THE WRONG KIND OF TROUBLE

"Oh no..." A tear slid down my cheek as I stared at the little plastic stick in my trembling hand. This was not what I expected—not even close. My chest tightened, and I wiped my teary eyes with my sleeve. I had to pull myself together before stepping out of the stall. Taking a deep breath, I unlocked the door, and there was Liz, standing exactly where I'd left her 30 minutes ago. The moment she saw me, she rushed forward and wrapped me in a hug. I couldn't hold it back anymore. I broke down, crying on her shoulder. “Well? What is it? What happened?” she asked gently, pulling back just enough to look at me. I took a shaky breath and gripped the pregnancy test tighter. My hand wouldn't stop trembling. “Positive,” I whispered, barely able to say the word. There was a moment of stunned silence. And then Liz let out a dramatic wail, throwing her hands up in despair. “Sam, how could you be so careless?!” I flinched, her reaction triggering the anxiety I was trying so hard to suppress. “I didn't want this, Liz! None of us did!” I sobbed. She groaned, running her fingers through her perfect blonde hair like she wanted to yank it out. “Who's the father?” I froze. My stomach twisted as the question hung in the air. I couldn't bring myself to answer, so I avoided her gaze, staring anywhere but at her. She shook her head knowingly. “You don't have to say it. I already know. It's Cameron, isn't it?” Her tone was sharp, but not cruel. Just... disappointed. “Liz, please,” I begged softly. “I told you he was no good,” she sighed. And there it was—the start of one of her lectures. Something about how I should've known better, how I need to “weigh my options” and “start planning ahead.” But all I could think about was Cameron—my ex. My two-timing, lazy, arrogant, ridiculously good-looking ex. Copper hair, chocolate-brown eyes, a skater boy with abs that could've been sculpted by Michelangelo. Back then, I was head over heels for him, so much so that I'd promised myself I'd only ever lose my virginity to him... when we were married. Yeah. That plan didn't work out. It happened on a Friday night. We got caught in the rain walking back from a smoothie shop. Totally unexpected, especially since the weather lady had confidently said, “No rain today!” Guess she lied. We found shelter under a random garden shed, waiting for the rain to pass. It didn't. We were soaked, shivering, and freezing. One thing led to another—sharing body heat, holding each other tighter, staring into each other's eyes... And, well, you know the rest. “Earth to Samantha!” Liz's voice snapped me back to reality. I blinked. “What?” She rolled her eyes. “See? This is why stuff like this happens to you—you don't listen!” “I'm sorry,” I mumbled, guilt hitting me like a wave. She sighed, folding her arms. “How are you going to tell your parents?” Then she gasped dramatically. “What if the school finds out?! You're on the Student Council, Sam! You're supposed to be a role model!” Oh, right. My precious Student Council position—Board of Trustees member, one step below the president. Not as fancy, but still a big deal. Thanks for the reminder, Liz. I opened my mouth to respond, but the restroom door creaked open, and two girls walked in. Liz and I stayed quiet, waiting for them to leave. Once they were gone, she turned to me again. “And what about Cameron? Are you going to tell him he's going to be a dad?” I felt my chest tighten again. I didn't know. I really didn't know. If I told my parents, they'd kill me. If the school found out, I'd be suspended for sure, and my SC position would be gone. And Cameron? That jerk probably wouldn't even believe me, let alone take responsibility. He didn't care about me anymore—why would he care about my baby? And then, his bitchy girlfriend. If she finds out, who knows how she'll react? I mean, she already makes my life miserable... what more when she finds out about this? “I'm not telling him,” I muttered. “What?” Liz's voice sharpened. “I'm not telling him!” This time, I nearly shouted. Liz sighed but pulled me into another hug. “You're an i***t. But you're still my best friend, and I'll be here for you no matter what.” Her words brought a fresh wave of tears to my eyes. She broke the hug and turned toward the mirror. “But seriously, Sam... I still can't believe you let this happen.” The door creaked open again, and someone else walked in. Liz and I quickly wrapped up the conversation and headed to class, but the knot in my stomach didn't loosen. The bell rang, and we walked into Geometry. I had no idea how I was going to get through the day—or the weeks ahead. Later that afternoon, I was halfway through my geometry class when the air seemed to thicken. My stomach twisted into knots again, and I couldn't focus. My eyes kept flicking at the clock. It was almost the end of the day. Almost time for me to head home and face whatever was waiting for me there. As soon as the bell rang, I grabbed my things and walked quickly out of the classroom. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but there was a growing sense of dread. I felt like something was about to change. Something I couldn't control. Just as I rounded the corner by the lockers, I almost ran into Cameron. “Whoa, sorry,” I muttered, stepping back quickly. My heart skipped a beat, and I immediately felt that familiar tension in my chest. He looked at me, his eyes softening. “Hey, Sam. Can we talk?” I froze. My throat went dry, and I just nodded, too shocked to say anything. “Let's go outside,” he gestured toward the exit. I had no choice but to follow him. We stepped outside, into the crisp air, and stood by the side of the school, away from prying eyes. He glanced around, then back at me. His voice was low, but his words made my blood run cold. I felt the ground beneath me shift. Before I could respond, Cameron leaned in closer, and his next words sent a chill down my spine. “It's about that night...” The world around me seemed to stop as I waited for him to continue, but the air between us grew heavy with tension. My heart raced, and I couldn't figure out what he was talking about. The night we'd ended things? The night he'd been with someone else? Or was it something worse? I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could get the words out, I heard the unmistakable sound of heels clicking on the pavement. I turned and saw her—Jennifer. Cameron's girlfriend. She was standing at the far end of the sidewalk, arms crossed, looking directly at us. Her face was tight with something that could've been either anger or suspicion. “Sam... Cameron...” she called in a voice that could've been dripping with venom. My stomach lurched. Was she about to confront us? What was going on? Cameron straightened up, visibly tense. He glanced at Jennifer, then back at me, as if trying to decide how to handle the situation. His voice was low and strained when he finally spoke. “We'll talk later, Sam.” But something in his eyes told me that whatever was about to happen, it was going to change everything. And as I turned to walk away, Jennifer's eyes locked with mine. Her lips curled into a smile that didn't reach her eyes. “I'll be watching you, Sam,” she said, her words cold and cutting. I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. What did she mean by that? What was Cameron about to say, and why did it suddenly feel like everything was spiraling out of control?