantelle. "it was so hard to decide whether or not to keep you and i didn't have my parents to support me, since they had passed away so it was just my sister and i."
"but i hope you're parents will support you no matter what." she says before looking at chantelle's parents. they nod.
"we will."