Cassandra sat alone in a stall of one of her high school’s bathrooms. Hoping to God that she wouldn’t hear the door swing open to a group of girls, she just sat there almost completely numb and cried. This was the last thing she would have expected. Cassandra had no idea of how she was going to tell anyone. Who would she tell first anyway? Her parents? The father? This is never something you prepare yourself to be told. Not at any age. And definitely not as a junior in high school and a student just becoming ready  for college. Cassandra couldn’t help but think about everything she had planned. All that she wanted her life to be way before she even thought about this as even an idea. She did have nine months to prepare for this, but then again, what’s nine months when you compare it to the rest of your life? Cassandra knew that she would love him; or her, if it was a girl. Very few choices were left for her at the moment. Standing up and walking out was like a mixture of walking on air while a heavy weight was being pounded on her shoulders. There was no possible way this could be hidden in any way, and Cassandra now decided she would tell Michael, her boyfriend, the father; but more importantly, the only one in her life at this point that she couldn’t bare to see walk away. Not now. Not ever.

    Running through the empty halls, was like flying through tunnels without a single person around. Escaping a place where you feel so lost, no matter how much is around you. All she was focused on was to get out of that building. The only thing she wanted right now was to see Michael. They’ve been through some hard times in the past, but never were in this deep in trouble. Cassandra had no clue where he might have been. Just to call him took a lot, but she did it anyway and told him to immediately meet her at her place. When something so life changing is thrown right at you, the main idea that might pop into your head would be to keep it a secret for a while. But to be forced to tell people, and the people who you’re closest to, could either have two different effects: making those situations easier, or just ruining everything for you.

It was quite a long walk that Cassandra had to take to return back home. It was already getting dark, and the charcoal skies looked as though they were about to downpour. As she made her way throughout the streets of her depressing, and gloomy town, a strange yet familiar presence came over her.  The bothering feeling crept inside her mind as if the fear was traveling through her bloodstream, causing her to feel even more paranoid. Who would have thought that the news which was just presented to Cassandra could be at all true? There was really no way possible for the teenage girl to speak of this, nor could she seek advice as to what in the world she could ever do. Pinned against the wall with not a single option to solve this terrible situation, Cassandra continues to walk with a numb sensation as she waits for Michael to reach her doorstep.

    Michael knew that something was wrong. He could tell the second he looked at Cassandra. They could read into each other like that. Unable to clear her head, while emotions had been controlling the way she behaved, there was no other way to say it but just to say it. The words stumbled out of Cassandra’s mouth. Michaels eyes seemed to go blank. The entire room seemed to have a different feel to it, as if everything vanished into the air surrounding them. Moment after moment, nothing was said. Finally Michael spoke up and was a great surprise. He was happy. Not because his whole life had to change in less than a year, but in a way that expressed how much he truly cared for Cassandra. The realization that they were soon going to be a family was a thrill to the both of them. Something that Cassandra always dreamed of, but never imagined could actually happen. The couple talked some more. About what to do, how to tell people; they discussed everything. Michael’s outlook about everything that Cassandra had to tell him was incredible. Proof of the understanding and compassionate person she had always seen in him.

    Never in Cassandra’s life has she felt so in love. The way Michael was looking forward to having his own baby and the way he wanted more than anything to finally be married to Cassandra someday; even the look in those deep brown eyes when they talked about raising a little family together. It was so crazy but yet it all made sense. The overwhelming idea that the butterflies Michael gave her every time he entered her mind would soon turn into little hands and feet was a feeling that instantly changed her life forever.

    Later that day after Michael had left, Cassandra decided to go see him, and get  an update as to how he was doing. A car drive that should take approximately five minutes felt like it had been hours when Cassandra finally pulled up in the driveway of Michael’s house. Michael’s car was the only one in sight, so he had to be home alone. This was great. The last thing the two of them needed was for his overly stuffy family to hear anything too soon. Cassandra always seemed quite comfortable here, but something seemed to be disturbingly suspicious. She then assumed Michael was the only one there so she ran to the door and walked right in. Looking around, everything seemed the same. The way the chandelier hung, how the autumn breeze made the curtains dance, even the way their crimson rug looked against the golden brown wooden floor. Everything looked so beautiful, but in a way that scared the hell out of Cassandra. A feeling suddenly flashed through her mind that Michael was definitely not alone. Seconds later a loud slam came from one of the bedroom doors upstairs. Startling her to the point that she had no option but to check out what could possibly be going on, she ran right up. Anxiously banging on Michael’s door, Cassandra heard bits and pieces of what sounded like a nervous conversation, and could sense that whispering was going on behind that door. It wasn’t until she calmed down a notch, got the door open, and saw with those piercing blue eyes what to her had to be the most unimaginable nightmare. Not only was Michael with another girl, but Ava- her sister! Of all people she found him with her sister. The look of fear Ava had on her own face could probably never be put into words to make sense of this scene. Ava was so nervous she was barely able to get her arm back into that sweater, which happened to be one of Cassandra’s anyway. Michael and Ava then began to talk over each other, as if this picture could really be explained. Cassandra made an attempt to listen at first, but after a few seconds began to zone out. A dark cloud came over her as if hatred and despair was taking control over her mind and soul.

When Cassandra was finally able to focus and realize what was going on again, she noticed that not only what her sister laying there on the floor unconscious, but Michael was in the same position as her as well. It wasn’t until then she realized there was a cigarette lighter in her handbag. She casually took it out and walked over to the window. It was a fantastic time to have those sheer curtains taking up almost half the wall. Before she could blink twice, the bedroom had an orange glow, the heat was almost suffocating. Cassandra ran back down the stairs and right out the door. Looking back, all she saw was everything she wanted to see. The once so magnificent home was blazing, the thick clouds of charcoal grey filled the air, embers were shooting in all sorts of directions; and as the time moved quickly, section by section of that magnificent home began to crumble down.

Cassandra did not consider this any crime at all, nor did she believe she made any mistake. Ever since that morning her only job to ever obtain was to protect only two people. Betrayal gave her power, and the love she felt for her baby gave her the strength to do what she needed to do- and she did.