Page 106 of Rules

I look at Lia, not knowing what to say. When she puts it like that, and knowing about her past, it makes sense, but still. A baby at eighteen? My whole body shudders at the thought.

Not waiting for our answer, Jeanette jumps off the bed. I can see the fight in her eyes. The need to know, and the fear of what if. My heart aches for her. I won’t even try to pretend I understand her, but I don’t want to see her suffer like this either.

Taking a deep breath, I get up too.

“Come on.” I loop one of my hands through hers, the other one gripping the brown bag as if my life depends on it.

Those silver eyes widen as realization hits her. “What? What are you doing?”

“We’re doing it. And we’re doing it now.” I don’t leave her with any other choice. If we don’t do it soon, I’m going to be the one puking my guts out.

“We?” Jeanette pulls her hand out of mine, stopping in her tracks. “Brook, are you feeling…”

“We’re going to take it together,” I say, my tone final. “God knows you bought enough for the whole senior class of Greyford High.”

Jeanette rolls her eyes, but not even the playfulness of the motion manages to wipe out the worry hidden in their depths. “I didn’t buy that many!”

“Mhmm… let’s go.”

“Do you even know what you’re doing?” The skepticism in her voice is obvious.

“How hard can it be? You pull your pants down, unclasp the stick, squat over the toilet and pee on it. It’s not quantum science.”

“When you put it like that… But you go first.”

I lift my finger in warning. “You’re going to pee on that stick today whether you do it on your own or I have to force you to do it. Clear?”

“Crystal.”

I nod and then stomp into the bathroom like a woman on a mission. The door closes behind me with a loud thud, and I take a second to just breathe. My back sags against the door behind me. Running my hand over my face, I look at the brown bag clasped in my fist.

When I agreed to come to Lia’s, this didn’t even cross my mind, yet here we are.

I exhale, the whoosh of air feeling awfully loud in the quiet room.

I put the bag on the counter and pull out one rectangular box.

“Now or never, Brook,” I whisper to my own reflection in the mirror. “It’s now or never.”

Not like there is any chance I might actually be pregnant. Except for those few times I’ve been with Max, I haven’t been with anybody in forever. We were always careful… not like that made this any easier.

Gritting my teeth, I rip into the box and pull out the plastic stick. For something so small and light, this thing sure is scary as hell.

Ignoring my wandering thoughts, I do exactly what I told Jeanette to do, and once I’m finished, I leave the stick on the counter, washing my hands and getting the hell out of the room just in time to catch part of Lia and Jeanette’s conversation.

“Thanks, but I don’t think I’ll need them anytime soon.”

“Nothing like a pregnancy scare to emphasize the importance of birth control,” I say from the doorway. The two of them turn around at once. I catch Jeanette’s eyes and tilt my head back. “Your turn.”

Her eyes fall shut, and for a moment I debate whether to let this go. Maybe she needs to do it in her own time. Forcing it will accomplish nothing but heartache. But like always, Jeanette surprises me. When her eyes snap open, there is a strength in them that I haven’t seen all day long. She nods once before marching toward the bathroom. I move, letting her pass.

When the door closes softly behind her, I look at Lia and see her worried gaze on me.

“She’ll be okay, right?”

My fingers lace with hers, and I give her a strong squeeze.

“Of course. She’s stronger than she lets on.”

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