Love is a Sacrifice by Samara Fitzgerald (graded readers .TXT) 📖

us. John start heading inside, but I stopped him.
"John, I have to tell you something important." I looked inside the restaurant to make sure Erin wasn't coming.
"What is it?" I see Erin heading back outside.
"I'll have to tell you later."
"Hey guys. Our table will will be ready in five minutes." She pulled out a cigarette and lit it. She held her box out to us.
"You want one?" John took one, but I shook my head as no.
"When did you stop smoking?" She said while blowing out smoke. I waft the smoke out of my face.
"I just decided to end this bad habit."
"I know what you mean. I should be stopping too." After Erin said that, she threw the cigarette down on the ground and stepped on it. I notice that John was looking at me very curiously.
"Well, I'll see if the table is ready." Erin went back inside.
"Are you sure you are okay?"
"Yeah. Let's go inside." John stood there for a little while, but he followed me inside. The whole dinner was quiet. No one said anything.

After we finish eating, we were back on the road. Erin, trying to be slick, said she wasn't feeling good so instead of her driving us to the hotel, John had to drive. So now, I am stuck in the back seat with Erin, who is now sleep, snoring in my ear. Once we got to the hotel, I woke up Erin and we all went in to check in. Erin and I are sharing a room and John's room is down the hall from ours.

"I am so exhausted." At first it didn't register in my head of what Erin said. I was mostly trying to think of a way I can sneak to John's room and come back without Erin knowing.
"Hey, Iris." Reality start coming back and I found Erin staring at me.
"Hmm."
"Are you okay?" You was quiet the whole time we've been here."
"Oh. I'm fine. I'm just tired." I let out a fake yawn.
"Me too. I'm about to go to bed. Maybe you need to go to sleep too." Erin took out her tank top and shorts she use as PJs and put them on.
"Yeah, I'll go to bed too." That's a start. Once Erin goes to sleep, I'll sneak out and go to John's room. I have to tell him something important. I took out John's t-shirt I use as PJs and put it on. After Erin left out of the bathroom after brushing her teeth, I went and brushed my teeth. By the time I got out of the bathroom, Erin was knocked on her bed.
"Yes." I went back into the bathromm and brushed through my hair. Before I left, I made sure that Erin was really sleep. I grabbed my keys and shut the door behind me very silently.

When I got to John's room, his door was slightly opened. I heard John talking to someone. Getting curious, I pushed his door so it could open enough so I can see him. John was talking on the phone. What I heard broke me down. Chapter 11

I looked into John's room and saw Yasmin standing there, talking to him.
"John, how long are you going to keep up this charade. Now that Bill know what Bill may do." Yasmine said.
"He wouldn't have found out if you haven't ran your mouth." John said.
"I keep saying sorry, but you know what you're doing is wrong. We both agreed that you would go out and find Iris. Once we find her, that should bring Bill to us But no, what do you do? You fuck her. That was not a part of the plan." Yasmine said. As she said that, it just felt like my heart was just torn from my chest. No, this can't be true. She has to be lying.
"Yasmine, I know what I'm doing. You just have to trust me on this. Iris is just starting to trust me." he said. Yasmine stared at him for a second, as if she were reading his mind.
"That's not the reason. You're falling in love with her. Just admit it." That's when I couldn't take it anymore, I pushed the door open and I got both of their attention.
"Yeah John. Admit it. Tell the truth because it don't seem like you can tell me the truth." John looked shocked, as if he was a kid who just got caught trying to sneak a cookie.
"Iris, how long have you been standing there?" he asked.
"Long enough to know how you used me. You're the reason Bill found me." I am so angry right now."
"Iris..." Yasmine said as she start walking towards me, but I stepped back.
"Don't you dare come near me if you want to kee[ your pretty face." I snapped.
"Now you need to calm down." Yasmine snapped back.
"Calm down? You have lost your..." I tried to attack, but John grabbed me and pulled me back.
" ¿Quién demonios te están diciendo que se calmara. Voy a patearte el culo ...(in other words:Who the hell are you telling to calm down. I will kick your ass...)" I yelled at her.
"Calm down Iris...wait, you speak spanish?"
"Don't you dare touch me." I yelled at him as I pushed him off of me.
"I'm sorry Iris."
"Fuck you and your sister. Don't none of you come near me ever again." After that, I ran out of the room. I stopped and that is when my walls broke down and I start crying. I can't believe this. I can't believe John would do this to me. Some one put their hands on my shoulders and I knew who it was.
"Iris, I could explain..." I moved away.
"Get away from me. How could you do this to me? Knowing what Bill put me through. That night you told me to let you in and for me to trust you, I actually started to trust you. I finally give you my heart, but you just take it and play with it. I was falling for you John. So much of an idiot I am. I was hoping that you wasn't like Bill, but you two are just alike."
"Don't compare me to Bill. If you let me explain..."
"Explain what? You have nothing to explain. I heard everything. You got what you wanted. Bill's here. You just lost someone in the process. Me." I yelled at him. The door to Erin and mine room opened.
"What is all this yelling? I'm trying to sleep." Erin said groggily. That's when I start feeling the sharp pain in my stomach that I start bending over.
"Iris, what's wrong?" I hear Erin's faint voice. The pain was so painful, I start to feel light headed.
"Iris! Hello, we need help out here!" Erin yelled. Next thing I know, I see darkness.

***

I opened up my eyes, but at first it was blurry.
"She's awake." Erin says excitedly. I kept blinking until my vision cleared up.
"What happened. Where am I?"
"You're in the hospital, darling." I looked over and see mom standing next to Erin. Oh crap. I have to be having a nightmare. I looked down and saw I was in a hospital bed. Erin look so worried.
"Don't do that to me again, Iris. You almost scared me to death." Erin said,
"What happened?" I tried to sit up, but I was struggling so Erin helped me.
"You passed out in the hallway at the hotel." Erin said as she step back That's when a doctor walked into the room.
"You're awake. I'm your doctor, Dr. Banks." he said.
"Doctor, how long have I been here?"
"Well, you have been asleep since yesterday night and it's now 7:30 pm." That's when I remembered what happened yesterday.
"So what's wrong with me. Just tell me so I can get out of here."
"Well, I checked everything and your fine.Then your sister Erin told me how you grabbed your abdomenm, I did a sonogram."
"Okay..." I'm starting to get real impatient. The look on Dr. Banks face told me something was up.
"Well, it was stress that caused this. You was so stresses that it affected the baby..."
"Wait, what?" I interrupted. I just want to make sure what I am hearing right. All I hear is the word baby repeating itself in my head.
"Congratulations. You're going to be a mother."
"So you telling me that I'm pregnant?"
"Yes, well..." Oh shit, more news.
"What doctor?" mom asked.
"I think I should show you. I'll be right back." Dr. Banks said as he walked out of the room.
"I knew it. I just didn't check." I said as I start crying.
"Wait, you knew you were pregnant?"
"Well, the thought was in my head. I start noticing that I was gaining weight and my cycle haven't came yet. Why you think I stopped smoking and drinking. I was planning on telling John last night that I thought I was pregnant, but the doctor just confirmed it for me." I answered.
"Oh my goodness. I'm going to be a grandmother" Mom said as she shook as if she just heard something scary.
"Mom, calm down. You should be happy." Erin said.
"Happy? All its showing is how old I'm getting. I'm getting a headache just thinking about it. I need to sit down." she said as she sat down in the only chair in the room. Mom is such a drama queen. That's when Erin noticed that I was still crying.
"Iris, what's wrong? It's okay. Even if you having a baby without getting married. At least you're having something precious. You and John are having a baby." Erin said excitedly as she touched my stomach.
"Don't say that name to to me again." All it's doing is making me want to cry more.
"Did I miss something? I thought you guys were happy."
"If you heard what I heard, you would agree with me."
"You heard what?" I told Erin about what happened. The more I told, the redder Erin got.
"I knew John was up to no good. As soon as I was going to hit him with that bat when I found him in our home. No wonder he wouldn't tell me anything. Ese hijo de puta.(that bastard.)"
"Erin!" I'm shocked that she said that.
"I'm sorry God... but it's true."
"Where is John now?" I asked.
"He is in the waiting room. I told him he could come in, but he said he would wait there in the waiting room. I see why now why he don't want to come in here."
"Don't tell him anything, okay. I don't want him to know."
"I can keep a secret." Erin said. We both looked at mom. We both know mom can run her mouth.
"What?" mom said, trying to look innocent.
"Promise you won't tell John or anyone else about this." I said as I gave her a stern look.
"Not even your father?"
"Not even dad." Mom sighed in defeat.
"Fine. My lips are sealed. But you know it soon going to be obvious. Also, you will have to let that man know sooner or later that you're having a child."
"I know mom. But, I want to tell him when it is the right time." I wonder when is the right time I thought to myself. Right now, I despise that man.

 

The doctor comes back in with the sonogram machine.

"Doctor, this is not necessary. You