• “What do you think I am? Or rather, who?” I tried to ignore my mother’s screeches and my father’s deep yells back.
    “I don’t think you’re anybody, baby. Just my wife.” My dad just complicates things more.
    “Just your wife? Just your wife? Who do you think you are?” I didn’t even understand the argument anymore. To get away, I snuck away to my room, instead of chopping the vegetables like I was supposed to.
    Later, when I came back downstairs, my parents were so disgusting. They were kissing and calling each other lovey-dovey names and acted like their big blowout had never happened. Even though it’s strange, I’d take these parents over the fighting ones any day.
    During dinner, my mom asked me how Robby was doing. Robby was my boyfriend who worked at the same store both my parents do, Les’s More.
    Les’s More is what my mom calls an “anything shop”. It’s a shop with all sorts of things in it. It’s kind of like an iParty store combined with a Price Chopper and a WAL-MART.
    I tell my mom, “Robby’s doing great. He’s taking me out on Tuesday.” My mom should know because she sees him every workday.
    When dinner was over, my dad suggested going out for ice cream. “My pleasure,” he said as we were getting into the car. I rolled my eyes.
    My parents were still in lovey-dovey mode, but not for long. They fought so easily, but they love each other so much. At least that’s what they told me.
    I couldn’t wait to get out and move in with Robby, but my mom said that I could when I turn eighteen. I was seventeen, and my birthday was coming up soon. I was so excited.
    My dad was round and bearded, with graying hair. He had smart green eyes and really long eyelashes.
    My mom was petite, and thin. She had brown hair and unnaturally grey eyes.
    We pulled up at Grace’s, right next to Karen’s pizza. Grace’s has better ice cream, but Karen’s has better everything else.
    We ordered our ice cream, and then we drove home in silence. The lovey-dovey mood was wearing itself thin. Tension was so thick, and everybody seemed tense.
    When I finished my ice cream, I was wise enough to leave the room.

    Robby brought me to Karen’s, where we got a pizza, a soda, and ice cream. “The sad thing about dating,” I told Robby getting to our table, “is that you can’t get a soda for yourself anymore.” I sipped my straw coyly.
    “Hey, at least you’re not sharing it with that guy,” Robby pointed to potbellied, smoking, old Mr. Davis.
    I laughed. “Be nice,” I told him. “Someday you’re gonna look like that.” Mr. Davis gave me a look.
    Robby chuckled. “In your dreams. I bet you’re gonna look like that old lady over there,” he pointed.
    “Robby, that’s Miss Tuobadonac! How dawe you intewwupt haw!” I said, imitating our English teacher’s well known speech impediment.
    We burst out laughing. Everybody else was silent, so it felt really awkward. Miss Tuobadonac and Mr. Davis got up and left. Karen, who runs the place, gave us a look, but she didn’t throw us out.
    “So…what’s up?” I asked.
    “Well, um, I got a new job.” Robby wore that ridiculous grin on his face. I beamed back at him and congratulated him. “I hated my last job, but this new one is just incredibly fun.”
    “So? What is this job, pray tell?” I was anxious to hear what job Robby got this time.
    “I’m in charge of making sundaes at Mom’s,” Robby bragged. Everyone wanted that job. “I started today. I can get you any ice cream you want- on the house.”
    “Thanks, Rob!”
    “I wanted it to be a surprise.” Robby told me.
    When we finished our meals and our conversation, we left Karen’s and headed towards my house.
    “See you, Robby.” I left the car after a lengthy, passionate kiss, and headed into my house. My dad greeted me by the door.
    “Young lady,” he boomed. “How come you’re so late? Did Robby do anything to you this time?”
    The reason for my father’s concern was because I once came home and told my mom everything about Robby and I. She was shocked and told my father, who was ashamed. I got a talk never to do it again, but Robby and I disobey that almost every night.
    “Nothing happened, dad. Just some loser in front of us taking up the whole road.” I told the truth there.
    He snorted. “My daughter being held up by a road hog,” he muttered. I wasn’t sure who he was talking to.
    I forced a smile. “Sure, dad.” I went to my room and fell asleep.

    I went to school the next morning, feeling happy and excited. I had Robby in most of my classes that day.
    When I went to school, I went into the ladies’ room. Candy was on the floor, crying her eyes out.
    “What’s wrong?” I asked her. She lifted her head and let loose a sob that shook her whole body.
    “Ben. He-he dumped me,” she cried. I helped her to her feet.
    “Why?” I let my curiosity get the best of me.
    “Promise you won’t tell?” Candy wiped her tears away, calming down a bit.
    “I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die.” I crossed my chest.
    “I’m pregnant.” She pointed to the pregnancy test on the ladies’ room counter, blue.
    “Candy, it’s OK. Those things are-there’s a fifty-fifty chance that you are. They lie.” I tried to comfort her, but I thought of Robby and myself. What if-?
    After having Candy calm down a bit, I tried the one of the pregnancy tests left in the box myself. It was blue.
    I didn’t cry; I just thought of how right my parents were. Would Robby get mad? Would I live? I’m only seventeen, I thought.

    "Robby? Um...I have news," I nervously approached him after school. He was talking to some friends of his, and leaning against the school.
    "Yeah?" Robby asked anxiously. I pulled him away from his buddies.
    "Robby, I'm...pregnant." I didn't use any emotion in saying it; I figured that if he was happy, I was happy.
    He held his mouth open. "Georgia, um... that's interesting. Look, don't say anything to your parents. They... won't like it. You know how they fi-"
    I held up my hand. "Yes, Robby. I know how they fight. Do you think this is good news, or what?"
    Robby took a mouthful of air. "It absolutely sucks."