Second Chance

Four

It has been a month since they went to the party and nothing much is going on in their lives, the school is on strike as Federal government did not meet the demands of the union body and also the non teaching staffs are also on strike because their salary has not been paid for 6months. Many students were lamenting because it stop them from doing their social activities and their examination is no longer holding till the strikes are called off. Some have left for home while some are still in school. Vivian has left on the day the strike began, she said she wants to see her brother off to the airport as he's going for his masters programme overseas while Melinda and Nancy are still in school.

Nancy knew her period is late for 3 days  yet she didn't bother thinking it is a delay on its own but on a second thought after it's been a week, she went to the pharmacy to buy pregnancy test strip. "Good afternoon, I want to buy pregnancy test trip" she greeted the young female attendant that looks like her age and made her request, the lady look at her like she asked for a life hyena; why claiming saint or is pregnancy test strip a must prescribed drugs, she hissed and eyed the later whom quickly composed herself. "It's 100 naira per one, how many are you buying?" "Give me five" she paid and wait till she hand it to her in a white customized nylon.

Nancy is sitting on the closet with five strips in her hand all showing two lines, she felt like it is a dream probably she bought a fake strip on the other hand she knew she had se*x  and.... Oh! She didn't use protection neither did she use after se*x pills just because Melinda told her the stranger didn't release in her, she cried and scold herself for her stupi*dity.

"No no no... I can't be a Mum at eighteen, am still in 200level and I'm still a fu*cking teenager" unknown to her Melinda has been calling her from the room but she didn't hear so she decide to check her in the toilet, as she near the door she heard her talk about being a Mum; she opened the door and entered.
"Who's being a Mum at teen age?" Nancy quickly drop the strips in the closet and flush them unknown to her one of it fell from her hand and Melinda picked it.

"Jesus! Nancy is this for you? You are pregnant!" Nancy knew she can't hide it anymore she doesn't want her friend to find out this way, she just walk pass her and entered her room. "Nancy don't you dare go mute on me! Now tell me, when did this happened and it's for who? Nancy was already in a confused state.
"It's at the party" that was all she could say.
"Christ! Nancy you've fuc*ked up.
"I know, you convince me that he didn't release in me, I didn't bother used the after se*x pills, I totally forgot am ovulating and I told you I don't want to go to the party, now see the mess I bought myself in.... Am aborting this pregnancy" 
"You are going to do what?" Melinda asked hoping she will change her mind yet Nancy doesn't mind the look on her face.
"Yes I'm A.B.O.R.T.I.N.G this pregnancy, did you expect me to be a mum at teen age? My parents still sponsors me, I don't have work at hand, am still schooling and to top it all it's a one night stand and I don't even know the father of the baby I'm carrying, how did you want me to survive?" I insisted.
"You will survive, we will surely have a way to go about it" Melinda is trying to calm me, she want to talk me into changing my mind, not on this darling sis.
"Don't even try that motivational talks on me, are you the one to suffer? Are you the one that will face humiliations? My decision is final! It's easy for you since you are not the one that got entangled, you can simply run your mouth"
"You are very stu*pid Nancy, Yes very much foo*lish as well, since when has what happened between us affects only one person? It has been 14 years of our friendship our parents lives like blood family because of us and you think I can live you to yourself in situation like this? I don't care how you got pregnant but I care about you killing that baby, you are not aborting that baby and if you insist, I'm walking out now, not only out of this room but out your life as well" with that she stormed out.

The Melinda I know never ever get angry easily and whenever she does, it doesn't end well, I only saw her get angry once at our neighboour uncle B whom likes touching our bum's and feeling our flat chest, we were about 10 years then, she sla*pped him twice and it doesn't ends there, she report to our parents her and brothers, she stopped others from going his room as well, the uncle shamefully left our compound.

Melinda and I have been friends since they packed in our compound 14 years ago, we are both age mate and always play with each other, both of our parents doesn't even try to separate us instead they became friends as well, we have comfort each other, support each other, encourage each other, been loyal to each other but we have never fought each other, I'm afraid to loose her yet I can't keep this baby, it's shameful enough to have a one night stand with a complete stranger the worse is this pregnancy and I'm more determined not to keep it. I will look for ways to talk to Melinda for her to reason with me, I don't think I can withstand the aftermath of keeping the pregnancy, never have I dreamt of becoming a mother without getting married, I always look down on people I saw in such situations and feel like their parents failed in their upbringing, now here I'm, my parents didn't failed me, I failed them. Hot tears starts streaming from my eyes and I buried my face in my palm, I'm loosing my mental health and a blossom friend at the same time, what should I do?