Teenage problems seem pretty small when you're preggers, especially when you don't know who the dad is and both potentials are chasing after your heart. Add a dark family secret to all that & you have Julie's roller coaster life.
Please note: none o...
Julie sits in front of me smiling down at her phone. Our mothers wanted to get together for tea and I considered apologizing for my harsh outburst but it seems she (like everyone else) doesn't acknowledge my existence. She's receiving texts from who knows, switching from one contact to another. "Julie?" I poke her arm a little harder than needed. "Oh! Sorry Danae." She puts her phone down. "Who's that?" "Uhm well Danae can you keep a secret? It's nothing serious I just don't want everybody knowing yet." "Yes you know I can. Well?" "Ok..." One long relaying of events later. I can't believe what I'm hearing?! I haven't had my first kiss or even a guy as just a friend and here she is throwing herself around, flaunting it in my face. Like my new bestie Jemma said 'I just need to put her in her place'. "You know what I think?" "What?" She asks so innocently it disgusts me. "Julie you're a slut." For a moment silence. "Why would you say that?" She's trying not to cry. "Because you almost had sex with one guy and then actually had sex with another!" A rush of anger hits me. "But..." "You already pregnant, you sleep around, you don't know who the dad is and you think it's ok to carry on like this? You sicken me."
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"She's just jealous of all the attention you've been getting!" Mom says. "I can't believe she said it to my face." My cousin's words hurt more than I realized; is that how people see me? "She's such a horrible girl! I'm sorry we visited." I just nod. "Let's drop it Mom." "Ok but I think you should talk to Dr Kruger about it." That reminds me I still want to talk to my mom about the flashes! "Mom Dr Kruger mentioned something during one of our sessions." "Oh? And what was that?" "The flashes are due to childhood trauma." She busies herself around the kitchen as I sit on a stool. "Yes but like I've told both you and her: you haven't had any traumatic experiences." She strains the last bit. "Yes but what she said is that you might know more." Mom drops a pan; the sound makes me flinch. "More?" "More than you let on, so Mom what happened to me?" Maybe it's my emotions getting away with me but I feel like although I've already had enough conflict for one day; I need to push her. "You believe everything everyone tells you?" She tries laughing it off. "You said it yourself 'Kruger is the best'. Now please stop dodging the question." "NOTHING HAPPENED TO YOU!" Her scream echoes around the house. "Now that just proves it! You've been lying." I say darkly and storm off. "Julie you get back here right now! We're not finished!" "Are you gonna tell me the truth?" "Julie!" "No? Then don't expect me back for a long time!" With that I slam the front door and run to the end of the street. I pull out my phone and text the first name that comes up. Blake could you pls come get me! Yeah sure. You ok? Yes. No. Idk! I'm coming!
I collapse into Blake's arms. He strokes my hair as I bury my face in his chest. "Just get me out of here." He pulls away and opens the passenger door for me. "Come on Darling." I get in. "Where are we going?" He asks. "Anywhere but here." We drive until we stop at... "A cow farm?" I look sideways at him. "Why not? It's quiet here." We get out and he leads me down one of the dirt pathways. "It really is quiet." "Ha told you." He interlaces our fingers. "So What's up?" He really doesn't beat around the bush huh? "Oh just family issues that got outta hand." "That bad?" I sigh. "Can we talk about something else? I just wanna forget all my problems." "Fine by me. By the way there's uh something I've been wanting to ask you about." "Yeah?" "How do you feel about um us together?" "Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?" "Oh no," I glare at him," Darling I didn't mean it like that. I don't think our relationship's there yet but what I'm trying to say is do you think we'll be good together in the Uh future?" "The future? Well I guess so. If we're good now we'll most likely be good then." "Cool." He bobs his head. "Where are you going with this Blake?" "Well... Julie how do feel about marriage?" I feel the colour drain from my face. "You wanna what?!" "Not now but like after school and stuff." "After University?" "Sooner. How's about after matric?" I think I might actually lose it. Right after high school! What my future? What about my dreams? Marriage was one of the last things on my list. Being pregnant doesn't mean I'm obligated to be a wife as well! "I think I need to go. I just remembered I have something important I need to do." With that I run off.
I look up Dr Kruger's number and dial her up. "Hello?" "Dr Kruger it's me Julie. I need you to fetch me." "Problems at home?" She replies calmly. "At home, at my cousins and with Blake." She already knows who is in my life since I tell her everything. "Send me your address and I'll be there." "I'm sorry to cause you trouble." "Don't worry this isn't the first run-away I've had to deal with." There's a comforting feeling that comes with those words. "Thank you!"
