***
The week went by pretty quickly. Shane skipped two days of classes while he was recovering from the accident, so I only saw him when I stopped by in the morning and the afternoon. When he was back up and running, I didn’t have a spare second to stop by his place. Annabelle had me on strict decorating duty, especially on Thursday and Friday. As I missed last weekend, I was happy to help.
She loved the decorations my mom found in the attic, but that didn’t mean she was anywhere near ready. I was working on elaborate centerpieces Friday when we heard a familiar voice.
“What’s up, sluts?” Violet called as she walked into the EET classroom where we were working on decorations.
“Hey!” Annabelle and I screamed, running over to hug her.
Violet was in town for a long weekend. She and Annabelle were crashing at my house tonight and then she was heading to see her parents after Homecoming.
“How was your flight?” Annabelle asked when we were done hugging.
“It was good, but walking away from David at the airport was rough.”
“Oh, you won’t miss him. We’ll keep you plenty distracted today and tomorrow. Besides, the carnival is supposed to be amazing,” I assured her.
“Yeah, I’m glad to have a lot to do. I missed you guys,” she said and pulled Annabelle and I into another hug.
“What about me? Am I chopped liver?” Jason asked from outside the circle of hugs.
Violet let go of us and jumped into his arms. “I missed you too!”
“Nice to see you back, Vi.”
“So, let’s get back to the decorations,” Annabelle ordered once the hugging had finally stopped.
“What do you want me to do?” Violet asked Annabelle.
Annabelle’s eyes went a little wide and she looked around at all of her beautiful things. “Why don’t you relax? You’ve had a long flight.”
“Is that code for ‘don’t touch anything because I’m afraid you’ll mess it up’?” Violet accused her.
“Yes, but I say it with love. Christie is working on the centerpieces, you can help her. You don’t need to be able to cut in a straight line to do that.”
Violet looked at me and smiled, walking over to the table where I was trying to arrange orange and gold flowers with brown leaves.
“Christie, is it me, or is she being a little bitchy?”
“A little bit, she’s been snapping at people all day. I think Jason is gonna get PTSD or something before the day is out. She’s probably stressed out or PMSing.”
“Hopefully it stops before the sleepover. So, tell me about Shane.”
I started to explain to Violet when Annabelle walked over to us. “Wait, who is Shane?”
I’d never told her about him. I started to explain everything at the beginning, but her face grew more and more grave.
“Why haven’t you mentioned any of this to me? You just said you needed to get out of the house and you wanted some decoration pictures. You should have told me about Shane.” Tears started to trickle down Annabelle’s face and she rushed to the bathroom.
“Was she crying?” Violet asked, looking at me seriously. “She doesn’t cry.” Then she looked around and stalked up to Jason. “Excuse me, step away.” The three of us walked away from the other volunteers and Violet looked at him expectantly. “What the hell is up with Annabelle? She just started crying because Christie didn’t mention a piece of gossip.”
“I don’t know. She’s been crying at the drop of a hat lately. I told her she looked pretty this morning and she started crying. I’ve just been chalking it all up to stress.”
Violet and I looked at each other and instantly knew it wasn’t stress. We ran full speed to the bathroom and found her bawling on the floor of one of the stalls.
“Oh, honey,” I said, crawling under the stall and pulling her into a hug. “I just didn’t know how to tell you. I knew you’d be a little judgmental about the fact that I was starting something with a guy and like jumping into bed with him quickly.”
“I would have judged you a bit, but I would be happy that you’ve moved on,” she managed to say in between sobs. “Why are you keeping things from me?”
“I won’t. I’ll tell you everything about Shane, but I think there’s something else we need to talk about first.” I unlocked the stall door and Violet stood at the opening. We dragged Annabelle out and she leaned against the sink, trying to get her breathing under control.
“When was the last time you got your period?” Violet asked her gently.
“I’m late,” she confessed hesitantly. “One weeks late.”
Violet and I looked at each other and nodded. It was what we suspected.
I handed her some toilet paper and brushed some of her hair out of her face. “Have you taken a test yet?”
“No, I’ve been afraid of what it would say. What if I’m pregnant?”
“Then we’ll worry about it then. You need to take a test and then we’ll figure out what you want to do.”
“I’m Catholic, there is only one option. I have to drop out of school, hope my mother doesn’t kill me, and raise the baby.”
“Hold on. There are other options. You could put the baby up for adoption, you can take classes at night, and work during the day. A baby doesn’t mean your world is over,” I insisted.
“And what about Jason? You need to talk to him,” Violet reminded her gently.
“I don’t want to. What if he leaves me? Or worse, what if he proposes because it’s ‘the right thing to do’?” she said with air quotes.
“Okay, I think we all need to take a step back. I’m gonna go get a test, because we all know I can’t help with the decorations, and you can take it tonight at Christie’s house. It will help to have some peace of mind before tomorrow.”
Annabelle nodded her head slowly and Violet pulled her into another hug.
“When this is dealt with and you’re fine, because that’s how I think it will turn out, we’re putting your ass on birth control,” I told her and we headed back to the classroom while Violet went to the convenience store.
Jason questioned us a couple of times but we brushed him off for now. The poor guy looked heartbroken and helpless. It was almost painful to see how much he cared for her and how much this was eating him up.
I told Annabelle and Violet, when she got back, all about Shane. Violet was excited, while Annabelle stayed quiet. She insisted that she was happy for me, but I knew she truly wouldn’t be until she found out if she were pregnant. We finished the decorations about an hour later and said goodbye to Jason. I promised him we’d take care of Annabelle and see him at the carnival tomorrow. Reluctantly, he agreed and headed out. Then everyone piled into my car and we headed to my house.
It was after nine, but Mom was a force to be reckoned with, as usual. She had made us an array of snacks, had facial treatments arranged on the coffee table, and foot massagers in front of the kitchen table chairs.
“Welcome to the Homecoming spa!” she cheered when we walked in the door.
I forced a smile on my face, reminding myself she didn’t know about our little dilemma.
“Mom, this looks great. We’re just going to drop off our stuff in my room, and we’ll be down in a few minutes.”
“Great, I’ll get the footbaths ready for you.” She scurried off and I brought the girls to my room.
“So, my friend Emma is coming over tomorrow to get ready. I invited her tonight, but she couldn’t come,” I said, stalling because my mother had like a bionic ear or something and could hear whatever I said in my bedroom as long as the door was open. We all made it inside and I quickly closed the door. “Okay, she can’t hear us now.”
Violet handed Annabelle the bag with the test in it and I opened the door to my private bathroom.
“Don’t just stand out here and listen to me pee. Turn the TV on or listen to some music.”
We agreed, and I turned some music on my phone.
“So, is Sha
ne okay after the accident?” Violet asked, trying to keep the subject off Annabelle.
“Yeah, I checked on him today, but he wasn’t in his apartment. I found him at his friend’s garage underneath his car. He promised me he’d be ready to go to the dance tomorrow and ready to race next week.”
“Well, that’s good. I’m excited to meet him.”
“Me too, and a little nervous. He’s kind of an asshole at first. I just hope you guys give him a chance before you write him off for a jerk.”
“No, he sounds like he treats you well. That’s all I care about. Well, that and I hope he’s good in bed.”
“Girllllll, he is!” We laughed until the bathroom door opened. Annabelle was standing there, holding the stick. “Don’t throw that around. It has pee on it,” I told her, trying to lighten the mood.
She walked back into the bathroom and placed it upside down on the sink. We followed her in there and Violet set a timer on her phone. “No matter what this says,” Violet told Annabelle, “you need to take the second test tomorrow. That’s why they sell them in a two pack.”
The alarm sounded, telling us it was time to check the stick. Annabelle reached out to grab it with a shaky hand and then quickly pulled her arm back.
“Someone else check, I can’t look.”
I reached out quickly and flipped it over. The electronic reading said “not pregnant.”
Annabelle fell to the floor in a fit of laughter and tears. I tossed the stick into the trash, making sure to cover it with some tissues. I made a mental note to take the trash out to the dumpster tonight in case my mom decided to take the trash out.
“Now, you have to stop being overly emotional. Your excuse just went out the window,” I told her.
“Done, I’m going to be a freakin’ ray of sunshine from now on.”
“Uh, guys? Annabelle you need to take the test in the morning too. Pregnancy hormones are more dominant in the morning. We may not be out of the woods just yet,” Violet stated.
“Yes, I know. But I feel like it almost doesn’t matter. It says ‘not pregnant.’ The one tomorrow is basically just confirming what we already know. I’ll take it for you, but I’m feeling pretty confident.”
Not wanting to burst her bubble, I agreed that she should be fine, but that we should take the test again just to be sure. Then we headed out to begin our spa treatment, all in a much better mood.
Chapter 14
We woke up early the next day and forced Annabelle into the bathroom to take the test. This time, she didn’t drag us in after her, and came out a couple minutes later with a big smile on her face. We’re all good.
We got ready and then rushed back to the school for the carnival. There was no drama. Everything was on time and everyone appeared to be having a lot of fun. We rode all of the spinning rides and chowed down on cotton candy and popcorn. It was a good time, but we only got to enjoy about half of it. About two hours into the carnival, Annabelle dragged us all to the gymnasium to set up the decorations that we’ve been working tirelessly on.
I set up all of my mom’s trinkets, including the Eiffel Tower lamp, a few picture frames, and the dramatic curtains as part of a backdrop for pictures. The centerpieces all looked amazing, and I was glad that Violet only tried to help with one of the extras we had made. Annabelle might not have been all that bitchy when she told Violet not to touch the decorations. She was not crafty in the slightest but she always meant well.
Once we were all done, the gym looked amazing, and I quickly snapped some photos to show my mom. She’d be pleased to know that she had helped create this beautiful world.
We hopped back in my car and headed to my house to get ready. At least I thought we were headed to my house. When we walked in, it looked more like a beauty parlor.
“Surprise!” my mom screamed when the three of us walked in. There were two people Mom introduced as hairstylists, two manicurists, and one make-up artist. “I wanted to treat you girls. I know how hard you have all been working on the dance and I wanted you to look beautiful.”
I smiled and gave her a quick hug. She always went over the top, but it always came from a good place. Judging from the look of awe on my friends’ faces, I could tell they were impressed, and I was thrilled. This was going to be perfect, and Shane would be shocked when he saw just how good I looked.
We walked over to the hairstylists and started discussing looks. I was about to sit at the table and start my hair when Emma texted me. She was here.
“Mom, my other friend is here. I’m gonna go get her.”
I headed outside and waved at Emma as she climbed out of her Corvette. Instead of fuchsia hair, she was rocking bright red hair.
“Hey, girl!” she called, opening her passenger side door to get her dress. She held it up to me. It was a short dress with a sweetheart neckline and a puffy tulle skirt. The red bodice had black studs and rhinestones all over it and the skirt was a layer of black tulle over a layer of red. It was vampy, sexy, and I loved it.
“That dress is amazing.”
“Just call me ‘Miss Steal Your Man,’” she teased as she walked up the front steps.
“Eh, you can take Shane.”
“Not a chance in hell. That pretty boy can’t handle me. Looks like you’ll just have to find a way to please him.”
“I’m sure I can manage something.” Before we walked inside, I stopped Emma. She had no idea what kind of crazy she was about to walk into. “Okay, a word of warning. My mom likes to go above and beyond. She hired people to do our nails, hair, and make-up. I hope my prissy world doesn’t freak you out.”
“No, I’m excited. I’ve never had any of that stuff done professionally. As long as I don’t look like a Disney Princess, I’m down.”
We walked into the house and the primping began full force.
Mom walked around with virgin margaritas, topping everyone off when they were getting close to done. I followed behind her with a flask of tequila and dropped some in everyone’s cup…well, not Annabelle’s. She’d insisted she was done drinking anything I mixed her after the snow day last semester. I’m pretty sure Mom was aware of what I was doing, but she didn’t say anything.
When my hair was done, half pulled up in a messy knot on my head and the rest in big beautiful curls, I went to my bathroom before I had to sit any longer. While I was in there, the pregnancy test in the trash caught my eye. I don’t know what possessed me to do it, but I just had to know. Annabelle almost never drank anyway, but I thought a drop or two of tequila would loosen her up. After all, she had drank with us before. Now, she had rejected even the smallest drop.
I grabbed some toilet paper and lifted it up. This test said ‘pregnant.’
My heart fell in my chest and I panicked a little. What if going on all those rides had damaged the baby? What if all the walking around and stress from the decorations had put too much pressure on Annabelle? What if the test from yesterday was the mistake? I needed to talk to Violet.
I walked back outside and saw Violet. I waved at her a couple of times before she finally looked up at me. I motioned for her to follow me and she quickly made an excuse, blowing on her fingernails as she headed over.
“What’s wrong?” she asked as I pulled her into my room.
“Annabelle’s test from this morning said pregnant.”
“Shit.”
“She needs to see a doctor. Obviously, one of these is wrong,” I groaned and chucked the test back in the trash. “Why wouldn’t she tell us?”
“You know Annabelle. She’s been working on Homecoming for, like, three months straight. She probably didn’t want to ruin the day.”
“That makes sense. Well, you know her a little better than me. What do you say we do?”
“Let’s let her have tonight. She deserves it, and we can call her out tomorrow before I head to my parents’. I can stay an extra day here if I have to.”
“No, you must miss your parents. I’ll take care of whatever it is after she goes
to see someone tomorrow. One of the urgent care centers can probably help her out.”
“All right, but I’m only three hours away if she has a break down or something.”
“Thanks, babe. All right, let’s finish getting ready. If she is pregnant, this is probably our last big night out together.”
Violet agreed and we pushed the pregnancy from our minds, trying to just enjoy our time together.
I’d told Shane that I’d meet him at the dance. I claimed it was because we were having a girls’ day, but I didn’t know how my family would react. It didn’t bother me, but Shane was Korean, and my parents had always imagined me with a white guy. Not to mention, growing up in the south had made my mom a little, well, she wasn’t always the most open when it came to considering other races. I didn’t want them ruining our night. I probably wasn’t giving them enough credit, but I didn’t want to take a chance. Shane was a good guy, but he was also a badass street racer. Actually, now that I thought about it, that was probably the bigger problem.
We appeased my mother and smiled for a couple dozen pictures. Emma with her sleek straight hair and smoky make-up, Annabelle with her simple but sweet updo and natural make-up, Violet with her elaborate side bun and bright make-up, and me with my classic curls and expertly contoured make-up. We all looked good.
Mom ushered us all outside to take some pictures by her perfect flower garden when a limo pulled up.
“Mom, you didn’t have to get us a limo. The car would’ve been fine,” I insisted.
“It wasn’t me, darlin’, but I’m a little embarrassed I didn’t think about it.”
“It was me,” Emma piped up. “You were all so nice to have me over that I wanted to do something in return.”
“Well, aren’t you just the sweetest thing,” Mom cooed at her. “Don’t waste time, go stand by the limo so I can get some pictures.
“Mom, we need to go.”
“Christie, smilin’ for a few photos isn’t going to make you late. But arguing with me about it will.” She shooed us the limo and we smiled as she took more photos with her cell phone. “Okay, you all have a good time tonight. Christie, please be home around eleven.”
Third Wheel (Elton Hall Chronicles Book 3) Page 12