its the end of the world as we know it

"Lets..lets not get..ahead of ourselves." Ian was doing his best to calm Josie down. He wouldn't dare tell her that he thought her height of emotions was making her almost freaky. "Maybe..maybe it was just a one off."

"A one off?" She looked at him angry. She was still in her pajamas, not even ready for her school. Her hair fell around her face as if she didn't have time for it.

Ian went to find something for her to wear. Some warm tights. The plaid skirt he wished she'd wear more. He looked for something long sleeved. It was the dead of winter. They couldn't just hibernate.

"A one time thing. Maybe..maybe it..it wasn't even sex." Ian made light of it as he was doing his best to get an outfit together.

"He was naked!" She squinted hard as if she could not get that disgusting image out of her head. She sat back down on the bed and covered her eyes. She was crying now.

Ian went to brush her hair.

"Don't think about it. I'm sure its not anything to worry about. You can't do anything about it now..Now can you?" He knew that wasn't much of a solution. "Its not your fault." She looked back at him with a swelled frown. He went on to braid her hair.

"You have to put it out of your mind. You have too." He told her.

"I want too. But..but it would be horrible if..if Derrick's Dad becomes my step-dad." She hunched over as she sobbed. He put his arm around her. They were going to be late for school, but at the moment he knew he needed to be here by her side. He just couldn't rush her.