Sixteen Read Online Free PDF Page B

it, so we can know how to go to heaven someday. That’s one good point about the Bible. So many different men from different countries and times in history wrote parts of the Bible in their own languages, and yet the whole thing has been preserved to this day and never contradicts itself.”
    Nikki nodded and looked down at her lap. Coming from Christy, it made so much more sense. Then again, she'd always assumed the preachers to be fanatics like her mother, and she took her best friend at her word. Maybe Nikki was a little too harsh on her mom sometimes.
    "Do you want me to go get my Bible? I can show you.”
    Raising her eyes to meet Christy’s, Nikki shook her head. "I get it. I believe you, and I want to have my mistakes washed away. But I've never prayed before -- not for real. What do I do? How do I tell Jesus I believe in Him?"
    "You just... tell Him. You talk to Him, like you're talking to me.” Christy shrugged. “There’s not that much to praying. You tell Him that you believe in Him, and you want Him to save you and live in your heart forever. You can also tell Him anything you want, like about Matt or… or the baby. Do you want me to pray with you?"
    Nikki nodded. Christy folded her hands, closed her eyes, and bowed her head. Nikki watched and mimicked her actions.
    "Dear Jesus..." Christy paused after each phrase so Nikki could repeat her words. “I know that I am a sinner. I believe that You died on the cross for me. Please come into my heart and wash away my sins."
    "I also want to tell You..." Christy let the sentence hang.
    Nikki finished her own prayer, voice thick with tears. "I want to tell You that I don't know what to do. I... I met this guy, Matt, and now I'm... pregnant. Maybe. I don’t know. I just really need help. I guess if You're God's Son then You can tell Him that. I don't know if I should… well, I don’t know what I should do. But I want to do the right thing. So, please help me." Nikki paused, not sure what to say.
    "Amen," Christy prompted.
    "Amen." Nikki looked at Christy. "Thank you so much. I still don't know what to do, but somehow I feel better about it... like everything will be okay."
    Christy smiled. "It will. But you do have to tell your parents about the baby. And you should tell Matt, too. He deserves to know. He or she is his baby, too, you know."
    "Yeah." Nikki sighed. "Will you help me? Tell Mom and Dad, I mean."
    Raising her eyebrows, Christy shrugged. "I can stay here with you, but you're gonna have to do the telling."
    "I guess you’re right. They should be home in about..." She looked at her watch. "Wow. Twenty minutes."
    "How about we go upstairs and wait for them to get back? Maybe your mom’s bookshelf has information on pregnancy -- you know, dietary stuff and everything."
    Nikki wiped her cheeks and rolled her eyes. “Search my mother’s books for parenting? We won’t exactly find a jackpot.”
    Her friend laughed and pushed her shoulder gently. “Hey, it’s an idea!”
    "Okay, fine. Why not?” Both girls stood. Nikki meandered upstairs, and Christy followed.
    Standing outside the office her parents used to store Mom’s books and Dad’s computer, Nikki gulped and looked at her watch. "What if it's a false alarm? What if I tell them and then I'm not... you know?"
    Christy leaned against the wall by the doorframe. “Don’t you still think you should tell them? This is a big deal.”
    Nikki rubbed her arms, trying to comfort herself. “I know that, Christy. But you know how my mom is. I just… I don’t think I can deal with that.”
    "Well, you could do a test."
    Nikki paused, then asked reluctantly, "Would you get one for me? I'll pay you back, promise," she added.
    "I don't know. What if somebody saw me?” Christy raised her eyebrows and smiled. “I'm trying to be a better Christian, remember? Rumors about me being pregnant would not help that image." She giggled.
    Nikki’s silence soon crowded the laugher from Christy’s face. "I can't do