Tragic Love Friday

It's the end of the work week. It's not raining. Lionel Richie's Definitive Collection is in my disc player and "Penny Lover" is gently caressing the speakers. Life, she is good.

If you were intimately familiar with my 100 things list, you would know that the three-part hint I included in yesterday's post actually contains the words to a two-part, soap-style fictional series I wrote at the tender and boyfriend-starved age of fourteen, at which time I was caught in the throes of daytime's "love in the afternoon." I wrote both parts between the months of May and October, and I delighted in passing the notebooks off to my friends as I went along, relishing in the attention for the one thing I could do really well.

With all the talk of cheesy love goin' 'round these parts lately, there is no better time to implement Tragic Love Fridays, which I will use as a means to share the saga of five teenagers from Somewhere, Illinois, and their dabbles in lust, heartbreak, death, and of course, babies. It's no Flower in the Attic, but there's a little bit of sex and a whole lot of clichéd dialogue, so it's not a complete waste of your time. Plus, my adolescent self is peeing in her pants now that her momma-drama masterpiece is finally being published for the masses. (And if anyone tries to claim any part of it as their own, I will HUNT. THEM. DOWN.)

For your amusement, spelling and grammar errors remain intact. Current musings appear in brackets.

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Love, Betrayal, and a Baby

PART I

CHAPTER ONE - JENNA

"Yeah! Alright! PARTY!!"

As the final bell rang, crowds of kids rushed out of Roosevelt High. Everyone was yelling and jumping around. My friends and I almost lost each other in the crowd. We managed to get away and settle down under a tree not too far away from the school. I sat down slowly. My boyfriend David Donovan let out a loud whoop. "Finally! The last day of school is OVER! Summer vacation is here!" I smiled at his enthusiasm. "Now we can make some official plans," I said softly, patting my round belly. [Slut!] His eyes glowed.

"That's right," said Michael Spencer. "In 3 more months, you two will be the proud parents of a little boy or girl."

David's sister Cassie cried, "I'm going to be an aunt! I can't wait!" She sighed. "You guys are so lucky. Having a baby has got to be the most wonderful thing in the world."

I nodded and glanced at Kayla Evans [first name totally stolen from Days of Our Lives], the only one who didn't join in on the conversation. But I understood. David was Kayla's boyfriend for a year and a half before he dumped her and started dating me. I was pregnant 3 months later. I could see why she wasn't exactly jumping for joy about the baby that would soon be born.

"So," Michael observed. "We finished up our Junior year." [Way to go, random!]

Kayla spoke up. "This has been one year that I could've lived without."

Everyone knew what she meant. For a while there was silence. [Couldn't you totally see this happening at the Peach Pit? Let's pretend it is.]

"I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I'm leavin'. Anyone need a lift?" Michael asked.

"I do." I stood up and kissed David. "Call me later." He grinned. "OK, momma."

I smiled back. He'd been calling me that ever since I told him I was pregnant.

I sighed happily as Michael and I drove off.

"Have you two picked out any baby names yet?" Michael inquired. I shook my head. "We can’t agree on anything. David actually thought I'd let him name the baby Horace for a boy, or Candy for a girl!"

He laughed. "Whatever name the kid ends up with, I'm sure it'll be as beautiful as its mother."

"Thanks." I stared into space. "The only thing that's keeping me from being 100% happy is Kayla."

"She still won’t talk to you?"

"No. If I call she hangs up, and if I come near her she pretends I'm not there." I ran my fingers through my hair nervously. "I still feel guilty, Mike."

"You shouldn't." [The hell she shouldn't!] His voice was firm. "You and David fell in love. It's no one's fault."

"But she was my best friend. Aside from you," I said quickly. "Kayla hates me, and I don't blame her." I sighed again. "I betrayed her in the worst way." [Just like Kelly and Dylan betrayed Brenda when she was in Paris!]

"Stop it right now," Michael ordered. "That was 6 months ago. Forget about the past. You've got a baby on the way, and didn't you say David proposed?"

I smiled. "Yes."

"Would you change anything if you could?"

"No." [Apparently you're not that racked with guilt, then, are you, sweetie?]

"Well then. Stop worrying about Kayla. She'll come around." He stopped the car in front of my house and helped me out. I hugged him tight. "I needed to hear that. Thanks for being there, Mike."

"Anything for you, doll," he replied. "I'll see ya later."

Nobody was home. There was a note from my parents saying they would be visiting friends out of town for a couple of days. I wasn't surprised. They were often gone for long periods of time. I was mostly alone. [Where did I get the idea that a seventeen-year-old girl's parents would just randomly take off like that? My mother had anxiety attacks leaving the zip code.]

I went into their bedroom and stretched out on their bed. My hands kept caressing my belly. It was a wonderful feeling, to know that only a few layers of skin kept me from my unborn child.

My own child.

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Tune in next week to find out how Jenna became a man-stealing ho. Also, today's your last chance to sign up for the "Hello? Is It My Cheesy Love Song CD You're Looking For?" Internet Swap. Lionel thanks you in advance.

Comments

[Jessi]

Loving. It. Can't wait for the "how she stole Kayla's man" backstory! :)

[Dawnie]

Hee. That has to be the happiest, most well-adjusted set of teenage parents-to-be EVER. I love it. I'm only sad that I have to wait a whole week to find out what comes next!

[audrey]

Love it!! Can't wait for more!

[Silly Hily]

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[Silly Hily]

Okay, switched to Beta today and wasn't sure if I could post.
Don't be feeling all bad for Brenda. Remember she had a fling thing with some guy in Paris didn't she? She had a horrible accent and pretended to be a local. Right?

Frema? You rock. I can't wait for next week! More more! I totally think Mike has the hots for Jenna.

[PaintingChef]

90210 references and all...am a little in love with you now. Yay.

[Art Nerd Lauren]

There was an awful lot of sighing going on in that passage, miss Frema! Substitute "sigh" with "disgusted eye roll" and that's Me: the teenaged years!

[Lindsey]

That is so ironic you should post writing from your adolescence. This morning I was laughing to myself over my teen angst poetry. I'll have to post it sometime. It's so great--there's fear, drunk fathers passed out on the floor, blood and death. It's so ridiculous because I couldn't have asked for a better childhood.

I really enjoyed your post today. It made me laugh and say to myself, "yep, I completely understand."

[Judy]

dude! frema? so rockin'! i don't think i've ever told you, but i was totally addicted to All My Children during high school and college. so, yeah, total throw back here. great job! :)

[takin chances]

This is like the BEST post idea ever!!!

It's our own blog soap opera..without the drama of real-life BS to get in the way!

[Lost A Sock]

Awesome! Can't wait to read more. What a great idea. And nothing like your love for having babies (apparently at any age, and with any baby-daddy, even if he was recently linked to your best friend) blaring through the writing. Love it.

[Erika]

OH god. It makes my face hurt with the cringing. I can't wait for more. I love that you didn't forget the "adoring-male-best-friend-who-is-probably-secretly-in-love-with-me-but-for-now-just-defends-me-to-everyone" character.

[Fraulein N]

So. Freaking. Awesome. You just made my entire year.

Why did I also pen a story about ridiculously well-adjusted teenage parents-to-be? Is that like some kind of rite of passage for future bloggers?

[Angela]

Dude. Awesome. Oh my God, I should recommend this to my bookclub...

[Stacey]

Love it. More! I must know what happens next!

[Sambo V.]

I told you your internet audience would love this story! I feel so priveleged to know what happens...this truly is one of my favorite reads sister!

[Carrie]

I hope there's a paternity test coming up next!!! Maybe that "baby daddy" isn't David. Just a thought. Love it!

[Luke]

Ah, the Peach Pit. Almost as cool a place to hang out as The Max.

[Isabel]

And who leaves their pregnant daughter with only a note to tell them they are leaving. They didn't even say where they are going...just "visiting friends"? DUDE!!

I love this so much!

(and I totally caught the Kayla Evans name from DOOL!)

[May]

Why isn't my life more like this? When I had just a few layers of skin between me & my unborn child, I was happily married, employed and STILL TOTALLY FREAKED OUT. How can I obtain the zen-like peace of this sweet knocked up teenager?

[HollowSquirrel]

YOU ROCK! I'm finally sitting down to read this (ok, I may have to stop to take care of the toddler), and I'm HOOKED! Awesome!

OH and I do know a high schooler whose parents left her alone all the time-- she basically raised herself since she was 12. SERIOUSLY...like different countries and states away.