[[ Absolutely Backstreet ]]

"WHAT!"

"About a month or so along," he said.

"How?" I asked.

"I assume you've been having sexual intercourse."

"Yes, but oh my goodness."

"I'm sure Howie will be a happy man."

"What? Oh I'm not with Howie, I'm with AJ," I clarified.

Dr. Mitchell left and I changed back into my clothes in a daze. Pregnant. I was pregnant, what was I going to do? I had no idea what to do whatsoever. My first thought was what would AJ say? Would he say he didn't want it or would he be happy? How could he be happy because I myself didn't know whether to be happy or not? I drove over to Howie's house and asked to see Shannah.

She came to the door and told me to come in.

"We need to talk," I said.

"Okay well let's go in the living room."

"Somewhere private," I said.

"Okay well then let's go outside."

As we passed Howie to get outside he asked me how I was feeling.

"Not much better," I said which was an understatement.

Shannah and I walked outside and stood in silence. I took a deep breath and began to talk.

"I went to the doctor today," I said.

"Did he tell you what was wrong? Is it bad?" she asked.

"Well that depends on how you would define bad," I fidgeted.

"What did the doctor say?"

"He said it wasn't the flu."

"Then what is it?"

"Something much much more," I said.

"Stop beating around the bush, what is wrong with you?"

"I'm pregnant," I said.

"Funny Kelly, real funny," Shannah laughed.

"Do I look like I'm laughing?" I said.

"Please tell me you are joking," she said.

"I wish I was," I whispered sitting down in a chair.

"Oh Kelly, what are you going to do?"

"Not tell AJ, don't tell AJ," I said.

"Why not? It's his baby too."

"Just let me think first."

"You're not going to get rid of it are you?" Shannah asked me.

"No, no," I said.

"Good."

"What am I going to do?"

The next two days were confusing as hell. AJ and I had not made love and I knew he was wondering why not. I was a little withdrawn and whenever he'd touch me I would pull back a little. I was afraid he'd feel that my stomach wasn't as flat as it used to be. We were over Kevin's house kicking it when the aroma of what he was cooking got to me. Good thing I was with Shannah because I made a beeline to the restroom. When I pulled my head out of the toilet bowl she handed me a towel and closed the door behind her.

"That was close Jessica just passed by," Shannah said.

"Yeah," I said rinsing my mouth out.

"You have to tell him."

"I know."

"He thinks you don't like him anymore."

"That's not true."

"Well he doesn't know that."

We left the bathroom and everyone was eating dinner. Dinner was fine until AJ offered me a hurricane. Of course because of the baby I had to say no. He looked at me funny and continued eating. Shannah kept sending me looks all night until I finally I just stuck my tongue out at her. After dinner we went into the rec room and kicked it.

"Yo D, can I talk to you for a minute?" AJ asked.

"Sure."

AJ led Howie out of the room and upstairs into the kitchen.

"What's up?" Howie asked.

"Something's up with Kelly and I don't know what."

"Well I don't know either Shannah hasn't told me."

"Haven't you noticed it?" AJ asked.

"Sort of, you two aren't hanging all over each other like usual."

"Something is definitely going down. Do you think she's getting tired of me?"

"Man please, she still hangs on your every word," Howie laughed.

"I don't know. I like her too much to lose her."

"Well just talk to her tonight then and ask her what's up."

"I will."

They returned to the rec room and AJ kept his eye on Kelly all night. He noticed she was always staring off in space and that her and Shannah would always send each other looks. AJ knew Shannah knew what was going on. Would she tell him if he asked? When Kelly went to the bathroom he took that chance to talk to her.

"Shannah, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," she smiled.

"What's wrong with Kelly?"

"I-I don't know."

"Yes you do, I can tell. Why do you two keep sending each other secret looks?"

"Honestly AJ, you need to ask Kelly that," Shannah said.

AJ nodded his head and when Kelly came back he asked her was she ready to go. She said and they said goodbye and left. Kelly was silent the entire way home. They came into the house and Kelly started upstairs.

"Kelly can I talk to you?"

Oh no, I thought to myself. I tried to smile and followed him into the living room. We sat down on a couch facing each other.

"What's up?" I asked.

"You tell me. What's going down Kelly?"

"Excuse me?"

"Something is up with you and I want to know what."

I stood up and walked over to a window. How could I say this?

"AJ you are right something is going on that you don't know about."

"Its someone else, isn't it? You met someone didn't you?"

"No, no, it's not that," I said.

"Then what is it?"

"I've been ill these past couple of days," I started.

"Oh, is that all? Come here girl."

"No AJ, listen to me," I said.

"What?"

"I'm not sick with the flu its something else."

"What is it?" he asked.

I couldn't help the tears that were falling down my face. I fidgeted because I knew that the time had come to tell him about the baby.

"Tell me," AJ demanded.

"I went to the doctor and he told me that that I was pregnant," I said crying even more.

"What!" AJ yelled.

"I'm pregnant."

"This is a joke right?"

"I wish it was," I whispered.

"I'm too young to be a father," AJ said loudly.

"And I'm not too young to be a mother?" I yelled.

"Don't raise your voice."

"You raised yours first."

"Well what do you expect when you drop a bomb like this."

"Well excuse me for wanting to tell a father about his baby," I yelled.

"Don't say that," AJ yelled back.

"What? That you're a father, well AJ you didn't say that when we were making this baby," I ranted.

"Wait, how can you be pregnant? We always used a condom."

"And that's supposed to be 100% effective?"

"Yes-no, I don't know. How pregnant are you?"

"One month."

"Shit," he said running his hands through his hair.

"You're telling me."

"My life is ruined."

"And mine isn't?" I laughed hysterically.

"You aren't a part of a multi-million dollar group with a hundred responsibilities," AJ yelled.

I could not believe he had just said that to me. So finally it came out, he thought he was so much more important than a non-celebrity was.

"Well excuse me for not getting a record deal and blowing the fuck up. I may just be a regular person, but let me tell you that my life is just as hard," I screamed.

I stormed out of the room and ran upstairs. I threw myself on the bed and cried my eyes out. After about an hour of moping my plan was clear. I was leaving. Yes AGAIN, I was leaving and this time no one would stop me. I grabbed my bags and started throwing stuff back in. I packed in record time, put on my big puffy jacket, lifted my bags and walked downstairs. I had no idea where AJ was and right now I did not care. I practically tossed my bags in the backseat and drove off. I knew the first place he would look was Howie's so I went to the last place he would think of, Kevin's. I pulled into the driveway and ran up to the door. I knocked on the door and when Dominique answered it I ran in.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

She led me into the living room. I sat down and pulled off my jacket.

"First off don't tell anyone I'm here," I said.

"Okay. What's going on?" she asked.

"AJ and I just had another fight and I don't want him to know I'm here."

"What'd you fight about?"

"Something very important," I said.

"Sure you can stay here, Kevin went out to get me some ice cream, but he'll be back soon. Look, go get some stuff out your car and I'll move it into his garage right quick," Dominique said.

I ran outside and grabbed one of my bags. I lugged it upstairs and threw it on the bed. I sat down on the bed and just stared into silence. Here I was single and pregnant. I could just hear my mom saying "Well that's what you get for having premarital sex."

I dug in my pocket and pulled out my small cell phone. I dialed Howie's phone number and waited for Shannah to answer.

"Hey Kelly," Howie said.

"Wassup Howie."

"You feeling better?"

"Not really," I said.

"Oh sorry to hear that, here's Shannah."

"Hey," Shannah said.

"Hi, look I'm not at AJ's."

"Where are you?"

"I'm with Dominique. AJ and I got into a huge fight about the baby and I left. He doesn't know I'm gone so when he calls and he will, don't tell him where I am."

"Oh my goodness Kelly. What did he say to you?"

Quickly I repeated the fight to her and she gasped.

"He said that?"

"Yes," I answered.

"How could he? Who the hell does he think he is, the president of the United States? Responsibilities my ass, you and that baby are his responsibility now," Shannah whispered fiercely.

"I just wanted to tell you where I was so you wouldn't worry."

"Alright-wait there's someone at the door."

I held on while she walked towards the door. I could hear her unlocking the door and pulling it open.

"Hello AJ, what brings you by here?"

"Where is she?" he demanded loudly.

"Not here."

"Bullshit."

"She isn't here AJ," Shannah repeated loudly.

"But you know where she is and I want to know where."

"Sorry, but I'm just as clueless as you are," Shannah said.

I could hear Howie's voice and knew that they were all standing in the hallway arguing.

"What's going on this time?" Howie asked.

"Kelly has disappeared and Shannah won't tell me where."

"Wait, wait, wait. Didn't she just call here a minute ago?" Howie asked.

I almost died, as I knew everyone was staring at the phone. "That's her isn't it?" AJ yelled.

"What? No, its Hazel," Shannah said.

I could hear some struggling as AJ wrestled for the phone. I knew I should have hung up, but I didn't.

"Kelly, is this you?" he asked.

"Yes AJ its me."

"Where are you?"

"Somewhere you can't find me," I said.

"Look, come home and we can talk about you know what," he whispered.

"Its not a you know what it's a you know who," I cried and slammed the phone down.