Avery's POV
"Oh, Mona..." I say letting her fall onto my shoulder and cry harder than she ever has before.
"Are you sure?" I ask hesitantly, hoping she knows that she is definitely pregnant before even considering any of her options or fretting too much about the situation.
Her head pops up and she wipes at her face and sniffles. "I only took one test. And it was like really old and cheap but I mean it's still accurate right?"
I nod and grab her hands, helping her stand up.
"Well, why don't we take another one just to be sure. And if you really are then we can talk and cry and do whatever you need to okay babe?"
She nods and follows me to the bathroom, still grasping onto my hand tightly and leaning onto my shoulder.
I open the door and she goes to sit down on the edge of the bathtub while I begin to rummage under the sink through some of my stuff until I find the pink box.
"You already have a pregnancy test with you?" She asks trying to laugh a little.
I giggle and smile gently, setting the box down on the countertop.
"You're such a whore." She tries joking but just ends up sobbing even more into her hands as she shakes her head back and forth.
I hurry over and sit next to her, wrapping her in a tight hug all over again. "Hey M, no matter what the test says or what you decide to do, I'll support you.I'll be here and I'll do everything I possibly can for you. Whatever you need. I'm here. I promise."
She nods and sits up straight, taking deep breaths with me until she's somewhat okay. Not really, cause how could she be with what's happening? She was just as okay as she could possibly be, considering everything.
"Stay..?" She asks softly, looking down at her still rhythmically tapping foot.
"Of course," I tell her nodding.
I know for some people it would be weird to pee in front of other people, or take a pregnancy test at 16 with another in the room, but Mona was my best friend and she needed me. I loved her and I wanted her to be okay. So if she wanted me to stay I'd stay. Hell, If she wanted me to commit arson, I'd probably do that for her, no questions asked.
I stood up and walked to the counter, hopping up on the side nearest to Mona.
She opened the package with a deep and heavy sigh, I could see her shaking her head slightly in my peripheral vision, and before I knew it she was done.
"3 minutes right?" I asked her when she set it down next to me.
"Yeah."
So, we waited.
It had to be the longest and most agonizing three minutes in history. It felt like time slowed down. Like the universe wanted to torture the both of us as we waited.
I had a feeling Mona already knew the truth, and deep down I did too. But I just wanted her to be positively sure before she thought about her options or anything having to do with this at all.
Soon the ringing of my phone timer goes off, but neither of us moves to see the results which would determine everything.
"I can't look." She tells me staring at the towel rack directly in front of her with wide eyes, she looked almost mortified. Petrified to do it.
"You'll be okay. You're strong. If it turns out you are pregnant then you'll work things out. And if you're not then you don't even have to worry anymore." I pause, letting her think for a minute. "What if we looked together. That way you don't have to feel alone while doing it?" I ask trying my absolute best to make her feel like we were in this together.
Which I know sounded ridiculous, but it was true. Mona wasn't just my best friend, she was my sister. My family. She was there for me when I had no one and she stuck around with me through everything.
And it was my turn to do the same for her and so much more.
"Okay." She told me standing up and picking up the upside-down pregnancy test from its spot next to my thigh.
I scooted over on the counter so she could hop up next to me. She did.
"On three?" I asked her, grabbing onto her hand tightly.
"On three." She repeated to me.
"Three..." I started slowly. Leisurely.
"Two."
"One."
And she flipped it. And there it was. Two bright pink lines popping up against the white background.
"I'm really pregnant." She repeated in shock.
I stared at the stick at her hand with the same gaze. I tilted my head to the side, letting my feelings take control of me for once, and letting everything show.
"We were careful." She told me, her wide brown eyes still staring at the pink lines in front of her which seemed to be becoming more vibrant and more prominent as the seconds passed.
"Axel?" I ask not knowing what she wanted me to ask and what she didn't.
She nodded to me, not saying a word. Or anything for a while.
"He's not ready, is he?" She asks me sadly, already knowing the truth about Axel Hughes and his views on responsibility and maturity.
I think for a minute about how to answer her and how I should share my honest opinion and advice while still letting her think about what she wants.
Mona sometimes listened to me too much. Took all my advice extremely seriously. And while I meant every word I always said to her, she was still her own person and she needed to make her own decisions. Especially about something as big as this.
"Is anyone?" I finally ask her rhetorically. "I mean, you're 16, a junior in high school who's spent most of her time living her life up. Being you." I say poking her cheek. "And he's Axel. Notorious fuckboy. Troublemaker and irresponsible asshole."
She looks to me with a perplexed look on her face, like I was making things worse. But I wasn't done.
"But that's not gonna stay that way forever. No one stays a fuckboy and no one stays a party girl. Things happen. Things like this, that change you and shape who you are and who you will be. So, if you think you're ready to handle something like this, and everything that comes with it, if it's what you really want deep down, go for it, Mona. I love you. Your parents love you. Everyone here loves and supports you. So if you think you can, I know you will."
And here came the bad part, which I knew would tear her down ever so slightly. But it was the truth and it had to be brought up.
"But..." I tell her making her head snap towards me quicker than ever before. "If you're not ready to do that, change everything for this kid, then you have options M. If you want to finish high school and college without having to take care of another human being...maybe consider those options."
She stayed silent for the longest time again. And I couldn't blame her. I wouldn't know what to say either.
"What if..." she starts after a while of silence. Just for the both of us to think. "I tell him. And we talk. And I see what he wants. Then...I decide?"
She looked up to me with such an innocent look on her face, I almost didn't recognize her. She looked so...different.
"Is that what you want to do?" I ask making sure it's what she truly thought was best.
Mona nods. "Yeah...it's not just my kid. It's his too. I need his opinion. I need to see where he stands."
"Okay," I say nodding a bit with a smile. "Just make sure you make the decision based on what you want too. I know you Mona and I know you're incredibly selfless. But it's your body and your life and you can do what you feel best benefits you and this baby."
I could tell Mona knew what I was talking about, and she was contemplating things.
"Can we lay in bed? This counters kinda hurting my ass." She says light-heartedly, her face now dry of tears.
"Of course M."
As soon as I open the door to Dawson and I's room, I hear the front door open.
"Fuck," I mutter to myself.
Mona stares with wide eyes at the door, looking between the pregnancy test in her hand and the seven boys approaching.
"Here," I say, grabbing it from her and motioning for her to go to get comfortable in my bed. I rush to my closet and find a box of older clothes at the bottom, and I shove the test in there for now.
"Hey." I hear someone say behind me, just as i finish hiding the evidence. I turn to find Axel, peeking his head through the door after knocking ever so lightly.
"Hey," I say grabbing a random t-shirt from my closet making me look less suspicious. Not that i think it really helped much anyways.
"Just wanted to see if everything was okay..?" He asks hesitantly, looking between Mona and me.
"Oh yeah totally!" Mona tells him with a false pep in her voice that wasn't there mere seconds ago. "Just got some bad news about some family stuff, but it should be okay." She smiled and adjusted the blanket on top of her.
"Oh." He said almost sadly. Maybe he didn't believe her.
"I'm sorry. I hope everything's alright."
Mona stares up at him with a sad yet knowing look on her face. "Me too. But I guess I can't control whatever happens, right?"
"Of course you can." I cut in, forgetting Axel was there. All I knew was that Mona needed to understand it was her choice. "With enough support and love and understanding, things will be okay."
"Okay...?" Axel said thoroughly confused at whatever I meant. "I brought you both back dinner if you want it, it's in the fridge."
"Thanks," I said with a tight smile as I waved goodbye to him.
After he finally shut the door and walked down the hall back to the kitchen both Mona and I let out loud and obvious sighs.
"Close one?" I asked shutting my closet door and eyes as I leaned up against it.
"Way too close."
***
Guess who didn't leave y'all on a cliffhanger this time?
This bitch.
Anyways I decided to give them all a break from drama since so much has happened these past couple chapters. I hope it gave some clarification on the situation at hand, like who the dad is, and Mona's thoughts about it. I mean I never did say exactly what they were, but actions do speak louder than words...