Several days passed and Christine had not spoken to Jon. She avoided him on the bus, at school, and at home by screening her calls, but it was difficult. She knew that she was hurting his feelings, but she felt that it was better than telling him the truth. He would find out eventually though since he lived across the cul-de-sac. Christine could picture Jon coming home from college on breaks and seeing a little boy or girl playing in the front yard. She knew that her child would be the spitting image of him, and he would notice it too. By then they wouldn’t have said a word to each other since the day Christine found out she was pregnant so he would be too nervous and angry to go and ask any questions. In the end he would figure it out though, because Jon was smart like that. He was going to Harvard after all.

Christine quickly slipped down a deserted hallway at school like she did every day. It was after homeroom and Jon always tried to meet up with her. She hoped that he would eventually give up, but he was stubborn, wanting to know what was happening. Today was different though, because as she turned the corner she found that the hallway wasn’t as deserted as she thought it was. Colliding head on into Jamal, Christine almost lost balance but he caught her.

“Hey, Christine, haven’t seen you for a while,” he said with a wide smile on his face. “How’s your man?”

Christine blushed. She never got used to the fact that Jamal was finally okay with the fact that Christine had a boyfriend. “Well, I haven’t actually talked to him recently,” she admitted, which made the innocent smile on Jamal’s face turn into a conniving smirk.

“Oh really? What happened, you two break up or something?”

“Not exactly,” she replied slowly, but Jamal saw right through her.

“You’re giving him the slip aren’t you?”

Christine began to panic. She didn’t want people to think she was breaking up with him for any reason but the truth. Unfortunately, since Christine didn’t want anyone to know the truth she had no choice but to play along. “I guess you could say that,” she muttered, feeling ashamed.

Jamal wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him, “Then how about you and I skip on out of here and spend the day in the park?”

Christine looked away from him and blushed. Jamal’s plan sounded perfect to Christine, but he wasn’t the one she wanted to skip out of class with. With her mind elsewhere, Christine didn’t notice Jamal bending over to kiss her until his lips were pressed firmly against hers. She was locked tightly against him so she couldn’t fight him off, no matter how hard she tried. The part of her that was still promiscuous took control and gave in to her desires. They were edging toward out of control, ignoring the bell that signaled the start of first period, when a voice broke through and made them jump apart.

“Christine!” Turning toward the voice, her eyes shot open wide when she saw Jon standing there, looking angry and hurt. She finally found the strength to push Jamal off her.

“Jon! I-uh… this isn’t what it looks like!” Christine stammered out.

Anger flared in Jon’s eyes and Christine could feel herself start to cower at his glare, “Oh really? Then tell me what’s going on then, because it looks like you’re making out with some guy.”

“Hey back off man,” Jamal stepped in, “she doesn’t want you anymore.”

Christine groaned, wishing he hadn’t said that. Hearing those words, Jon’s expression changed from anger, to hurt, to humiliation, back to anger in seconds. “Oh really?” he said, his hands clenched into fists. “Fine, you can have her then. I don’t think I want her any more either.” With those words he turned from them and stormed, as casually as possible, up the hall. Jamal tried to pull Christine back, but she kneed him in the balls and chased after Jon as if her life depended on it.

“Jon! Jon, wait!” she called out, and Jon stopped and looked at her.

“What do you want?” he demanded angrily.

“Let me explain-“

Jon lifted his hand and stopped her, “You don’t need to explain. You’re special friend there told me everything I needed to know. I just wish you had told me before I found you sneaking around with other guys!” He turned to leave again but Christine grabbed onto him.

With pleading eyes she said, “Please Jon, just listen to me. I need to tell you something important.”

“I don’t want to hear it,” Jon said, and he pulled away from her and started down the hall again.

Christine didn’t know what to do. She needed to talk to Jon and tell him everything but he wasn’t going to listen to her and she knew it. Without knowing what else to do to make him listen, she yelled at him before he turned the corner, “I’m pregnant!”

Those words stopped him right in his tracks. Turning around, he swiftly walked back to her and asked, “What did you say?”

“I’m pregnant,” Christine said a little quieter as tears started to slowly drift down her cheeks. “I wanted to tell you but-“

“Wait a minute. You’re telling me that you’re pregnant with my kid?” Jon was in disbelief just as Christine was the day she found out she was pregnant.

His disbelief just angered Christine because he wasn’t listening to her. “Yes Jon! You were the last person I had sex with so it must be yours! I’ve been meaning to tell you but I was too scared. I don’t want to be the one to ruin your life.”

They stood in the middle of the hallway in silence for a few minutes, then, to Christine’s surprise, Jon wrapped his arms around her and embraced her in the tightest hug she ever felt. “I’m sorry,” he whispered to her.

“Why are you sorry? I’m the one messing up your life.”

“I’m sorry I yelled. I’m sorry I wasn’t more attentive. I should’ve figured it out, what with your stomach flu and then when you stopped talking to me. I was just scared, and seeing you with that guy made me jump to conclusions. We were both scared. I still wish you came and told me though, whether you thought I would be devastated or not.”

“So, you aren’t devastated?” Christine asked confused.

A smile spread across Jon’s face, “No Christine, I love you and I will always love you. We are in this together.”