His face paled. “I can’t talk to you about this.”
She didn’t have the patience for this today. “Don’t you have a class to go to?” she snapped a little harsher than she planned. Her head was spinning almost as fast as her stomach.
Chris put his hands up in surrender. “Holy shit, I didn’t know it was that time of the month, Madison.”
Her temper erupted. “Chris, we are in school right now. You know you are supposed to call me Miss. Soloman not Madison. And for your knowledge I’m sick. It’s not my time of the month.” Something clicked, something not good. She sat back down and tore her desk apart looking for her date book.
“Whoa, calm down, Madison! What’s wrong?” Chris moved around the desk ready to help.
“Aha!” She found it in her bottom drawer and practically ripped it apart opening it up.
Chris’s finger blocked her view. “What’s that sad face mean?”
Madison pushed his finger away and looked. She swallowed loud. “That means I’m…” She counted from that date to today’s. “Shit.”
“What?” He looked worried.
“I gotta go.”
“Where?” He watched as she grabbed her purse, nearly knocking her computer off the desk with an elbow.
“I have something I really have to do,” the words rushed out of her mouth. She stumbled out into the hall.
“Madison, are you okay?” Chris asked, catching up to her.
“Yes, no, yes, I don’t know. I have to go.”
“You’re leaving school?”
“Yes, sick going home, good idea,” she rambled.
She wasn't aware that he was still with her until she was in the front office. Mrs. Adams, the secretary waddled over to them. “Good heavens, Miss. Soloman, you’re pale as a ghost. Is everything okay?”
“Going home sick,” the words rushed out.
“Oh, I guess so. I hope you feel better, sweetie.”
“That’s not very likely anytime soon,” she mumbled.
“What’s that?” Mrs. Adams asked. “I didn’t quite catch that.”
Chris did. His brows pulled together as he looked her over.
“Nothing. I’ll be back tomorrow.” She gave her a weak smile.
“And you, Chris, what can I do for you?” Mrs. Adams asked, looking him over and not happy with what she saw.
“I’m sick, too. I’m going home,” he said.
“Not without permission from a parent or guardian.”
He gestured to Madison. “You have it from her. She’s my dad’s girlfriend.”
“But-“
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Mrs. Adams,” Chris said cheerfully. He had to run to catch up with Madison who was talking to herself.
“Just sick. Just sick. Just sick. Nothing to worry about. Just sick.” She pulled her keys out with shaky hands.
“Oh no you don’t. You’re not driving.” Chris took the keys from her hands.
“What?” She looked lost.
“Get in. Tell me where you need to go and I’ll take you.” He unlocked her door and helped her in. When he climbed behind the wheel her brain started functioning.
“Wait, you don’t have a license. You can’t drive.”
He turned the car on and threw it into drive. “Hmm, look at that it seems I can.” She was shocked to see that he could and well.
“It’s probably for the best if I don’t know the how’s or the why’s behind your driving abilities.” She held a hand over her eyes and tried to relax.
“Yeah, that’s probably for the best. Now where to?”
She bit her lip, thinking. That was a good question. She needed to know badly, but didn’t want anyone to know she needed to know. It was a small town after all. She didn’t need this particular bit of news spreading.
“I need to go to a pharmacy,” she said slowly. Yes, a pharmacy would do. She looked over at Chris. He seemed at ease behind the wheel. Hmmm, perhaps having him coming along would work out. “Chris, I need you to run into the store and grab something for me.”
“Sure thing, what do you need? Cold medicine? Aspirin?”
“Pregnancy test.”
********
“Are you crazy? I’m not going inside and buying that.”
“Chris, we’ve been arguing over this for a half hour.” She looked around the parking lot. “No one’s around so just go inside and grab a test. A one minute test preferably.”
“Hell no!”
“Chris!”
“No! If I go inside they’ll think I’ve knocked someone up when I can’t even….," his voice trailed off, shaking his head he finally mumbled, "I’m not doing it.”
“Please!” She pouted.
“No, you go do it. You’re the one who needs it.”
“No! That’s worse!”
He rolled his eyes. “How is that worse?”
She scoffed, “I’m a twenty-four year old single female teacher. How is that not worse?”
He raised a brow, still waiting for a reasonable answer. “If I get it I’m a slut if you get it you’re a stud.”
His face colored and he looked away. She couldn’t be sure but he looked like he was going to cry. “Chris, are you okay?”
Chris cleared his throat. “I’m fine. Look this is more important than my problems. You might be carrying the love child of a 206 year old bloodsucker who refuses to raise my allowance,” he tried to joke. “I think this takes precedence.”
They stared at each other for several long minutes hoping the other would give in. Finally she broke. “Fine, will you go in with me then?”
“Will it make you feel better?”
“Yes.”
“Sure thing. The worse thing that could happen is people will think you are carrying my baby. I’m sure it’s perfectly normal for a female teacher to be with her male student at a pharmacy in the middle of the day buying a pregnancy test. What could go wrong?” he asked wryly.
She opened her door. “Fine,” she ground out. Damn it he was too perceptive sometimes. This time it was probably a good thing. “Stay here. You know you really are a brat and I’m telling your father to cut your allowance, you little traitor,” she said out of aggravation. His hand shot out and gripped her arm.
“Chris, I was just kidding.” He pulled her back into the Jeep. “What?”