Windy Valley Secondary – Trials of the Young and Restlesss

25.JULY.08

Last week, after finding out that she was pregnant, 15-year-old Susan told Sharpie her adult boyfriend about the pregnancy only to have him dump her. Meanwhile, Miriam is eager to leave home to get away from the advances of her father, and sees that her only escape is to become Sharpie’s new girlfriend.{{more}}

“He told me to dash weh the baby,” Susan sobbed to Miriam. Susan felt that she could confide in Miriam. Susan hadn’t even mentioned to her mother about the baby, especially since she had been dumped by Sharpie. Since she was no longer Sharpie’s girl it meant that her mother would not be getting any maintenance money; and money would become even tighter, with an extra mouth to feed. Susan continued “Sharpie say he dey wid ah next girl”.

Miriam tensed at the news. Susan was quick to notice her friend’s reaction. “You know who the next girl is?” her words pounced on Miriam.

“I just know that he has a new girlfriend,” Miriam stammered quickly. Miriam had to think fast, she needed to throw Susan off the scent. Miriam felt guilty, she had woven a web of lies and deceit and she found herself firmly tangled in the centre of the web. She needed to get out fast and there is only one person she knew she could trust, Ras. How would he react to her secret? Would he still want to be her friend? Would he even want her as a girlfriend?

“Who is dis next girl?” demanded Susan.

“I don’t know,” Miriam lied, “Look I have to go meet Ras at Gardens.”

“You know who. You just don’t want to tell me.”

Miriam felt fortunate when her mobile rang. Even though she didn’t recognize the number she answered it anyway to escape Susan’s interrogation.

“Hello,” answered Miriam.

“Hey Sweetie pie, you nah answer me calls.”

“A who dis?” quizzed Miriam.

“What you mean a who dis? Ah yo man, Sharpie.”

Miriam felt sick. She detested Sharpie. Originally, she thought that she needed him to escape from home. But Miriam could see that she did not need Sharpie and being his girlfriend was just an act of desperation.

“Er Hi,” answered Miriam, not wanting Susan to know that Sharpie was at the other end of the phone.

“You nah glad to hear from me? And…”

“Yes, yes I’m with Susan,” Miriam jumped in.

“A weh you ah do with that foolish gel, listen don’t believe ah…”

“Yes at Botanic Gardens, yes will be there soon. Yes, yes, bye,” said Miriam quickly, switching off her mobile.

“Was that Ras?” enquired Susan.

Miriam merely nodded her head. “I must go and meet him”.

Susan tried once more; she could sense that Miriam was hiding something. “So yo nah go tell me this girl name”. Susan watched Miriam closely “Me know her?”

“I told you, I don’t know who it is,” answered Miriam shifting uncomfortably in her chair. “I have to go,” said Miriam packing away her things.

Susan was satisfied; Miriam didn’t know who this other girl was. “Miriam,” Miriam looked up at her friend. Susan continued “What me going to do ‘bout Sharpie?”

Miriam had two words for her best friend “Forget him.” With that Miriam left to meet Ras at the Gardens.

Miriam was right, thought Susan; this was one problem she needed to handle on her own. The biggest decision she had to make was whether to have an abortion or not?

Sharpie was baffled by Miriam’s strange action. She said that she had wanted to meet him at the Botanic Gardens. Sharpie was starting to like the way that Miriam was playing hard to get. Not many teenage girls knew how to play that game, more than often they had always been eager to give it up to him. Sharpie could feel that Miriam just might be the one he would like to settle down with and call, ‘wifey’. Miriam came from a good background; she was a quiet, very young girl and best of all a virgin. Perfect, he thought, and with that Sharpie jumped in his van to meet Miriam at the Gardens.

The Windy Valley Secondary series is fictional. Any resemblance to real events, places or persons living or dead, is purely coincidental.