The Choices We Make

Banner By: Leah
Title: The Choices We Make
Rating: PG-13
Author: Sxymami0909
Fandom: Secret Life
Pairing: Ben/Adrian
Word Count: 730
Prompt: Response to the promo photo from episode 3x5 ‘Which Way Did She Go?’



The room was warm, the bed comfortable and yet Adrian couldn’t sleep. She lay on her side, one hand under her head against the pillow, the other resting gently against his arm. Her knees were bent, slightly curled into her body and her eyes stared straight ahead not really looking at anything in particular.

How did things get so messed up? She let out a short breath and shook her head gently. She knew how. Sex. She’d been so worried about what Ricky was doing with Amy behind her back that the only thing she’d been thinking about the night she slept with Ben was getting back at them.

She hadn’t been thinking that she just switched birth controls, or that sleeping with Ben in the back of his car wouldn’t be a good idea. She just acted, like she did most of the time. Adrian was smart. A lot smarter than anyone ever gave her credit for.

She got straight ‘A’s and growing up with her Mother had given her a good deal of life experience. She was impulsive, assertive, stubborn, and pigheaded, but one thing she was never careless about was birth control.

She’d learned a long time ago that was an area she needed to be meticulous and calculated in or lives could be ruined. And she had a bright future ahead of her, one that she didn’t want anything or anyone to derail.

And yet even with all her careful planning and precautions she’d managed to wind up in the exact situation she’d been trying to avoid all these years and with Ben Boykewich of all people. She sighed and resituated herself on the bed causing Ben to shift in his sleep.

He was on his back, eyes closed as he reached for the hand that was resting against his arm. He gripped her fingers before mumbling something incoherent and angling his body in her direction as sleep once again fell over him.

Adrian was emotionally and physically exhausted. Their parents had been arguing for the past two days trying to come up with a solution that everyone could agree on, but as of yet nothing had been found. She didn’t want this baby. Ben didn’t want this baby, but he also didn’t want her to have an abortion.

Her Father refused to let her have an abortion while her Mother respected her right to choose. Leo didn’t want her to have an abortion either, but he respected her right to choose. It didn’t matter what choice she made though, someone was bound to get hurt.

There was so much riding on this decision so much that could be affected if she chose the wrong path. How did a person know what was right for them? Adrian didn’t want a baby. She didn’t want to have to put her life on hold and be tied down. Did that make her selfish?

She used to talk trash about Amy to Ricky. She used to tell him that Amy was just milking the whole teenage pregnancy thing for all she was worth, but now being in her shoes, Adrian felt the weight of guilt on her shoulders.

She finally knew firsthand what Amy had been going through all those months ago and Adrian wouldn’t wish this on anyone. She sucked in a deep breath as tears welled in her eyes. She didn’t want to be another statistic; she couldn’t do this to herself and to Ben.

It wasn’t fair for either of them. A few tears fell from her eyes and she shifted to wipe them. Her movements made Ben groan lightly as his eyes flickered open, her face coming into view. He frowned slightly and spoke through a sleep hazed voice.

“You okay?”

Adrian shook her head wordlessly and Ben pulled her closer wrapping an arm around her. She gripped his shirt, his chin leaning on top of her head as his soft voice broke the silence in the room.

“It’ll be okay Adrian.”

She nodded and closed her eyes taking a shaky breath.

“Thanks Ben. I’m sorry…about before.”

“No problem.”

He closed his eyes breathing evening out, while sleep still alluded her, thoughts flowing through her mind. It would be the hardest decision that Adrian would ever have to make in her life, but whatever was decided it would be her choice and her choice alone.