A week later

            Lizzie sighed as she stared out the rainy window. Ever since that day a week ago, things had been strained between her and Jonathon. She could have sworn that he was gonna kiss her that day, but ever since he didn’t even seem to want to be in the same room as her. Maybe I should move out…it’d make it easier….and where would you move? Her mind asked. I don’t know, but I can’t stay here… The object of her thoughts then came to her door. “Hey, Liz?”

            “Hmm?” she asked nonchalantly.

            “Look, I’m sorry for this tension…I’m really trying to study for my history exam…I don’t mean to be rude or aloof. So sorry,” Jonathon said backing out of the room.

            “J.T., wait,” Lizzie said getting off of her bed. “I have an appointment today…will you take me?”

            “Uh-sure,” he said looking uncomfortable.   “I have to do something quick, but then I’m all yours.” He smiled.

            Lizzie smiled back. You aren’t all mine, or I’d already have you, she thought glumly.

            “I’ll be quick. Promise,” Jonathon said disappearing.

♠

            Jonathon stood outside of her room searching his brain. “Why would you do that to yourself?” he muttered to himself. “You have a hard enough time living with her. Now you’re gonna be in a car with her…you can’t escape her in a car.”

            He heard a gasp and wanted to curse. He spun around and saw Lizzie duck back into her room. Jonathon groaned. This is not the way it’s supposed to be, he thought following her into her room. “Look, Liz…What are you doing?” he asked as he watched her throwing things into a box.

            “I’m leaving…” she said still “packing.”

            “Lizzie, you can’t leave…where would you go?” Jonathon asked.

            “I don’t know, but I can’t stay here any longer. It’s obviously not working for us…so I’ll go.”

            Jonathon stood searching for a reason for her not to go. You love her, a voice said. “I can’t tell her that,” he said out loud on accident.

            “What can’t you tell me?” Lizzie asked her full attention on him.

            “Uh-no-nothing,” Jonathon said shrugging.

            “OK, I’ll miss it here,” she said looking around the room. “And I’ll miss you, Jonathon. You’ve been so amazing.”

“Let me at least take you to the doctors.”
“No, Jonathon. Just forget me…pretend you haven’t seen me for forever, ‘K?”

“I can’t…Lizzie, I—” he was cut off by the phone. “I think I’m going to shot this phone,” he muttered as he answered it. “Hello?”

“Hello, is Ms. Martin there?”

“May I ask who is calling?” Jonathon asked.

“It’s Mrs. Martin.”

“OK, here she is…” He put his hand on the mouth piece and said, “It’s your mom.”

            Lizzie hesitantly took the phone and said, “Mom?”

            “Elizabeth, I’ve heard the most horrid rumor,” her mother said.

            “What was it?” she asked rolling her eyes at Jonathon.

            “That you’re pregnant!”

            Lizzie’s whole world spun. “Lizzie?” Jonathon asked concern on his face. 

            “My mom knows…She found out, and she’s in Europe!”

            Jonathon took the phone out of Lizzie’s hand and said, “She’ll have to call you back.” Then he hung up not waiting for Mrs. Martin’s reply. “It’ll be OK, Liz,” he said holding her. 

            “No, no, it won’t! My mom was always so sure that if I’d stayed with you my life would have been perfect, but I rebelled. I couldn’t let my mom run my future…and in the process I lost you,” she said crying now.

            Jonathon sat down on her bed and held her tighter. “That’s why you left me?” he asked in disbelief.

            “I’m so sorry,” she choked out.

            Jonathon held her closer and rocked her.   Her mom approved, so I was no longer “good enough.” Why, sweet Lizzie, would you not want your mom’s approval? He wondered. “It’s OK, just breathe.”

            “I-I can’t…I owe you an apology…”

            “You all ready apologized, and I forgave you.”

            “J.T….I-I…”

            The phone rang again. Is someone out to get me? He asked angrily. “Hello?”

            “Hey, J.T.,” his little sister chirped.

            “What do you need, Tash? I’m kind of busy.”

            “I just wondered if you were coming for dinner…Dad wanted to know.”

            “No, I don’t think we can make it,” Jonathon said looking at Lizzie. “Maybe another time.”

            “We?” Tasha asked confused.

            “Me and Lizzie...my roommate…”

            “Oh, yeah…I’ll tell Dad…Bye, J.T.”

            “Bye.” He hung up and looked at Lizzie. “You were saying?”

            “Nothing, I was saying nothing.”

            “Liz,” he said.

            “Yeah?”

            “You didn’t lose me. I’ve been here all along.”

            Lizzie smiled slightly. “Maybe I won’t move out…You seem to be too popular for me to move out.”

            Jonathon laughed at her statement. “I just think someone’s trying to stop us from having a real conversation.”

            Lizzie laughed too. “I think you may be right,” she said as the phone started ringing again. “You gonna get that?”

            “Nope, we have a machine, and besides, I think a certain ‘mommy to be’ needs to go to the doctor.”

            “All right, let’s go.” She smiled as she heard their voices on the machine. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.