The Life of a Girl from Warner Robins

Separation

When I was 14 years old I was separated from my boyfriend, Stephen Edward Thomson. Due to the laws in the state of Georgia, it was illegal for anyone over the age of 18 to have sexual relations with someone under the age of 16.  I was 14 and he was 19. We had been running from the law for a while. The stayed swarming our house. There was always a car sitting across the street just watching us. We took turns staying up all night to keep a watch out just in case they tried to bombard us in the middle of the night. But it always was him staying up all night because I had to go to school. Sometimes we'd stay up together and play Gen Rummy. There were days I didn't even bother going to school. I was in ninth grade, pregnant, scared, and confused. 

On day Stephen got tired of running.  He told me that morning that he was going to turn him self in because it wasn't doing us any good running from reality. He called his mother and father to come pick him up. Before he left, we had our final goodbye. 

"Promise me you'll wait for me?" Stephen said as I buried my face in his chest. 

I broke out in sobs. 

"I don't want you to go! What am I going to do without you?!"

My tears covered his shirt. 

"Take care of the baby." he smiled through his tears as he patted my stomach. 

"We can run right now. Right out the back door. They'd never know..." I said 

"It's too late for that." he kissed me. 

"I love you." he said as he walked away.

"No...No..." I shook my head and fell to my knees. 

I watched as he got in the car with his parents. I reluctantly got in the car with my mother. We followed them to the courthouse. When we got to the courthouse we met Sgt. Keel Broom. 

"We only need Stephen Thomson for questioning. The rest of you need to go home and come back at two o' clock." he stated. 

I looked over as Stephen mouthed I love you to me. That's when I broke down. 

"He didn't do anything! Please don't take him to jail. He's all I have. I love him. Please. Age shouldn't matter. I can't have this baby by myself. He can't miss his first child being born. You can't take that from him! Please!" I screamed as I hit my knees to beg.

"Security. We have an unruly child in the commons area that refuses to leave." 

The security guards grabbed me. 

"Don't fucking hurt her!" Stephen jumped up as two guards grabbed  both of his arms. 

"She's fucking pregnant. Don't put your god damn hands on her!" he yelled.

"If you hurt her I'll fucking kill you!" 

That was the last thing I heard him say before the thick glass doors of the juvenile courthouse closed behind me.