BIG TEST
Lala sat by bathroom tub, her fingers wrapped tightly around the pregnancy test like it might disappear if she loosened her grip.
Todd stood in the doorway at first, watching her. Not rushing her. Not pushing.
Just there.
“Lala…” he said softly.
She didn’t look up. “It’s been three minutes.”
“It’s okay,” he replied, stepping closer. “We said we’d do this together, remember?”
Her breath hitched. “I’m scared.”
“I know,” he said, kneeling in front of her. “Me too.”
That made her finally look at him.
“Really?” she asked.
Todd let out a small breath, giving a half-smile. “Yeah. But not of you… not of us. Just… everything changing.”
Silence filled the room.
Then slowly—almost like it weighed a hundred pounds—Lala turned the test toward herself.
Her eyes scanned it.
Paused.
And froze.
Todd’s heart dropped. “What… what does it say?”
She didn’t answer right away.
Her lips parted, but no words came out.
Then finally, barely above a whisper—
“…two lines.”
The room felt like it tilted.
Todd stared at her, searching her face. “That means—”
“I’m pregnant,” she said, her voice shaking.
For a second, neither of them moved.
No big reaction.
No dramatic moment.
Just reality settling in.
Todd swallowed hard, then gently reached for her hand. “Hey… look at me.”
She did.
“We’re okay,” he said firmly. “Do you hear me? We’re okay.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I graduate in three weeks, Todd…”
“I know.”
“ senior pictures… prom just happened… everything was just starting…”
Todd moved closer, resting his forehead against hers. “And it’s still starting. Just… different.”
She let out a shaky laugh through tears. “Different is one word for it.”
He smiled softly. “We’re not running from this.”
“No?”
“No,” he said. “We face it. Together. Like I said.”
She searched his face again, making sure he meant it.
“You’re not leaving?” she asked quietly.
Todd didn’t hesitate. “Not a chance.”
That broke her.
She wrapped her arms around him, holding on tight as the tears finally came.
Todd held her just as tightly, one hand on the back of her head.
“I got you,” he whispered. “Both of you.”
Later that night, Lala laid in bed staring at the ceiling, her hand resting lightly on her stomach.
It didn’t feel real yet.
Nothing felt different.
But everything was.
Her phone buzzed.
Melissa:
Girl you better not be ghosting me. We still gotta plan graduation outfits 😭
Lala stared at the message.
Her chest tightened.
How do you tell your best friend something like this?
Another message popped up.
Melissa:
Also… my dad is being extra emotional lately talking about me leaving for college 😩
Lala blinked back tears.
Her dad.
Senior pictures.
Cap and gown.
College.
And now… this.
Her life had split into two paths in a single moment.
And she had no idea how to walk them both.
Across town, Todd sat in his car outside his house, gripping the steering wheel.
He hadn’t gone inside yet.
He just sat there.
Thinking.
A baby.
Lala.
Graduation.
Responsibility.
Fear crept in—but so did something else.
Determination.
He pulled out his phone and texted her:
Todd:
We’re gonna be alright. I meant that.
A few seconds later…
Lala:
I know… I’m just scared.
He smiled softly.
Todd:
Me too. But I’m not going anywhere.
Lala read the message, placing her phone on her chest.
For the first time since seeing those two lines…
She felt a tiny bit of peace.
But deep down—
She knew the hardest part wasn’t the test.
It was everything that came next.
