"It's raining."
Rachel hadn't even opened her eyes and yet, she spoke with a smile on her lips. The very smile I loved so much and couldn't get enough of. Feeling Rachel's soft skin against mine made me keep thinking that this was just another dream. She pushed some of her hair behind her ear and seemed to go back to sleep. My fingers kept drifting up and down her back.
"Rachel, do you think we should get up and go to school?"
She appeared paler than she normally did. Did she lie about being better? Why would she do that though? I kissed her forehead before running my nose along hers.
"Hmm, I missed the review for a test yesterday so I'm going to stay home and study so I can take the test tomorrow."
"Okay, just don't get into the habit of not going."
Did we switch personalities?
I got out of bed and got into some clothes for school and left as she wrapped the blankets around herself again to go back to sleep. Yet, I couldn't get rid of my grin, but wish I could stay with her instead of going to school.
The whole day I was in such a good mood. That all ended when I was at my locker to get home and John grabbed my locker door right before I closed it. I really wanted to go back home to Rachel.
"Nick, can we talk?"
"Uh, sure, John."
This was going to make me get home later. I closed my locker and followed John outside to the empty tennis courts. The other students rushed by, going onto their buses or walking home, not really paying any attention to us. I sat down as John was pacing madly.
"I don't know what to do Nick. I'm scared."
"John, it would help me to help you if I knew what you were talking about."
"Cathy thinks she's pregnant."
My eyes just got big and my jaw dropped. I didn't think about that happening. Cathy was a good, quiet student like Rachel. I just didn't think of pregnancy, but Rachel did with us.
"What should I do?" He sounded panicky and not like his normal self, which concerned me. "Did any of the girls you ever slept with tell you that they might be pregnant?"
"Dude, I haven't had sex that many times. You make it sound like I have slept with every girl in the school. And no, neither of them ever told me that they might be pregnant.
I wasn't counting Rachel. I stood up and put my hands in my pockets not liking this subject. I wasn't too proud of my past. Rachel was my new start. Whether she knew it or not, she was a new life for me. There was just something about her that made me want to be different. She made me feel different.
"Look, John just relax Cathy needs you more because she's probably freaking out more than you are."
I just made my way from there, not sure what else I could have done or what more I could have said. I mean I was freaking out a little and I was just his friend. I couldn't imagine how much they were freaking out. Sixteen years old and might be pregnant could scare anyone.
As I stepped through the door of our house, Rachel was in pink pajama pants with a green sleeveless shirt, she had her History book opened, half asleep as she turned the page.
"Guess what I found out at school."
I sat down next to her and she curled up onto the couch next to me. I put my arms around her with this morning and last night thoughts still fresh in my mind as I had my arms around her sleeveless arms. Did she lose weight?
"What?"
"John and Cathy might be pregnant."
"Oh my God! Poor Cathy! I should talk to her. She needs a friend in a time like this."
I gently pulled her chin towards me to stop her from going into crazy helper mode.
"There's still the chance she might not be."
"That's true," Rachel's voice was soft, but not convinced.
We fell asleep together on the couch as Rachel finished studying while the subject bored me to sleep. However, around ten I woke to the sound of Rachel talking. I got up and made my way to the kitchen. Rachel was sitting Indian style on the counter on the phone.
"Yes, Cathy. Just remember if you need someone to talk to I'm here. Just think of about the good things about having a baby. You and John are going to make great parents. Get some sleep, bye."
I strolled over to her. "That was nice of you." I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her before picking her up.
"I guess. I had to lie a little to make her feel better though."
I put her down on my bed and pulled the covers over us. Again we fell asleep in each other's arms. I woke up not feeling Rachel next to me a few hours later. I turned over because I thought I heard a sound in the other room, the bathroom. I was still groggy and I wasn't sure if that was what I really was hearing. I fell asleep doubting what I was hearing.
The next morning I woke up from a restless night of nightmare after nightmare. Each nightmare was a diverse way I lost Rachel. In each dream no death was like the other, just all ending the same way. There was one that ended differently, as her and our child died in delivery, which I don't know where that came from. Yet, there she was next to me sound asleep appearing peaceful.
31
Rachel
Nick left on that guys outing thing the school decide to have for the sophomore boys. Nick was still refusing to go since he thought I was still sick. I had to lie to him about
