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"But sometimes teenagers dont tell their parents everything. What if shes feeling all alone?"
Mama sighed. "Then you will rescue her. But you be careful, Angie. "
It was good advice. Common sense. It had kept Angie away from Laurens house for two days. Each day the worry had grown, though, and Angie was beginning to have a bad feeling.
"Tomorrow," she said firmly.
EVERY DAY IT WAS HARDER TO FIT INTO THE ORDINARY world of high school. Lauren felt as if she were an alien, plopped down on this planet without any skills that would allow her to survive. She couldnt concentrate on her classes, couldnt keep a conversation going, couldnt eat without throwing up. Baby . . . baby . . . baby ran through her thoughts constantly.
She didnt belong here anymore. Every moment felt like a lie. She expected the news to break any second and the rumors to start.
Theres Lauren Ribido
poor girl
knocked up
ruined
She didnt know if her friends would rally around her or cut her loose, and the truth was she didnt know if she cared. She had nothing in common with them anymore. Who cared about the pop quiz in trig or the scene that Robin and Chris made at the dance? It all felt childish, and though Lauren felt trapped in the gray world that wasnt yet womanhood but had moved beyond childhood, she knew shed never really be young again.
Even David treated her differently. He still loved her; she knew that without question, thank God. But sometimes she felt him pull away from her, go off in his own place to think, and she knew that in those away times he was contemplating all that their love had cost him.
He would do the right thing. Whatever the hell that was. But it would cost him Stanford and all the benefits that came from a school like that. Most of all, it would cost him his youth. The same price that shed already paid.
"Lauren?"
She looked up, surprised to realize that shed laid her head down. She hadnt meant to. Now her teacher, Mr. Knightsbridge, was standing by her desk, looking down at her.
"Am I boring you, Lauren?"
A ripple of laughter moved through the room.
She straightened. "No, sir. "
"Good. " He handed her a pink slip. "Mrs. Detlas wants to see you in her office. "
Lauren frowned. "Why?"
"I dont know, but it is college time and she is the senior counselor. "
Lauren couldnt have gotten an answer on her applications yet, but maybe shed forgotten to fill something out or mailed a packet to the wrong address. Like it mattered now.
She gathered up her books and papers, put everything in her backpack, and walked across campus to the schools main office. It was icy cold outside. A residue of snow dusted the ditches and fields.
Strangely, it felt cold inside the office, too. Mary, the school secretary, barely looked up from her work when Lauren walked in, and Jan, the school nurse, looked away too quickly to be anything but rude.
Lauren walked down the hallway that was plastered with ads and coupons for colleges and academic camps and summer jobs. At Mrs. Detlass office, she paused, drew in a deep breath, and knocked.
"Come in. "
Lauren opened the door. "Hey, Mrs. D. ," she said, trying not to sound nervous.
"Lauren. Sit down. "
No
ne of the usual banter and no smile.
