Chapter One

He was the cutest guy in school.  Well that’s what Sheena thought.  His name was Tony Smalls but he was six feet tall.  He wore the brightest smile; it was sort of like a half smile where one side of his lips turned north and the other side stayed neutral.  He had a lanky walk that screamed that he knew he was cool. Of course he was the most popular guy in school, a junior, and on the basketball team.

One day while walking down the hall Tony Smalls talked to Sheena for the first time. 

“Hey new girl! What’s up?”

Sheena instantly felt a tinge in her hear.  She turned around.  She just knew he wasn’t talking to her, she wasn’t a new girl.  She slowly turned around and Tony Smalls was looking dead at her with his half smile and beautiful white teeth.

She was at a lost for words.  Sheena just looked at Tony and smiled a nervous grin, making sure to keep eye contact.

He and his boys just kept walking past Sheena while Tony starred at her and said “She sure is fine ain’t she?”  The guys all gave their nods for Tony’s words were gold.  Even if they didn’t think she was fine, if Tony said it, then it must be true.

Sheena would look at him and her heart would dissolve.  Just the thought of him would make her heart beat twenty times faster and her legs weak.  Of course Sheena wasn’t popular but she wasn’t a nerd.  She stayed in the neutral territory.  She could hang with the nerds and be cool with the popular kids.

This mere incident made the rest of Sheena’s life.  She couldn’t concentrate on her school work for the rest of the day.  She kept her head looking straight forward as if paying attention to her teacher but all she really heard coming from his lips was, “Blah, Blah, Blah, woomwha wam.”  The teacher’s voice echoed something from the classic Charlie Brown cartoons. 

Sheena couldn’t wait to get home to daydream about Tony Smalls.

When she arrived home that’s all that Sheena did.  She laid in her bed all day daydreaming about the tall handsome guy at school they called Tone. 

Days upon days, this became the norm for Sheena.  She would go to school and Tone would make his comments to her and she was on cloud nine until the next comment that he made to her.

Sheena was a ninth grade virgin that knew nothing about boys.  Her mother was somewhat strict.  Sheena didn’t even talk to boys on the phone.  She didn’t have sleepovers or go to the movies with her friends.  She was, however; allowed to go to the mall on some Saturday’s but only by being dropped off and picked up by her mother.  This never bothered Sheena because her mother was her best friend.  They talked about everything.  Even about sex, her mother told her that whenever she felt that she was ready to have sex to come and talk to her about it and she would get her some protection and let her know all about the pros and cons that came with this big responsibility. 

Sheena’s mother was a stickler about reputation.  She didn’t want her daughter’s ruined nor did she want her daughter to ruin hers.

One day after one of the school’s pep rally’s Tony walked up to Sheena to talk to her.

“Hey sexy?” he gave his half flirty smile and put his arms around Sheena as they were walking down the hall.

“Hey.” Sheena said nervously as she took her fingers to remove the strand of her hair that was in her face.

“Can I call you tonight?”

“Yeah.” Sheena’s insides began to jump in her stomach as if she ate a thousand jumping beans for lunch.

“Okay, I’ll call you tonight.” And he slowly began to walk away and never took his eyes off of Sheena.

“But, you don’t have my number.”  Sheena yelled to him.

“Yeah, I got it.  I’ve been had it.”  Tony ran to catch up with the other guys and left Sheena there to wonder how he had gotten her number.

Months went by and Sheena and Tony talked on the phone almost every night.  Sheena told her mother all about Tony and her mother didn’t seem to mind if he called.  Sheena loved to hear his somewhat deep voice and the way he said, “Hello” when he answered the phone, it sounded more like “Ello” and the way he said “Hold on” sounded more like, “hold don.

One night they were talking on the phone and Tony wanted to know when she was going to come over to visit him.

“Oh, no…I’m not allowed to go over a guy’s house.”

“Well, what your mother doesn’t know won’t hurt her…now will it? His voice still sounding sexy yet cunning.

“I don’t know Tony…my mom knows everything—“

“All you have to do is say that you’re walking to the store and then come by here.”  He said cutting her off.  “Think you can do that for me?”

“I’ll try…”  Sheena felt unsure about deceiving her mother but she really did want to spend time with Tony.

After hanging up with Tony, Sheena couldn’t sleep for thinking about how she could be able to visit Tony.

The next day at school everyone was talking about the party that Tony was throwing on Friday night.  It sounded like it was going to be really fun but Sheena knew that she was never going to be allowed to go.

“You are coming to my party on Friday….aren’t you?” Tony asked looking at Sheena like a puppy dog.

“You know how my mom is Tony.  I don’t know if I’ll be able to come.”  Sheena looked down to the floor because she didn’t want to see the disappointment in his face.

“Aww…come on.  Just ask her, you’ll never know until you try.”

“Alright, I’ll ask.”

“See that’s what I like about you. You’re one of those nice girls.  I like nice girls.”  Tony did his signature smile and walked away.

It was Friday and Sheena still had not asked her mother if she could go to the party.  Every time she tried, it just wouldn’t come out of her mouth. 

Finally, the day had come and it was now or never.  Sheena walked up to her mother, took a deep breath to try to gather her words and just blurted it out.

“Mom, can I go to Tony’s party tonight?”

“Party?  I don’t know Sheena…those boys are awfully other than you.  They will probably be drinking and everything.”

“Mom, just because other people drink doesn’t mean I have too.”

“Sheena…you have never been to an adult party.  You don’t know what goes on at things like that.  Will his parents be there?”

“I don’t know. Probably.”

“Well the only way that I will allow you to go is if I take you myself.”

“Mom, it’s only up the street.”

“Sheena….it will be dark outside and there are bad people in this world that can kidnap you, rape you, or even kill you.  Now it’s my way or NO WAY.”

“Okay we’ll do it your way.”  Sheena wanted to pout but the thought of being able to go to the party and see Tony won over the pouting.

Even though Sheena was going to have to be chauffeured by her mother, she didn’t care.  She was going to Tony’s party.  She ran to her room to plan her outfit for tonight.  She couldn’t believe that her mother was going to let her go. 

She thought about what a great mother she had and wanted to go and give her mother a hug and tell her just that.

Just when she was about to enter the room her mother was in, she heard her talking on the phone.

“I don’t know about this boy that Sheena has gotten so smitten with.  It’s nothing but trouble I tell you, trouble…now she wants to go to this party tonight that he is having at his house…uh huh…..ok….right girl…..you know these kids today—“

Sheena didn’t want to interrupt her mother’s telephone conversation so she headed back to her room and began to get ready for tonight.  She began to do her hair, and then paint her nails and toenails.  She really was not allowed to wear makeup nor did she really want to anyway.  Sheena had natural beauty she’d inherited from her mother.  She just wore a little lipstick that was merely just lightly colored lip gloss.

The time had finally arrived.  Her mother pulled up to Tony’s house and the two of them looked from the car window at all the cars that were parked in his driveway, on the street, and in the grass.  People was all over the house and in the yard, there was beer cans everywhere.  Sheena couldn’t believe her eyes.  She just knew her mother was going to say “No Way, I’m taking you home.”  That would be something that Sheena would quickly agree to.  But to her surprise, her mother just said, “I’m going in with you.”

Sheena wanted to ask her mother, “Are you crazy?” her mother got out of the car and Sheena followed.  Sheena’s mother had to lead her through the think crowed. 

As they approached the inside of the house, an older lady walked up to Sheena’s mother giving her a hug and said, “Long time no see, how’ve you been?”

“I’ve been good and you?...you sure have gotten old.”  Sheena’s mother wasn’t one for biting her tongue as if her thoughts had a voice of its own and just flowed from her brain instead of her mouth.

“Girl…these boys I tell you will keep you looking old.  This must be your daughter…she looks just like a little you.”  The older lady hugged Sheena and told her that if she goes in the other room she should be able to find Tony.  And the two ladies walked away to the kitchen.

Sheena couldn’t believe that her mother just left her in a room full of people she didn’t know.  And who was that older lady that knew she wanted to see Tony.  Just then a familiar face appeared through a crowed of people and a thick cloud of smoke.  It was Tony.

“Hey sexy.”

“Hi.”  She grabbed Tony as if she was lost and he had just found her.

“You want a drink?  Tony asked as he tried to hand Sheena a beer.

“No…Tony.  I don’t drink.  My mother would kill me.”  She looked at Tony surprised that he was drinking.

“Like she’s gonna know if you had a sip of beer….She’s in their now getting her drink on herself.

Just then Sheena peered through the crowed to look into the kitchen and saw her mother sitting at the kitchen table having a drink and a good time.  It as if she came to this party for herself, Sheena thought to herself.

All of a sudden Tony reached down and started to kiss Sheena.  His breath reeked of beer and booze as his tongue searched for hers.  She kept using her tongue to put his back into his mouth were she thought it belonged.

“Just relax baby.”

“I can’t…all these people and my mother is right there in the other room.”  Sheena was more worried than ever.

“Ain’t nobody even thinking about us.  I know I ain’t thinking about them.  All I know and see right now is you.  He was starring deep into Sheena’s eyes and she melted as if she was the wicked witch that just had water poured on her.  “Just let it happen.”

He reached down to continue where he left off and this time Sheena welcomed his tongue in her mouth to play with hers.

“Hey Tone man…Yo moms want you and the girl to come into the kitchen.”

Tony hesitantly looked at the guy and said, “Alright man, damn.”

Sheena had no idea who this guy was.  He wasn’t anyone she had seen at school plus he was way older than they were.  She was afraid to go into the kitchen for fear that her mother had heard about or seen them kissing.  All she knew was that she felt like she had fallen in love with Tony and he was going to be her everything.

As they reached the kitchen, the two ladies were sitting at the table with their drinks and laughing.  Finally the two looked up and told the younger couple to have a seat.  They did. 

Sheena’s mother looked at her and said,

“Are you having a good time honey?”

“Yeah, are you mom?”

“Yeeeees, girl I am.  I haven’t had this much fun in a long time.  It’s been a while since I’ve been out.”  Sheena was glad her mother was enjoying herself because it had been a while for her.  By now Sheena had guessed that the older lady was Tony’s mother.  She was just wondering about how the two knew each other. 

“Mom…”  Sheena leaned over to whisper to her mother.  “You know her?”

“Oh yeah, me and Lidya goes waaaay back.”  Her mother said without returning the favor to whisper back.  Now everyone knew what Sheena was whispering about.  She just sunk further down in the chair and wished she could just disappear.

The two ladies began to explain.  They went back and forth about people they knew.  A few names here and there Sheena recognized but she became more enthused about looking into Tony’s eyes.  He sat there slunked into his seat with his long legs swinging back and forth starring into Sheena’s eyes as if he were hypnotizing her.  Sheena sat there smiling at him allowing her self to be drawn into him.  All of a sudden she was snapped back into reality by a word she heard the two women say.

“Cousins.”

“Had I known this was the boy you were talking about all this time, I would have told you.  Good thing we got to it before something did happen between yall.”  Her mother said laughing with the other lady.

Sheena couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  Her ears were lying to her brain.  Her heart began to ache and her eyes began to swell with tears.  There was no way that Tony was her cousin. 

She made sure that no one would see her cry.  She looked at Tony and couldn’t believe his reaction.  He was still sitting there with his long lanky legs swinging looking at the two women with his signature smile on his face.  How could he still be so cool at a time like this?  Sheena knew what it was.  It was a joke.  They were all playing a practical joke on her.  Sheena jumped up from her chair knocking it on the floor.  She bumped into her mother’s chair trying to get passed her in a hurry.  Everything became a blur for Sheena as she headed for her mother’s car.  She could somewhat hear a faint sound of her mother’s voice calling her name but she was too outdone to turn back.

Chapter two

After returning home that night, Sheena laid her bed and wept.  The phone rang and it was Tony.

“Hey sexy.”

“Gross!  How can you call me that after what we know?”  Tony could barely hear Sheena because she sounded as if she was talking through her nose.

“Please…that doesn’t change the way I feel about you.  I still love you.”  Sheena could tell by the way Tony sounded that he wore his signature smile as he was talking to her.  “Don’t pay them no mind.  What did they say we were like third of fourth cousins?  They’re lying anyway.

“How do you know?”  Sheena sniffed.

“I’ve never seen you at any of my family functions or reunions, have you seen me at yours?  Tony didn’t wait for Sheena to answer before he continued on.  “This is just something that our mothers concocted to make sure that I leave your virginity in tact.  Now you get you some sleep and don’t worry about it okay?

With that, Sheena stopped crying and said goodnight to Tony.

Sheena felt somewhat betrayed by her mother lying to her.  She also had mixed feelings about if Tony was telling the truth.  Knowing her mother, Sheena decided to go with Tony’s explanation of the whole situation.

One day Sheena told her mother that she was going to walk down to the corner store to get some soda.  Of course Sheena had to walk pass Tony’s house before she got to the corner store.

“Hey sexy.”  Tony’s usual greeting towards Sheena.  “I didn’t think you were going to make it.  You want to come in?”

“No.  Can’t we just sit here on your porch?  I really don’t want your mother to see me here.  Sheena answered nervously.

“Baby, relax.  My mom is not even here.” 

With that Tony led Sheena to his room.  Upon being in his room, he walked up to Sheena and put his arms around her and began kissing her.  With every second of their kiss, Sheena fell harder and harder for her first love.  He began to move his hand downward to touch her bottom.  This is when Sheena began to freak out.  She has never dealt with feeling like this and she was unsure of the way her body was responding.

“Relax baby” were the words that Tony kept repeating.  He then tried to lay Sheena on the bed.  She resisted his gesture and stopped kissing Tony.

“What’s wrong, don’t you love me?”  Tony asked looking deep within Sheena’s eyes.

“Yes.  But I am not ready for this.”  All Sheena could think about at this time was her mother and the conversations that they shared about this subject.  She wasn’t ready to deceive her mother in this way.  “It’s getting late.  I have to go.” 

“Do you want me to walk you home?”  Tony asked being concerned.

“No.  I don’t want my mother to know that I was here.”

“Well, I’ll walk you half way then.” 

With that the two walked down the street and Tony kissed Sheena goodbye at the corner.

Sheena felt nervous when she walked in the door and saw her mother.

“Where’s the soda?”  Her mother asked.

“Umm….I drank it on the way home.”

“What took you so long to get back?”

“I saw some of the girls from school at the store and we sat there and talked for a minute.”  Sheena’s mother just gave her a stare that spoke, I don’t believe you.

Sheena ran up to her room to get out of her mother’s eye site just in case she asked her some more questions.

A few days had passed and Sheena finally got up enough nerves to ask her mother about some protection.

Her mother was in the kitchen cooking dinner when Sheena walked up to her.

“Mom, can we talk a minute.”  Sheena said rubbing her hands together.

“Yeah, go ahead.”  Her mother continued to cook and gave Sheena a glance as if saying, “Go ahead, I’m listening.”

“Remember when you told me that if I was ready to have sex….to come and tell you?”

“Yes.”  Her mother stopped cooking and turned to face Sheena.

“Well…I think I’m ready.”

Sheena’s mother instantly turned red from her blood boiling.  “YOU ARE NOT READY TO HAVE SEX!  YOU ARE WAY TO YOUNG!”

“But…but…but…you told me to come and talk to you when I was ready to have sex.”  Sheena was confused from her mother’s outburst that she didn’t even want to continue the conversation.

“HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE READY?! …..HUH?” her mother shouted.

“I…I…I dunno.” Sheena couldn’t think for fear if she told her mother everything, it would make matters worse.

“You are darn right you don’t know.  Because it is not you who is ready to have sex, it’s that darn BOY!  Sheena he doesn’t care anything about you.  All he wants you for is sex.  He probably heard that you were a virgin and he wants to take that away from you.  Your virginity is something sacred and it shouldn’t just be given away.”

Sheena’s mother was speaking from her heart because she loved her daughter and didn’t want to see her hurt.  But Sheena felt betrayed.  She felt like her mother lied to her again and just didn’t want her to be happy.

“Fine mom.”  Was all that Sheena said and walked away to her room.

A few days went by and Sheena was still somewhat bothered by her mother’s reaction.  ‘Fine then,’ Sheena thought.  ‘I won’t tell her anything else.’

That night at the usual time, Tony called.

‘Hey sexy.”

“Hey Tony.  What’s up?”

“Nothing.  Just laying her thinking about you.”

“And what are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking about you and I getting married one day and having kids.”  This made Sheena blush and hold a grin that was bigger than her face.  She was glad Tony was on the phone and not seeing her grin in person.

“You are so crazy Tony.”

“Crazy about you.  So you coming over tomorrow?”

“I don’t know Tony….my mom is kind of suspicious already.”

“Come on..pleeeeease…..for me?”

“I’ll try Tony.”

After that, Sheena stayed awake almost all night thinking of how she could get to see Tony.

The next day after dinner, Sheena told her mother that she forgot her math book at school and wanted to know if she could go over her friend’s house to do homework.  Of course there was no math homework and no forgotten book.  This was how Sheena got out of the house to see Tony.

At Tony’s house they went upstairs and continued where they had left off the last time Sheena was there.  They lay in the bed making out, but still nothing serious to Tony had taken place.  Sheena lay in his arms and they both drifted off to sleep.  It was late and Tony and Sheena had forgotten time.  It was of no essence to them as long as they were together.  All of a sudden the same guy from Tony’s party came in Tony’s room and said, “Hey Tony….the girl’s mother is here.”

Just then Sheena’s mother burst into the room and Tony flew into the closet.  Sheena didn’t know what to expect.  Her mother came to her and began to yell and scream at Sheena. 

“HOW COULD YOU!....YOU LIED TO ME!....YOU WILL NEVER…AS LONG AS I LIVE, BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!.....GET YOUR BUTT IN THE CAR NOOOOOOOOOOW, YOUNG LADY!

Sheena was so embarrassed.  She was embarrassed for herself for forgetting the time and having her mother find her lying in the bed with Tony.  She was embarrassed for her mother, and for Tony who was still hid in the closet.

After she got home her mother was still yelling at her.  She wasn’t even sure if her mother ever took a breath.  She told Sheena to get upstairs and go to bed.  “THERE WILL BE NO PHONE CALLS…..FROM ANYONE…..THE ONLY THING YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DO FROM NOW ON IS GO TO SCHOOL……DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!!!!!”  Sheena’s mother was hurt.  She couldn’t believe that her daughter would do this to her.  ‘How could she after all that we have talked about?’

Sheena lay in bed thinking about all the events that had taken place.  It all happened so fast.  One minute she was making out with Tony and the next minute he was jumping in the closet.  She couldn’t understand how she managed to go to sleep at Tony’s until 2:30 in the morning.  Her mother must have been worried sick about her.  She began to worry about Tony.  After she heard her mother get into bed, she decided to sneak on the phone and call Tony.  That guy answered the phone.

“Hello?”

”May I speak to Tony?”  She just wanted to make sure he was alright and not mad at her.

“He’s not here.”  The voice said on the phone.  After that all Sheena could hear was a dial tone.  She hung up the phone feeling sadder than ever.  He has to be there and just doesn’t want to talk to her, she thought to herself.

At school the next day, Sheena was eager to see Tony but he wasn’t at school.  Now this really began to worry Sheena.  ‘Why wasn’t Tony here?’ She thought to herself.

Upon entering first period, she had gotten called down to the office.  She went down to the office and the secretary gave her a note and told her to sign out.  The note read.  Sheena’s father called and needed her to come home immediately.

This puzzled Sheena because her father lived in California.  She wondered to herself if it the event that happened last night was all that bad for her mother to call her father and have him fly all this way.

As Sheena walked out of the school doors she saw Tony.  Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him standing there with his signature smile.

“Tony…what are you doing here?”

“I came to get you.”

“I don’t understand.”  Sheena was more puzzled then ever.

“I called the school and told them that I was your father and needed you to come home.  That way we can spend some time together and you can go home when school gets out.”

Sheena could not believe that Tony would go through all this if he didn’t love her.  She obeyed his command and went to his house.

At his house for the third time, they continued with the usual making out.  This time it went all the way.  Sheena couldn’t understand what the big deal about having sex was.  All she knew was that it hurt, real bad. 

“Now it wasn’t that bad was it?  Tony said to her with his signature smile.

Sheena said, “yeah…it hurt!”

“I know.  It always does the first time.  See all we have to do now is keep doing it and each time it will feel better and better."

Sheena wasn’t sure about this but if Tony said it, then it must be true.

When it was time for school to let out, Sheena began to walk home.  After she got home she decided that she needed to take a bath and soak in some hot water.  When she took off her clothes she noticed that her underwear was stained with blood.  ‘I must have started my period.  That’s odd…I just had one for this month.’  She soaked in the tub thinking about what had just taken place.  She began to wonder what would be next and if her mother would know.  Her mother always told her that when she had sex, she would know rather Sheena told her or not.

Tony told Sheena to flick school and come to his house in the morning and she did.  They had sex again and it still hurt to Sheena.  They did this for a whole two weeks only going to school one or two days out of that week.  Sheena knew how to sign her mother’s signature so on the days she went to school she would give the principal a note of an excused absence with her mother’s signature.  As for Tony’s mother, Sheena wasn’t quite sure she cared.

A few weeks went by and she hadn’t heard from Tony at all or her friend.  The one that comes to see her once a month.  He wasn’t at school and he wasn’t calling her at night.  Sheena asked around school if anyone has seen Tony and they all said they haven’t seen or heard from him.  Sheena did a little of research on the internet about possible pregnancy.  She walked to the store on the way home from school to get a pregnancy test because she knew her mother would be working late.

When she got home Sheena went straight to the bathroom and started reading the directions.  She followed the directions to the tee.  Now it was time to wait and watch.  The pregnancy test that she had said one line would be negative and two lines would be positive.  Sheena watched the little stick and decided to sit it on the bathroom counter because she didn’t want to mess it up by her hands shaking uncontrollably. 

Suddenly one line appeared slowly through the tiny window.  She began to rejoice.  “Yeees!” she screamed and began rejoicing.  “I’m not pregnant.”  “woah…that was a close one!....I’m not ever having sex again.”  she began to gather up all of her sinful evidence one by one and put it back in the box it came in.  Just when she was about to grab the pregnancy stick she looked down at the two lines and her world went crashing down.

Chapter three

Sheena sat there and starred at the little stick crying uncontrollably.  “What am I going to do now?”  She sat there on the bathroom floor wondering how she was going to keep this from her mother.  Her mind was wondering a mile a minute.  She kept thinking about Tony and how much she loved him.  For a split second, she thought about how wonderful it might be for her and Tony to share a life together and get married.  They could both get jobs and rent an apartment; everything will be fine she thought to herself. 

Then a picture of Sheena’s mother popped into her head, she knew she would have to runaway with Tony because her mother would never accept this.  Sheena then became scared and confused.  She decided to leave the house and go find Tony.  He would know what to do.

As she walked to Tony’s house she saw a girl standing outside of his house.  She walked up to the house and the girl said hello to Sheena.

“Hi.  I’m looking for Tony.”  Sheena replied back wondering who the girl was.

“Oh..hold on, I’ll get him for you.”  The girl walked into Tony’s house leaving Sheena to wait outside.

Tony came outside with the girl standing by his side.  Looking at Sheena with his signature smile.

“Hey sexy.”

“Hey Tony….what’s up?”  by Tony greeting Sheena in his usual way, assured her that this girl was no threat to her.

Just then someone called Tony from inside the house for him to come here.

He turned to both the girls and said, “I’ll be right back.”

Since the girls were left outside alone, Sheena didn’t notice herself starring at the girl’s pregnant belly and wondering, “I’m going to look like that one day.”

She had also notice that the girl seemed much older than they were.  Sheena thought that maybe she must be the girlfriend of the older guy that she always sees at Tony’s house.

Tony returned to join the two girls and this time the girl was all over Tony.

“So Tony tells me that you’re his cousin.”  The girl said smiling at Sheena.

Sheena looked to Tony for answers as to what this girl was talking about and why she was all over him.

“Oh…Sheena this is Tanya…..Tanya this is Sheena.”  Was the way that Tony introduced the two.

“Hi.” Was what Tanya said to Sheena. 

“Were having a baby girl in another month.”

“We?....who?  Sheena asked confused.

“Tony and I, silly…..didn’t he tell you?”

Sheena looked at Tony wearing his signature smile as usual but this time it wasn’t cute to Sheena.  She was left confused and disoriented.  Tears began to swell in her eyes and she didn’t know what to do.  She wanted her mommy.  She was too young and inexperienced to deal with something of this nature.  “Why didn’t I listen to my mother.” Was the only thing that she could hear in her head.  Tony wasn’t saying a word or even acted as if he did or was doing anything wrong.  He didn’t say anything.

“I have to go.”  Sheena turned to leave hearing Tanya say.

“I’ll have Tony call you to let you know when the baby shower will be okay…”

Sheena thought that the girl looked older but she had to be as young as she was if not younger to not catch on with what was going on.

Sheena cried all the way home.  When she had got there, her mother was in the front yard pulling some of the weeds from her flowerbed.

Hi honey…where have you been? Her mother said as she looked up from what she was doing.

Sheena didn’t answer she just ran pass her mother crying even harder.  Her worried mother quickly ran after her daughter.

She ran up to Sheena worried that she had been hurt.

“What’s wrong?”  Her mother said looking her over for blood or signs of broken bones.

“Nothing!” Sheena shouted.  “You were right and I was wrong okay!”  Sheena was heart broken and shaking she was unsure if she should tell her mother but she needed some answers, some reassurance that everything was going to be okay.

All that Sheena could get to come out of her mouth was “I’m sorry mom” over and over again.

Sheena’s mother looked confused and it hurt her that her daughter was hurting so badly.  “Sheena….I won’t know what’s bothering you unless you talk to me.”

Sheena’s mother sat there holding her daughter and assuring her that everything would be okay if she would just tell her what’s wrong. 

Finally, Sheena gained control of her sobbing and began to tell her mother about how she had sex with Tony and about the pregnant girl at his house.

Sheen’s mother tried to remain calm; she wanted to beat Sheena and kill Tony.

“Now do you understand why I said what I said?”  Her mother whispered trying to be sympathetic to her daughter’s feelings while fighting back anger.  “I saw this coming and tried to discourage it by lying and saying that you two were cousins.  I just didn’t want you getting involved and get your feelings hurt…. Just think, you could be like that girl and be pregnant right now.”

Sheena looked up at her mother and quietly said, “I am—“

“What?” her mother didn’t hear her from the sobbing.

“I am—“

“WHAT!”  Her mother heard that and just lost it.  “How do you know?...did you take a test?

“Yes—“

“WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT A PREGNANCY TEST?.....We Didn’t Cover That Part YEEET!”  Her mother said trying to come to grips.  “You’re getting an abortion.  That’s all there is to it!”

“But what if I don’t want to?  Don’t I have any say so in this?”

“NNNNNNOOOOOOOO!”  You gave up all your say so when you got yourself into this mess!   How could you do this to meeee!....what will people say?!”

“All you care about is yourself!...what about meeeeeeeee!”  Sheena said back to her mother.

“This is about you….it’s always about yoooooou…..I’m doing this for you…and one day you will thank me.” 

Sheena missed a few weeks from school.  A week to heal her bruised heart and ego.  A week to heal from the abortion.  And a week to gather herself together before seeing Tony again.  She never told Tony that she was pregnant as her mother requested.  And none to her surprise did she ever hear from Tony after the incident with the girl.

When she finally did get back to school she heard that Tony had a baby girl 7 pound 6 ounces and that the girl went through terrible labor.  They also said that Tony had dropped out of school and was getting married in June.  This news was a lot for Sheena to deal with seeing as though her heart wasn’t completely healed from what she had encountered.  She was mad at Tony and hated him.  She hated him for what he put her through and all the bull crap that she had to go through.  She wondered why he ever had to speak to her in the hall anyway.

Years Later….

From that time on Sheena and her mother stayed best friends.  She graduated high school and was on her way to college.  Her life was just beginning.  She was happy and content and when she thought about Tony from time to time she smiled.  She smiled because it was her first love and she made it through it.  She also remembered her mother telling her that yes, her heart was broken for the first time but she can guarantee that it won’t be the last.  Her mother also let her know that whenever she needed her she would be there.  With this in mind Sheena embarked on a new journey to college.

Sheena made it to college and was having fun.  She had a roommate that she got along great with.  She joined a sorority in no time and was getting better grades than in high school.

One day her roommate asked her, “Do you have a cousin named Tony?”

Sheena thought back for a moment and smiled to herself, “Yes…Yes I do.  How did you know that?”

“I thought you looked familiar.  My cousin’s name is Tanya.  I was there that day you had come over to Tony’s house.”

“Really?” was all that Sheena could think of to say.

“Yeah I was in the house but I was looking out of the window.”

“Wow…small world…How are they doing?”

“Girl…I dunno.  I guess you can say they are okay.  They’re still staying with Tony’s mom—they have three kids now….Tony’s still working at the gas station—“

The voice of Sheena’s roommate began to fade as she imagined the life that Tony now lived.  It didn’t seem to be a perfect one, nor did it seem to be happy.  She thought about Tanya and then thought about herself and said, “Just think…. That could have been me.”

Just then, her roommate yelling, “Sheena, telephone….it’s someone named Bobby,” brought Sheena back to reality.

Sheena’s roommate handed her the phone and said, “Who is Bobby?”

Sheena replied with, “Only the cutest guy on campus.”

The End

but

not

The last….