Pregnant At Sixteen

Reed - Boiling Point

The first thing I do as I get home is to take a quick shower. As I lie in bed, I look over to the empty side I wish Reena was occupying. Her scent still clings to the pillow that she was sleeping on, although it's faint I can definitely make out the coconut I know she uses in her hair.

As the loneliness seeps in, I direct my attention back to the ceiling and just replay the events that took place earlier. I really do want to propose to Reena now more than ever, and I want to do it before she has the baby. Hell, I'd do it tomorrow, well I would if I had the ring but I know there's more than just not having a ring that's holding me back.

I'm having doubts. I don't for a second doubt her love for me, but I know Reena, she's overly independent and just because of that, I think she might not tell me yes. She might also think I'm just doing it because she's pregnant. What if she's isn't ready? What if she doesn't love me as much as I love her?

Taking a deep breath, I try settling my thoughts, but I can't. I wish I knew for sure she wants, wants a life together with me. I observe her actions but Reena isn't an open book, so she's very hard to read, but there are times when I catch her off-guard looking at me and it's at those times I feel certain that she's completely in love with me.

I smile at the memories, and my chest aches. I wish she was here.

As the memories of the good times begin to lodge in my head, it doesn't take any time at all for me to relax and settle into a deep sleep.

~~~

My eyes flutter open to the sound of my phone ringing. When I take it off the charger, I look at the screen I see that it's Reena. It's 12:43p.m.

I answer and it's not Reena's voice that I hear but her mother.

"Ms. Waters?"

She mumbles something, and I don't hear. My brain suddenly registers something and alarm bells start going off. Why is Ms. Waters talking to me on Reena's phone?

"Is it Reena? My heart almost stops and I fly up from the bed, "Is she okay?"

She doesn't answer my question and what I hear next causes me to lose it completely. I recognize the sound of sirens and at that, I'm shouting and going off. Just as I throw my door open to move to the stairs, I see my Dad coming towards me.

"Reed, what's wrong."

I move pass him and make my way down the stairs, "I don't know, it's Reena."

Picking up the car keys, I swiftly make my way to the door, and when I get to the car I notice my Dad's behind me. "Where are you going?"

I don't think, I just answer. "The hospital. I heard sirens." I get in the car and my dad takes the other side.

"Son, you need to calm down."

I look across at him, start the engine and start backing out of the drive way.

"Max." My father repeats, but I'm done already making my way to the hospital. I don't know how fast I'm driving or do I care. I just need to get there.

"Max, talk to me. What happened?"

I try to process everything and calm myself, but it doesn't work. "Her mom called, but it was on her phone." I swallow hard, "And I'm wondering, why is Reena's mom talking to me on her phone." I wipe at my eyes, trying to get the sleep out. "I couldn't understand at first, as I'd just woken up and I was still a bit drowsy." I squeeze the steering wheel and breathe hard, "Then I heard the sirens." I take a quick glimpse at my dad, "I know something happened, I just know."

My chest gets heavy and I struggle to keep my emotions at bay, "I just knew, I knew I shouldn't have brought her there."

"Max, calm down." My father is giving me a worried look and I see why, the speedometer is registering 83mph. So, I ease my feet off the gas and tell my dad sorry.

We don't say anything for the next twenty minutes and when I arrive at the hospital, I run from the car and straight inside where I begin asking for her.

"Is there a Reena Waters here?" The nurse searches the computer then nods, and points me the direction of the room.

When I get there, I meet a teary-eyed Ms Waters and her brother, and if that isn't bad enough, there's also a police officer. A million things come to mind, and I'm afraid to approach them because of what either of them might say. I'm already here, Reena's here, I don't think I can handle much more.

"What happened to Reena?" I ask softly and her mother looks to me, she bites her lip and when the police officer leaves, she wipes her nose and steps away while her brother addresses me.

"You should go see her." He ignores my question completely and it makes me uneasy, and even though I want to furlong the argument, I can't. I don't have the energy to and I really do want to see her.

"Max." My dad comes up next to me, "Is she okay?" He asks and I see Ms Waters face flinch.

So I look at her room door and slowly push it open.

Reena is lying on her left side, there are wires attached to her but not as much as the first time. "Reena?"

At her name, she moves her head to look at me and gives me a sad smile. "What happened?" I ask and her face drops, she lays her head back on the pillow and closes her eyes.

Without much of a second thought, I move to her, holding her hand. "You can tell me," I say and she looks up at me.

"I know. It's just that you're going to get pissed."

I ignore her warning and continue to press for her to tell me, "Reena, what happened. I just saw a police officer and your mom was crying."

I watch as she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "When I got in, Samual was there."

"What?!" I'm about to go nuts. "Did he break in?"

"No. My mom let him in."

I stare at her confused, and she continues. "She had him in her room, and I confronted her about it. He got up and came after me." Her voice breaks a little and a lump forms in my throat. "I tried calling the police, but he took my phone and I ran downstairs." A tear slips down her face and she trembles, holding her belly. "He punched me, Max. He punched me, right here." She points to the side of her stomach, and I grind my teeth.

She starts to cry and I hug her, I hug her while the anger courses through my veins, burning.

"I thought I would lose the baby." She sniffles, "I'm so sorry."

I want to tell her she shouldn't be apologizing because she didn't do anything wrong. He hit her. The thought of him punching her in the belly and Reena collapsing sets me off, and I begin trembling.

"Max." my father says and stop moving, I didn't even notice that I was outside the hospital. When did I get here?

"He punched her. She could have lost our baby Dad, but he didn't care."

He pulls me into a hug and that's when I notice I'm crying. "He hurt her again, and just like the last time, I couldn't protect her."

"Max there's nothing you could have done." He says, trying to comfort me but it doesn't work. I'm far too angry because I can't stop seeing him punch her, seeing her on the floor clutching her belly in pain, worried and scared.

"Max, you need to calm down. The police will handle it, her mother pressed charges."

A little of the anger dissipates and the trembling stops, "What you need to do is be by Reena's side. She needs you now more than ever."

My father lets me go, ruffles my hair and together we walk back inside.

***

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