Read Sixteen for Free Online

it. I just can't. You're the first person I've told, and I'd rather not... I just can't make myself say it to somebody else. It was hard enough telling you."
    "That you’re pregnant?"
    "Yeah," Nikki whispered.
    “You’ll have to eventually, you know.” When Nikki didn’t respond, Christy thought for a moment. "I could ask my mom. I mean, you don't want to get it, and seriously, I can't do that, but she could. She's married, and Timmy and I are nine years apart. It's not... impossible." She scrunched up her nose and stuck out her tongue. “Weird and gross, yeah, but it would work.”
    “Wait, no! You can’t tell her! I don’t want anyone else-”
    Christy threw her hands up in annoyance. “What do you want me to do? You can’t buy a test. I certainly can’t buy one. If we don’t tell someone , then we won’t be able to get one at all. Better my mom than somebody else, right? Or we could ask your mom...”
    Nikki shuddered. “Definitely not.” After a pause, she sighed and shrugged. "I guess it's the only way." Then her eyes widened. “But promise me Timmy and your dad will never know. You’re my best friend; your mom’s nice and cool. I draw the line at the rest of your family knowing.”
    Christy gave an exaggerated nod. "Oh, trust me, not a problem. I'll go ask right now. I'll hurry, but try to act normal or something when your parents get home. I'll be right back." She ran down the stairs and out the door; Nikki watched her from the window until she was inside her house. Almost before Christy had shut her own door, Nikki's mother pulled into the driveway. Nikki sighed and grabbed a dusty book off her desk, opening to the middle of it.
    "Nikki? I'm back!"
    "Upstairs!" She tried to sound glum and annoyed, but she thought her concern showed through. Maybe her mom wouldn’t notice. It’s not like her mom noticed Nikki’s lack of energy or depressed mood the past several weeks.
    "What are you doing?"
    "Reading!"
    There was silence for a minute. "I'm going to start dinner."
    "Okay, whatever!" She put her book back on the floor and watched as Christy’s mom’s minivan drove away. Nikki supposed Christy's mom made her go to the store with her. Christy and her mother got along fairly well -- infinitely better than Nikki did with her own mom -- but Christy was usually independent of her family. With the exception of their once-a-month family night, she usually did her own thing, like Nikki. Of course, Christy’s parents gave her more freedom than Nikki’s did. Seven-year-old Timmy was too much of a handful for his parents to worry about a responsible teenager, too. Although lately Christy seemed to spend more and more time at home. Maybe it stemmed from the whole be-a-better-Christian thing? After all, Christians were supposed to focus on their families and get along well.
    Nikki's dad arrived fifteen minutes later than usual, but he didn't bother Nikki. She could hear her parents making dinner together in the kitchen downstairs. As a kid, she would help them. Several of her favorite memories were of baking cookies or making a mess with the lettuce leaves while her dad sprinkled sugar on her mother's hair or her mom shooed him out so they “could actually get some food made before it's all eaten up.” But then they had fought over that stupid dress, and now it almost felt like she was a stranger to her own family.
    The doorbell rang, and Nikki darted downstairs before her dad could get it.
    "Hey, Christy, come on up." They ran upstairs, and Christy dumped the shopping bag’s contents on the bed.
    "You know these things are expensive, right? I really hope you appreciate this." Christy’s laughing tone carried no ill will towards her best friend.
    Nikki shrugged, smiling a little, but unable to laugh at the thought of what they were doing. "I told you I'd pay you back. I just can't risk it not being the real thing."
    "I know, I know, take it in the bathroom and hurry up." Christy tore open the cardboard box