Patrice and Trisha follow me up to my room where we put on some music and began dancing like fools. My favorite song by the Ting Ting’s came on so I grabbed my hairbrush and pretended to sing. Trisha and Patrice join in and we were so caught up in singing and dancing that we didn’t notice Drew sitting in the windowsill. He starts laughing and we all scream from being startled.
“Sidney, is everything okay?” Mom calls from downstairs.
“Yes mom, we’re just having fun!” I shout.
“And trying not to have a heart attack.” Patrice pants.
We all laugh and I help Drew into my bedroom. It’s been a while since he’s climbed through my bedroom window. He used to do it all the time when he was a kid and his parent’s were arguing. If my parents knew how easy it was I might be moved to a different room or they’d cover the landing outside my window with barbwire.
“Can I talk to you alone?” Drew asks.
“We’ll go make a snack to bring upstairs. You guys have fifteen minutes.” Says Trisha.
She pulls Patrice out of the room to give Drew and I some privacy and we both sit down on the side of my bed. What was so important that it couldn’t wait until tomorrow?
“What are you doing? Are you crazy?” I ask. “This was cute when we were little but we’re teenagers now and climbing into my bedroom is inappropriate.”
“I had to see you.”
“Most people try the front door.” I point out.
“Yeah right?” He laughs. “Like I’d make it past the Warden.”
“Did you get rid of Nicole?” I ask, getting straight to the point.
“No, but my feelings for you haven’t changed Sid.”
“Why not?”
“I know your dad gave you permission to date, but that’s not the only reason I started talking to other girls.” He reminds me. “My parents don’t want me getting serious about anyone because I’ll be going off to college and then the NBA. They don’t want me losing sight of what’s important.”
“So even though I’m free to date, you still want to see other people.” I realize.
“Yeah.” He nods. “And I’m hoping you’ll be one of them.”
My first reaction is to scream NO at the top of my lungs, but the more I think about it, the more I like the idea. I can date whomever I want, including Drew, which means I can have my cake and eat it too. I don’t ever have to worry about getting my heart broken either and if he starts acting stupid like guys often do I can just go out with someone else. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, with whomever I want and after sixteen years being locked in the house like sleeping beauty, I’m ALL FOR IT.
“Fine,” I agree to his terms, “but don’t expect me to be waiting by the phone or waiting for you to notice me. If I’m not a priority for you, you won’t be one for me. I’m not going to be your side chick either, I have to be your number one or the deal is off.”
Drew cocked his head to the side and smiled. “Any other demands?” He smirks.
“Yeah. You have to teach me how to drive.” I reply, folding my arms.
He laughs and agrees to my terms, pulling me in for a hug. “You’re a con artist.” Drew kisses me on the lips. “And you could probably sell snow to the Eskimos.”
“So is that a yes?”
“It’s a yes.” He nods.
“Good, now get out of my room.” I gently shove him towards the window.
“Just don’t go falling for the first guy you see.”
“What I do with my boyfriends is my business.” I laugh.
Drew grimaces and I point to the window. Laughing, he climbs back out and heads home.
I text Trisha and Patrice to give the all clear look and they came running back upstairs with a bunch of goodies my mom gave them.
“What did he want?” Trisha is the first to ask.
“Nothing. We came to an agreement that while we’re together, we both want to see other people.”
“OMG, and you’re okay with that?” Patrice seems surprised.
“I’m sixteen, not thirty. It’s my God given right to date as many boys as possible for me to figure out what I like. It’s like a teenage right of passage.” I argue. “Drew has a special place in my heart, you guys know that, but I’m too young to be so serious about one guy.”
“Did you tell him that?” Em asks from the doorway.
“As a matter of fact I did and he’s fine with it. He just told me not to fall for the first guy I see.” I told them.
“And you’re okay with this?” Trisha double-checks.
“Yes guys, I swear. I’m good.”
For the rest of the night Trisha and Patrice express their concerns about my arrangement with Drew. They point out all of the different ways I can get hurt and how many different ways things can go wrong. It doesn’t matter. I made my choice and I’m sticking to it.
They didn’t believe me, but after a few weeks and Nicole and I striking up a friendship, they finally got the hint.
Surprisingly Nicole ended up being a really nice girl, but I got the feeling she had more feelings for Drew than he had for her. She’s always asking me about the time he and I spend together. Whenever I answer her questions it turns into an argument between the two of them, so Drew begged me not to share any more details with her.
Drew’s drama with Nicole is the least of my worries at the moment. The first basketball tournament for both the boys and the girls is on Friday and I’m nervous. Since the start of the new school year I’ve been moved from the sophomore basketball team to the senior basketball team. A lot of the senior girls aren’t too happy about it, because they’re afraid I’m going to take their place. They rough me up on the court during basketball practice hoping I’ll quit. There’s one day in particular where I was fouled so hard and practically slammed to the floor that I narrowly escaped a pretty bad injury.
Now, on top of Courtney doing everything she could to make my life a living hell I had the entire senior girls basketball team on my back. When they couldn’t break me on the court they started shoving me into lockers, tripping me, and dumping my lunch tray on either the floor or in the trash.
“Wow, you’ve really pissed off the senior girls.” Nicole laughs.
“I didn’t ask to be on their team, coach Penman just put me on it.” I shrug.
“Well, you’re really good it shouldn’t be a surprise to them.” Drew chimes in.
“Yeah Sid, you probably came out of the womb with a basketball in your hand.” Trisha teases.
We all laugh, and Drew, who’s holding my hand, squeezes it. I glance over at him and quickly feel Nicole’s eyes on us. We’re holding hands underneath the table, but the look he’s giving me right now tells her all she needs to know. I like her, but I’m still hoping she finds someone else to crush on.
“Come on guys be serious. Those girls are seriously trying to injure me so I won’t be able to play anything.” I groan.
“Yes, but that just means you‘re doing something right.” Josh hugs me.
“Yeah Sid, don’t let those haters distract you.” Em adds.
“Yeah Sid, you’re amazing on the court and you shouldn’t feel bad for that.” Dustin chimes in. Now that Drew and I are an official couple, we often sit with him and his friends.
“Seriously, you’re really smart and you can ball. If anyone has a problem with that they’re just haters.” Nicole smiles.
It’s hard not to like Nicole, even when I know she’s only saying things to get on my good side. She got caught up in the drama between Drew and I, and I can see how much it bothers her, but he gave her the same ultimatum he gave me.
Drew’s persistence, his personality, and his charm are what made him irresistible. I tried to find one flaw that I could dwell on to make me like him less every day but he doesn’t have one. I like EVERYTHING about him.
“Thanks Nicole.” I smile.
“I have to go, but I’ll see you guys later okay.” Drew kisses me. He looks over at Nicole who looks away.
After he left Nicole stayed behind and to say it was awkward would be an understatement. I could tell she felt like a third wheel since everyone at the table were my friends and she didn’t have any, but I made sure my friends weren’t mean to her. In fact, we all went out of my way to include her but there was a conflict of interest when it came to Drew.
“Can I talk to you?” Nicole asks.
“Sure.” I nod. I’m pretty sure I already know what this is about.
Nicole and I step away from the group and into the hall where things went from awkward to uncomfortable. “I found a picture of you and Drew in his room. How long have you known each other?”
“Since we were five.”
“Wow. So, there’s a lot of history between the two of you.”
“Yeah. I guess so.” I nod.
“Would you say you love him?”
“I’m sixteen. I’m not even sure what love is, but I know he means a lot to me.” I tell her. “Do you think he’s in love with you?” She asks.
“Honestly Nicole, that’s a question you should really be asking Drew.”
“Well has he said it?”
Nicole seems to be trying to figure out where she fits in Drew’s world, but I’m not the one she should be asking. She should be asking Drew.
“Look, if you want answers about your relationship with Drew, he went that way.” I point in the direction he went. “What I’m not going to do is talk about what goes on between us with you. I made that mistake once and you used it to argue with him. A word of friendly advice Nicole…stop worrying about me, start dating other people and find a hobby.”
“I just wish he felt the same way about me that he feels about you.” She confides. “He talks about you all the time and he’s always staring at you. Earlier today when you were talking to Robert Corcoran he looked like he wanted to beat him down.”
I’m speechless. Drew hasn’t said anything to me about Bobby, but then again, he would he say. I told him I wasn’t just going to wait around for him. I look around the cafeteria for Drew and when I find him, he’s already watching us.
“I really like him Sid, but something tells me I’m not the one he thinks about when he lays down to sleep at night.” Nicole sulks. “I’m not blaming you either Sid, I know you’re a good person. But obviously you and Drew are a lot closer than he and I will ever be.”
“You sound like you’re thinking about breaking up with him?” I read between the lines.
“I think it’s probably best, don’t you?” She smiles half-heartedly.
“Don’t do it on my account. I care about Drew, but he and I have an understanding and he’s not the only guy I’m talking to.”
“I’m not okay with that though.” Nicole sighs.
“Then you need to talk to Drew.”
“Well, whatever happens, I still want us to be friends.” She insists.
“Of course.” I nod.
Nicole and I walk back into the cafeteria where she pulls Drew to the side. From what I can see it looks like she’s breaking up with him and Drew looks unhappy about it.
“Can I talk to you?” Asks Trisha.
“Its not something sad, is it?”
“Just…come on.” She grabs me by the arm and drags me back out into the hall.
“Okay the suspense is killing me Trisha, what’s wrong?”
“I think I’m pregnant.” She answers.
“What?” I gasp. “How do you know? When do you even have time?”
“I missed my period so I took a home pregnancy test. TWO OF THEM. They both came back positive. Sid, I’m pregnant. I can’t keep any food down, my chest is sore and I’ve gained four pounds.” She starts freaking out.
“You’re not kidding are you?” Please let her be kidding.
“No, I’m not.”
“Who have you been sleeping with?”
Trisha cocks her head to the side and gives me ‘really’ look. Was I supposed to know who the father of her baby was?
“Whose else would it be? Josh is the only person I’ve been with lately.” She shakes her head.
“Wait a minute, Josh is having sex?” I ask, both surprised and grossed out. “You and Josh had sex? When? Ew. Never mind. Forget I asked, I don’t want to know the details.”
“Focus Sidney!” Trisha shouts, frustrated.
“Okay, I’m sorry. It’s just that Josh got on my back about dating drew without telling my parents and he’s out knocking girls up.”
“Sidney, for the love of God, can you focus on helping me figure out what to do.” She asks.
“Have you told Josh?”
“No. I’m afraid to scare him off. I really like him and I’m afraid he’ll run if he finds out.”
“Josh will be eighteen next month and he’s going to Harvard. If he can handle all of that, he can handle a baby.”
“I just don’t want to ruin his life.”
“Last time I checked it takes two to make a baby.” I point out.
“Yes, but he’s going places in life and I don’t want to hold him back.” She sulks.
“Have you told your parents?”
“Tell them I’ve been having sex with a black guy and now I’m pregnant?” She scoffs. “Yeah, that conversation is going to go over well with my father. Sid, he’s a closet racist.”
“Point taken. But you can’t just do nothing.” I’m hoping to talk some sense into her. “A baby is not going to go away Trisha. You need to tell Josh first and then your parents.”
“Is that what you would do?”
“I would have used protection. But yes, I would need all the support I could get so yes I would tell my parents.”
“Fine, will you at least help me tell Josh?” She asks.
Grabbing Trisha by the hand, I dragged her over to the table to tell Josh. Em and Josh were wrapped up in a heated debate about how black holes were made in the cosmic world, so I decided to just butt in.
“Josh, Trisha has something to tell you and might I add that you’re a hypocrite.”
“Sidney, you are not helping.” Trisha sighs.
“What is she talking about?” Josh asks.
“I…I’m pregnant Josh.”
I watched as the color drained from Josh’s face and beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. He looks like he’s trying to say something but ends up throwing up all over the floor instead.
“Okay, I did not see that coming.” I reply.
I knew Josh would have a bad reaction considering who our father was, but blowing chunks all over the table never once came to mind. He wipes his mouth and stands there staring at Trisha for a moment. Then he turned around and just left.
“What does that mean?” Trisha panics.
“It means Josh’s hypocritical life just flashed before his eyes and he’s realizing that his entire world is about to change.” I answer.
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