Her Fate

#1

HER FATE

# 1

She wears the extra Jersey hiding her big stomach but it is still showing.
She sighs and grabs her backpack heading out, finding her mother in the kitchen.
Nokuzola:I'm going to school. Bye
Mom:Okay, have a good day. Say goodbye to your father.
Nokuzola:I already did.
She lied and sped out of the house heading to school.
Other students were already inside the school premises, others were doing their homeworks before the bell could ring.
She walked to her class.
"Grade 8B", was plastered on the door.
She walked inside and went to her desk sitting down.
She hung her bag on the desk and took out a book, she started reading to pass time.
7h30 the bell rang and the class started to be crowded. They waited for the teacher who was going to teach for the first period.
Mrs Mathe made her presence in class, she was the L. O teacher.
They stood up greeting her and she told them they can sit down.
Mathe:I hope every one had a great weekend. Our topic for today is Teenage pregnancy.
Nokuzola looked down on the desk, she is already facing enough trouble at home and they are about to make it worse. The teachers don't get tired to express how much they are disappointed in her for falling pregnant. If only they knew.
Mathe:I want us to discuss the causes and negative effects of teenage pregnancy and how we can stop it. Anyone who wants to start with the causes?
A student lifted up his hand and smirked looking at Nokuzola.
Mathe:Yes Lungelo. Tell us your thoughts.
Lungelo:Ma'am I just think these girls love fancy things and want the soft life. They date these old rich men for money and leave them pregnant. Then they come back victimising themselves acting like they are innocent.
Mathe: Thank you Lungelo. Anyone else?
Another student lifted up her hand.
Mathe:Yes Nandi, we are listening.
Nandi:Ma'am I agree with Lungelo. Most of these girls are rushing to do adults things that they don't even know. Ngeke uthi una 14 kodwa sewukwazi ukuvula imlenze? Iziphoxi nje lezi!( You can't be 14 and already you can open your legs for men! They are such a disappointment).
The class nodded agreeing with her. Mrs Mathe smiled hearing them speak like that.
Mathe:You are all correct students. They rush into things for the soft life. It's really sad seeing a 14 year old pushing a big belly. Let me make an example with Nokuzola.
She was one of the brightest students with a bright future ahead of her and now she's pregnant. All her dreams down the drain, she will have to drop out sooner or later to take care of the baby she bought to the world. Most of them don't even know the father of their babies. Nokuzola do you know who the father of your baby is?
Nokuzola looked down fighting the tears that were threatening to come out so badly. This was the worst form of embarrassment.
Mathe:She does not know who the father is. That's what you get for opening your legs at a young age. All of you here are ranging from 14-15 years. Kids your age should be focusing on school not on boys and pregnancy. You will be damaged goods once you have a baby and no one will want to marry you because of that baby. Your body will change so much. Imagine carrying a SASSA card at age 14.
Feeling like she couldn't take it anymore, Nokuzola stood up and ran out of the class.
Mathe:*Shouting* When we reprimand you all, you think we are jealous of you. That's why you will give birth like a pig.
The whole class went crazy and started to hit the desks with their books screaming and laughing.
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Nokuzola sat on the toilet seat silently crying.
She heard a soft knock.
"Noks it's me", she recognised the voice and it was her only friend, Nomtha.
She opened for her and she got inside closing the door again.
She hugged her and wiped her tears.
Nomtha: I'm sorry.
Nokuzola: It's okay. I'm getting used to it.
Nomtha:What the teachers are doing is wrong. And you also have to deal with your father.
Nokuzola:What can we say Nomtha? This is my fate.
Nomtha: I wish there was something we could do.
Nokuzola:We tried and failed.
She once tried running away from home but her father found her and gave her the beating of her life.
Nokuzola: Let's go back to class.
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PHENDULANI