9

The doorbell rang the next day.

Again and again, until the pattern had been drummed into my head and I thrust it open.

'What?' I demanded.

Tina half laughed, and leant against the porch. Her dark hair shining golden in the sunlight 'I came to take you to school' she said.

'What?'

'You know, how we walk to school together' she said 'or have you got amnesia.'

I sighed, 'Tina, but the argument we had yesterday...'

'Argument?' she looked amused 'that was nothing Olly. God the arguments we used to have, that was a minor fallout.'

'Tina-'

'What, it was. We were both just stating facts. Besides why would I abandon you you're my best friend.'

'But you said I was boring...'

'Oh, of course I'm still waiting for the old Olly to come back' she replied 'but I'm patient.'

'You better be really patient' I said and closed the door behind me, sticking my hands in my jacket. Why was it so cold in April? 'So I'm interested, how are you hoping to achieve getting the old me to show herself?'

'It's not the old you' she replied 'you're just hiding your true colors.'

I laughed quickly, wondering whether she was right.

'Come on your still my little bff Olivia' she said, ruffling my hair until I scowled and pulled it back into place. Tina laughed, and hitched her bag up higher 'seriously Olly, why aernt you ggoing to the party this weekend?'

'I'm going to my Gran's' I replied.

Tina laughed 'don't talk shit Olly. I know you through and through and there's sno way you're going to your grans'

'Yeah. I am.'

'Your Gran chucked your mum out when she was eighteen, and as far as I'm aware they haven't seen each other since. Why would you be taking a friendly trip up to visit.' She grinned 'why are you lying?'

'Cos I hate you and I no longer want to be your friend.'

She stuck out her tongue 'you know you love me.'

'And you're not half up yourself either' I sighed.

'Seriously Olly. When have you never been up for free booze and desperate guys. And one of them is a very drunk, very horny, and very desperate Mike for your pleasure.'

'Ha ha' I said sarcastically.

'You know, if you're not going to I might go for it. I mean, his floppy dark hair and brown eyes. Mmmm' she grinned 'and I think he'd totally be up for it, if I were ever so kind.'

'You slag' I said.

'Hey, I didn't lose it when I was twelve.'

'No, you lost it on your thirteenth birthday if I remember right' I said 'that's loads better.'

She grinned again 'you know it is. But Mike doesn't know that, he probably still thinks I'm pure.'

I snorted.

'-I could be ever so clumsy and pretend it was both our first-'

'Stop it' I cried and Tina grinned. 'I know what you're trying to do and it's not going to work. If you sleep with Mike I'll just end up incredibly pissed off and the old Olly will never come back.'

'I think she will' said Tina, licking her incredibly white teeth. I looked away, no she wouldn't because the old Olly had never been pregnant . We walked in threw the gates and were immediately surrounded by our group. Tina stood completely still, her eyes scanning the grounds until her eyes fixed on her prize.

'Watch this' she whispered to me 'Mike , Mike.'

Mike turned round and Tina ran up to him, wrapping her arms around him.

'You do good hugs' she said, pulling back and looking at him. She ever so slowly removed her arms and raised her hands up to his hair and flicked it 'I love your hair. Have you had a haircut?'

'No' he said, 'are you sure you feel okay?'

'Yeah. Your hair just looks so nice.' She turned back for a moment and saw the expression on her face; she raised an eyebrow as if to say "do you want to try me?" 'Bye' she said, her hand just scraping his face 'I'll see you at the party then. Save me a dance.' She blew a kiss and turned round, I felt my stomach drop as he watched her go and stand next to me. Then his eyes rested on me and he looked away guiltily.

'Wow you're a good friend' I commented.

'You know what I'm doing is good for you in the long run' she replied, crossing my perfectly tanned arms over her designer top.

'What, becoming an insane psycho bitch is good for me in the long run?'

She smirked and replied 'well it's good for me.'

10

When I walked back home, Joshua's car was in the drive. I sighed and pushed open the door.

'Joshy' I yelled, putting down the keys on the side table.

'In here' he replied from the living room. The TV was turned up loud on the music channel and I walked in, pulling off my jacket and noticing the bump on my stomach with a jolt. The same feeling I got every time I looked down. Joshua was slumped on the couch staring at the TV, he looked up when I came in and his eyes instantly slid to my stomach. I resisted the urge to tell him I was up here and sat down next to him.

'Aren't you doing something tonight?' he asked.

'What do you mean?' I asked.

'Like a party' he replied 'don't you go to them every night or something?'

I laughed 'Joshua, I'm pregnant. The last thing on my mind is going out and getting smashed so I can kill the thing off.'

He glanced back at the TV, then pointed at the man singing. 'Do you think the reason he's done so well is because of that goatee' he said 'do you think if I grew one I'd get a number one.'

'No' I admitted 'I don't think the goatee is the reason he's famous.'

'God that would be easy' he said. I half wondered if his career was going badly.

'You know Wednesday night?' I said.

'Vividly' he replied, not taking his eyes off the TV.

'Yeah, well you put something in your pocket didn't you?'

'No' he said.

'Yeah you did.'

He looked at me confused 'Oll, I have no idea what you're talking about. Care to elaborate a bit?'

'It was a wedding ring.'

'What?'

'A wedding ring' I replied firmly 'you were going to propose to my mum, until you found out I was pregnant then you hid it and I saw.'

He hesitated 'your right' he said.

'Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean you shouldn't make my mum happy' I said 'my mistakes aren't hers you know.'

'Olly I'm thirty. I want kids, I won't lie. I want to marry your mum and have a family, want to be your father. But I can't be a grandfather. That's too much responsibility and I really can't handle it I'm sorry.'

'Don't apologize to me. Apologize to her. You're the one who won't make her happy.'

'And you think you are, by making her a grandma when she's in her early thirties' he said 'come on Olly, how can you accuse me of being unfair.'

'It wasn't a conscious choice.'

'Well sleeping around was.'

I felt tears prickles my eyelashes, and his eyes widened. 'Olly, oh my god. I'm so sorry.'

'Don't worry. It's clearly what you were thinking.' I walked out of the room, angry at myself for crying when I should have just been strong. I picked up the phone that was ringing.

'Olly-' began Tina

'I'm not coming' I said and put it down, then went into the toilet and threw up until I couldn't feel anything anymore.