"Miss Bryan, could you come speak with me for a moment?"

I was already halfway to the door when Mrs. Paisley called out to me. I wanted to get out of here, so I could go curl up somewhere and cry. This was my English class, and we had just read a short story about a little girl who was beaten all the time. But I nod as I slowly go over to her desk. I don't look at her at first, hoping the kids in my class would leave faster. I tugged at the sleeves of my green sweater. It probably was a little too warm to wear one, but it was the price I paid to hid the ever growing bump underneath. And it was also my mothers, and I needed this little piece of her with me... I only had less than a month to go until I didn't have to hide it anymore. And only a few more months until it was born.

After the door swung closed, I looked up and met Mrs. Paisley's green ones. She was in her late forties, her chocolate brown hair cropped short and showing gray. She gave me a sad smile. "Crystal, has everything been okay?" I stare at my teacher a minute before shrugging. "Well, I mean aside from your mother..."

I look away, feeling uncomfortable. "Nothing is okay because she's gone. And I guess everything that has happened could be expected because of that. But it's not exactly easy."

Mrs. Paisley was staring at me, and I just wanted to look away. "Honey, is there anything you need to talk about?"

I look at her and shrug. "Not really."

She gets an odd look on her face before sighing. "I'm sure you don't want people knowing. I can tell, because you're hiding it. But I'm not really asking about dealing with your mother's death. I'm more concerned about you and that baby."

My heart stops and I get chilled. "W-What do you m-mean?"

Mrs. Paisley sighed. "Crystal, I have five daughters. My second youngest was fourteen when she got pregnant. She tired hiding it from everybody, but once she got around five months, it was hard to hide. Even the teachers at school. And this is even considering how she was a pretty chubby girl. You are tiny. I've been guessing at this for two whole months, but it doesn't look like you're coping well."

I'm stunned that my teacher has known for this long. Stunned that anyone had any idea. And also worried. Worried because this means nothing good. "Why haven't you turned me in to the school?"

Mrs. Paisley sighed. "You're a good kid, Crystal. You always turn in your work on time. You never are a discipline problem. You're a good student and are very helpful. I don't want you kicked out of the school, especially because I have yet to figure out how this happened. And I get the feeling none of this was planned."

I bite my lip and look away. "It wasn't. I've never even had a boyfriend, Mrs. Paisley."

She nods, a sad look covering her face. "Who knows?"

I sigh. "Just my family. And, well, you now."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I look up at her and know I can't tell her. I know that if I do, she is obligated to tell the school. And not only will they go after my father, but I'd be kicked out of the school because in the junior high schools, being pregnant is a major violation to school rules. It wouldn't matter if I was raped. I was still pregnant. So, I shake my head.

"Look, I'm not going to say anything to the administration. And I am hoping no one else does. I don't want you to have to miss even more of life. If you ever need to talk, I'm always here."

I nod and try to smile. "Thanks, Mrs. Paisley." And then I turn and leave. I don't stop walking until I'm in my favorite secluded spot on campus. It's here that I cry, because I'm scared. But it was then that it happened. I felt the baby kick.

I freeze at first, not sure what is happening. But then I feel it again. I lift up the sweater so my hands rest on my stomach. I feel the kicking again and frown. It was moving. It was alive and moving. "Baby?" I say quietly, almost as if I was holding one and it was asleep. I felt it kick again, only it was more distinguished. I let out a shocked gasp. "Wow," I whisper, amazed. This was the first confirmation that there was, indeed, a baby in there. We had not gone to the doctors or anything in fear of them discovering the situation and people getting in trouble. But now there was no denying that I was having a baby, and it was making its presence known.

"Hi there," I whisper. I felt it kick again, though this time, it's more like a nudge than anything. I felt tears gather in my eyes, but not because I was sad or scared. I was suddenly happy. It was my baby... It took me back to when my mom was pregnant with Rory, and he started kicking for the first time...

"Crystal, come here." My mother was smiling, her belly small but round. I went to her, sitting on the edge of her bed. "I just felt your little brother or sister move. Do you want to be the first to feel?"

I remember smiling. "Yeah!" I placed my hands on my mother's stomach and felt little taps. "Mommy, I feel him!"

My mother giggled. "Him?"

I nod. "I think it's a boy. I had a dream he was a boy."

My mother smiled and kissed my head. "Do you know what? I think I want him to be your baby."

I looked up at my mother, frowning. "What do you mean?"

My mother giggled. "I want this to be yourbaby. As in, I want you to know and love him as much as I do. As much as I love you. You were my baby. As in, I knew you were partially your father's and sister's, but in the end, you were just mine. And I want this one to be yours."

I looked at my mom confused. "But what about you? You're his mommy."

She sighed. "You know I'm sick a lot, sweetie. I'll always be Mommy, but I want him to love you as much as me." I looked down at my mother's belly and smiled.

"I'd like that."

She smiled at me. "In that case, what do you want to name him?"

I scrunched up my face, thinking. "Well, my friend has a cousin whose name is Rory. I think that's cute. And his middle name could be James, like Grandpa."

"That sounds perfect." She kissed the top of my head. "But what if it is a girl? What would you like for that?"

I giggle. "But Mommy, it's going to be a boy, I just know!"

My mother smiled patiently. "Just in case."

I think a minute. "I like Brielle. I like it because it could be after Gabrielle. But I don't want her to be Gabby. I would just call her Brielle if she was still here."

I see tears gather in my mother's eyes. I knew this touched her heart deeply, because she missed Gabby so very much. My mother's parents died when my mother was seventeen, leaving behind her and her two younger siblings. Her brother, Kevin, went to go live with their aunt. But the little girl, Gabby, was three. And my mother kept her with her. Gabby was seventeen years old when she was raped and murdered by a man in our neighborhood. It had been been when I was only five, and Gabby was much like a big sister to me. And I knew my mother missed her very much.

"Crystal, that is a beautiful name. If this is a boy, promise me you'll name your little girl that someday. For me."

I smiled. "I will, Mommy." And then I kissed her cheek and cuddled with her...

I wanted to cry at this memory, too. This was partially why Rory and I were so close. I took over for my mom with him, and he and I were so incredibly close... But then I remembered my promise to my mother. That when I had a daughter, I would name her Brielle, after my aunt Gabrielle. I couldn't help but wonder if this was what my mother meant when she promised to give me something worth fighting for, that wasn't just a responsibility. Maybe she was giving me a baby girl, to love and keep with me... My Brielle.

I looked down at my belly and couldn't help but be sure it was a little girl in there. I smiled. "Don't worry, Brielle. Mommy's here. And I'm going to take care of you forever."