A Safe Haven

07

Bago ako pumasok, bumili muna ako ng pt sa pharmacy para sa school na ako mag-test, nakakaramdam ako ng mga different symptoms.

"Where are you going? Samahan kita."

"Hindi na, Colleen, sa comfort room lang ako." I left her sight so she wouldn't insist on coming with me and I went to the comfort room.

Pagkatapos, nanginginig ang mga kamay ko habang hawak ang maliit na plastic stick sa kamay ko, nakadikit ang likod ko sa malamig na tiles ng school comfort room.

The seconds felt like hours as I stared at the test, waiting for the result to come out. I was barely breathing, my heart pounding in my chest, when two faint lines slowly appeared.

P-positive.

Nanghina ang mga tuhod ko at dahan-dahan akong bumagsak sa sahig habang hawak pa din ang pregnancy test.

I-I wasn't ready for this...

A woman came up to me and asked me. "Miss, bakit ka umiiyak?"

"S-sino ka ba?" I asked sobbing.

"Ako si Aiya, estudyante ako sa Molave." she handed me her handkerchief. "M-may problema ka ba? Pwede kang magkwento sa'kin." she gently persuaded me.

Now I have the courage to show her the pregnancy test I used. "I'm pregnant..." she just stared at the pregnancy test with two faint lines.

"Sino ang ama ng dinadala mo? Kakausapin ko."

I don't know but I feel comfortable opening my feelings to her even though I don't know her very well.

"Si R-Rick... h-he got me p-pregnant..." nabitawan nya ang pt na hawak nya at rinig ang pagbagsak non sa sahig.

"H-hindi... h-hindi yan magagawa ni Rick—." her voice trembling.

I told her the whole story of what happened and she covered her face because of what she heard. My voice was shaking but I still tried to say it because she knew Rick.

"I'll abort this child."

She left me after I told my story and I continued to cry because I didn't know what to do.

I held my stomach as I stood up because I wanted to leave without telling Amara and Colleen.

I gripped my stomach tightly as if I was hurting what was inside. Mariin akong napapikit at pilit na inalalayan ang sarili ko na maglakad habang nakadikit ang kamay sa wall. Para akong lumpo maglakad.

"Leila..." I stopped when I heard the familiar voice but I continued walking again when I realized that there was no one between me and Rick. He grabbed my arm but I immediately took it away and faced him.

"What?! Stay away from me, I don't know you."

"You're pregnant?" he asked with a serious voice.

"Oh tapos, ano ngayon?"

"Don't abort it."

"Do you know what would cause this?" I pointed to my stomach. "M-masisira ang pangalan natin... Mom and Dad will hate me, m-masisira ang pangarap nila para sa'kin, madidisappoint ko sila. You know what Mom can do when she finds out." my voice are trembling. "Hindi naman natin ginusto toh, e."

He can't look at me. "P-please, Leila, d-don't abort my child." he held my hand and knelt in front of me.

I felt the wetness of the back of my palm because of his tears so I pulled my hand back with all my might and left him kneeling.

After I got home, I immediately went to my room and opened my social media. The Twitter notification popped up on my laptop and I saw Dad's name so I looked at the full details.