Chapter 7

Danielle's POV

"D, what did you do?" Clara retorted. My hands trembled, my thoughts crumbled. I collected the strip from her and read it through, perhaps she was mistaken. "Clara, it is probably fake. I just have the flu. It's…probably…just..it has to be the flu or malaria or fever or something. I can't be pregnant!"

Clara sat on the bed as I patrolled my room. Remembering the handsome figure I had slept with and also losing my scholarship…I already thought I was done with that and I have put it behind me.

"What did you do that I didn't know about D?" I've never heard Clara speak so softly. She clapped her hand on my shoulders facing me. " There's no other way around it D, wake up! What did you do?"

I sat down and looked at Clara with worry written all over my face. She wasn't as furious as I expected her to be. I was scared. One. Two. I breathed deep and resisted the urge to…to…Christ, I was running insane.

I have destroyed my life, what is left? Nothing.

"Danielle. Calm down. You can always abort a baby. You don't need to explain if you don't want to. You can do that later but right now, we should be treating you on a plan B. Or do you plan on keeping a baby while you are still in school?"

"What?" What the devil was she talking about?

"The baby…won't you look for a way to wash it out before it becomes too late?"

"Abort." I scoffed. "I'm a Catholic, you shouldn't say such words into my ears. It's not going to happen." I adjusted on the bed and cleaned off the lingering tears on my cheek. "I have no other choice."

"You must be insane!"

I am. My mind drifted back to the unforgettable night. His mouth, the moonlight on his hair, the breeze playing with his clothes when I first saw him. "I…I will keep the baby. No matter the cost."

What was I doing? I didn't want to keep the baby but having Gramps worried if anything goes wrong… he's the only one that I've got. I can do it. I will survive.

"You do not know the consequences of what you are about to do D, you are agreeing to keep the baby so fast…that means, you already know the owner. I wasn't going to ask but you have tempted me to. Explain it all now."

I sighed. She deserved an explanation. "Remember prom? Ermm…after we all retired to the club and you gave me the key to the room, I kind of fell into another room…"

"Knew it!" Clara affirmed with a fist. "So, what happened there? Was it Davis? That whoreson! It was because you were drunk. He caused it all. He did all that to you so that you can become sober and drunk then he can take advantage of you. Right?"

Clara was already on the edge and she was fuming, frowning face and determined expression. Knowing Clara, it looked quite funny to see her so protective although we both know there's nothing she can do if we were in danger.

Back when we were in fifth grade, she stood up for me when a senior boy bullied me in our class. She said all sorts of things to the boy, acting all high and mighty. I thought I found a savior, well, we both ended up getting beaten.

That was how we became friends.

"Clara, it wasn't Davis. I…I don't know the person. I didn't even ask for his name. It just happened, I didn't know how exactly but…I…I don't want to talk about it. I'll keep the baby and stay at home till I deliver. I'll go to school and I'll survive it. I would."

"Oh D," Clara sat and hugged me. "I'm so sorry. You have been through tough times and rough roads."

I smiled. That was the least I could do. It's not bad news, I tried to convince myself. I won't look for the father, I didn't meet mine either. I narrowed my eyes and tipped my chin up at Clara.

"I am totally fine Clara, trust me. I'm still D you know. We should take a walk. Clear up the atmosphere."

Clara nodded in agreement.

***

While we were walking along the road, we saw some ladies walking on the pathway. One was short, just like Clara.

Clara suddenly laughed and exchanged glances with me. It took me a few seconds to see the reason why she was laughing. One of the girls walking has a weird outfit. From what I could pick up, the lady wore a jogger under a very long net gown with a big jacket. She crowned it all with bigger Harry Potter glasses.

I was also tempted to laugh and pretend we weren't laughing at them. I pinched Clara. "Stop laughing. That's ba…d"

"What?" She laughed hard, holding on to my short jean skirt. Tears danced at the corners of her eyes. Her laughter became a contaminated disease because I soon found myself laughing hard too. On the streets, we both looked mad. The ladies we were laughing at were long gone.

I paused, resting my palms on my lips. "Deep breath…one…two…three…out." We both managed to control ourselves. At this point, we would be mad to fall into laughter.

"You girls look cute together. Are you sisters?"

We paused and looked up at the; probably six-foot-nine- inches tall man that stood in front of us. We both had to look up to look at him, I doubt I've ever seen anyone as tall as he was. He gave the aura of the man I met in that room…that luxury…that smell. I shook my head.

The man in front of us was smiling, shining his teeth like he was advertising them. I waited, waiting for Clara to say something. She always had things to say, she's the bold one with the sharp mouth.

When I turned to look at Clara, she was drooling. She was lost in her daydream as it were. I wondered if her neck hurt her at all, she's shorter than I am, so I was looking at the man like she was looking at the sky.

I stepped on her till she regained her senses. The silence was awkward and it made me want to laugh. That's a bad idea.

"I said…"

"Hi…yeah, you said…oh…" Clara stammered. Ei? Clara, stammer? Never happened! I never imagined it would. She always knew what to say. Ahhh now I understand.

The man was looking down at her and smiling, returning the charming smile she was giving out. I cleared my throat. "We are sisters. You figured that out right."

The man broke off his gaze with Clara and looked at me with a mere look. It disgusts me. He extended an arm. "Your elder sister is pretty beautiful."

Clara exchanged glances with me and scoffed. Trying not to be rude even though everything in me wanted to land a hard punch on his face, I shook his hand briefly. "It's nice to meet you."

He took his attention back to Clara, making me look invisible. " I'm Jeff. I was just walking and I saw you laughing from afar. Seeing someone so cheerful brightened my day. That was why I approached you, wondering if you'd like to keep my day bright always."

I was also laughing with her but he saw her alone. Such disrespect. Look at him speaking like he's reading out a poem to her. I trust Clara, she wouldn't fall for that.

"I..um…Sorry, I'm just tryna…you know…" she stammered again. The corner of his mouth curled into a smile. "Take a breath," he said.

"Enough of the talks Mr Jeffrey or Jefferson. I need to be off with her now. We'll see you…whatever. Thanks for stopping by." I yanked Clara's hands and dragged her from his presence.

Her eyes were still on him as we walked past him. "I didn't get your name," he shouted. Clara turned with a smile and shouted back. "Clara Barton."

They were getting on my nerves. I am fucking single. I walked faster and dragged her behind me. "D…what's wrong with-"

"Hush! Not a word." She was obedient, I wasn't smiling either. Either she was charmed, perhaps he used a potion on her, or I don't know my best friend again. She hated men, she never found one worthy enough to call his name. Yet, here she is, drooling over another human being.

"You have a lot to explain," I added.