Down Chick

Chapter Twenty-One: Reunions & Identification (Part I)

Chapter Twenty-One: Reunions & Identification

The cookout was still going full blast about two hours later. Maria was throwing down on food and I was watching her with an open mouth. I knew that the girl could eat, but I didn’t know that she ate that much food. I guess pregnancy caused a variety of hormones and increased the appetite, if Maria was anything to go by. I was feeling like I needed a drink, but I knew I couldn’t have one and it was pissing me off. I wasn’t a big fan of drinking, but every now and then I had one. It didn’t matter that it was illegal because of my age. It had felt good, especially when I was stressed. I glanced over at Angel arching an eyebrow at the expression on his face.

He was looking around at everyone like they were on something. Some of them probably were, considering that the alcohol had already been passed around. I had a plan though, if I was going without liquor then he was too. Weed was another strong scent in the air. It was such a strong smell that it was inhibiting my senses. I wasn’t sure why I was standing around doing nothing. It was a cookout and surprisingly—yet, not surprisingly no one had approached me. It was the fact that I had arrived with Angel and his arms hadn’t left from my waist until a short while ago.

Walking over to a cooler, I decided to find something fruity to drink. Maybe they had my favorite fruit punch or something. Bending over I lifted the lid and begin to push cans of Mountain Dew, Pepsi, Coke, and water bottles out of the way. As I dug deeper, I came across a plastic twenty ounce bottle of Pink Lemonade by Minute Maid and I smiled. This was perfect. Breaking the seal as I twisted the cap off, I lifted the bottle to my lips and let the cool drink flow.

As I surveyed my surroundings once more I saw Rome surrounded by a group of women. He was chatting with all of them. One hand ideally rested on the hip of the one closest to him, the other hand followed the path of his arm which was around one’s shoulder, his hand trailed down towards the curves of her breast. I chuckled. I had heard him over the phone, but this was even more surprising. I supposed he couldn’t be blamed. If women were allowing themselves to be passed around like that, then that was on them. We were all adults, after all.

After another fifteen minutes passed, I was ready to go. All I did was look at Angel and he interpreted the look perfectly. He took my elbow and led me from the yard and to the car. I slid into the passenger seat and buckled up. After that I knew it was coming to the time that I wasn’t looking forward to. It was time to confirm whether I was pregnant or not. Of course, pregnancies weren’t always accurate. Usually they were very reliable.

When we reached the house, I slid out of the car with the bag in my hand and headed towards the door. Angel unlocked it and motioned for me to go in ahead of him. Immediately I glanced over at him and saw an indescribable expression on his face that I didn’t recognize. I bit my bottom lip. I was halfway nervous by the time I made it to the restroom. I didn’t want to be pregnant. I was only nineteen. In my eyes I wasn’t fit to be a mother.

It wasn’t that I was waiting to make myself by going to college or even getting married. If there was one thing on the planet that I had no true care for, it was marriage. Marriage to me was just a deep commitment that made it difficult to leave a relationship. Marriages were in a sense like a chain coming and locking down by a person. I couldn’t explain that I felt whenever the topic of marriage came up. I didn’t believe that person had to be married to be in a relationship.

I wasn’t getting married anytime soon. I’d have kids before that happened, of that I was sure. Going into the bathroom, I closed the door and reached into the bag and pulled out the first box available. Walking over to the toilet, I read the instructions and followed them thoroughly. After I finished with that test, I didn’t wait for the results. I started on another. I was determined to do three of them and take the word of whichever one was dominant.