The bell rings as everyone is scrambling to find their seats. Miss Davis has already planted pieces of paper on each desk. Just as Linda finds her seat next to Khanya, Candice walks in. Linda’s mood instantly changes.
CANDICE: (smiling) Hey, Khanya!
Candice walks past as if she doesn’t see Linda sitting next to Khanya.
KHANYA: (waving) Hey, girl!
LINDA: (side eyes Khanya) And you want me to fix things with her? Forget it!
MISS DAVIS: Alright, everyone, settle down! Now you will see a piece of paper on your desk. On the front part, I want you to write down social issues that are currently affecting students at this school. Now make it snappy. This is not an essay.
KHANYA: (murmuring) Teenage pregnancy and abortions are definitely it.
LINDA: Huh? Why would you say that?
KHANYA: What do you mean? Didn’t you just see two pregnant girls in Miss Owen’s class?
LINDA: Oh yeah I did! Sorry girl, I thought you were talking about something else.
Linda stares blankly at the wall long enough for Miss Davis to notice
MISS DAVIS: Linda! Do you have somewhere else to be?
LINDA: No, Mam.
MISS DAVIS: Share your list with the rest of the class.
Linda adjusts her skirt as she stands
LINDA: (clears her throat) I wrote. Unemployment at home, school dropouts, suicide, physical abuse, poverty, bullying, and racial discrimination. That’s all I have, Mam.
Miss Davis points to Warren at the back of the class
MISS DAVIS: Good! Now you, Warren.
WARREN: (groaning) Ah, Mistress I didn’t raise my hand. Besides, Miss goody-two-shoes listed all the issues.
He throws his hands in the air, in defeat
MISS DAVIS: I know you guys already know a lot about this topic. Let’s talk about teenage pregnancy. With all the education surrounding this topic, why do you think your peers are still getting pregnant in large numbers? What are we doing wrong?
The whole class chimes in. Miss Davis closes her eyes in annoyance
MISS DAVIS: This is not what we’re going to do. You guys are not in grade 8. Behave like the young adults you are. You are going to matric next year, you can’t carry on with this behaviour. Raise your hand, and I will grant you a chance to speak.
Warren raises his hand, and Miss Davis points at him
WARREN: (smirks) It’s SASSA, Mam. These girls get pregnant to receive grants. Then they buy weaves and make-up to attract blessers.
The majority of the class bursts out laughing
MISS DAVIS: Do you guys agree with what Warren is saying?
Everyone’s phones start to beep. People gasp and grunt. Linda is too focused on Miss Davis to notice what’s happening around her. Khanya’s phone beeps next. She peeps at it under the table
KHANYA: (gasps) What!?
LINDA: (whispering) Shush! Do you want Miss Davis to chase you out?
KHANYA: (whispering) Oh my God! Linda, you should see this.
Linda grabs the phone under the desk. Right there on the screen in bold letters is a caption saying: “THE BABY TERMINATOR! Lil’ Miss perfect is not so perfect after all. Look who’s going to ABORTION clinics.” There’s a picture of Linda at a fertility clinic and a screenshot of a WhatsApp text she sent Candice, confirming she had just terminated a pregnancy
LINDA: (whimpers) Oh God, no!
Everyone in class is now staring at Linda. Some are whispering intelligibly to each other. Linda sprints past Miss Davis out of the classroom with tears pouring out of her eyes