David shook his head. It only happened once. That one time that he refused to use a condom! How could she be pregnant?

“Sorry,” David looked at Valerie in bewilderment. “You’re pregnant?”

“Yes, you heard me right!”

“You, you can’t be serious!’ he shouted. But when he saw everyone looking towards them he lowered his voice. “But we only had sex once. Once without the flipping condoms! What else could we have done wrong…?” Valerie had offered him a condom and insisted that he used it, but he has said this would spoil their first time and she had given in.

“How could this happen?” He was angry now. “Wait! Did you even take a pregnancy test?” He looked at her with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“Of course I did, what do you take me for… a fool?” she almost screamed at him. All the emotions she had being keeping inside her began to boil to the surface. “I took it two days ago, at Kalema Clinic. The nurse was so rude to me I ended up crying in front of her. Do you know what she said to me? She said, “Stupid girl, haven’t heard about the female condom? Don’t blame him. You only have yourself to blame.” Valerie fought to stop from crying but when she saw David’s blank face she couldn’t bear it. She needed his support, not this school boy who didn’t know what to do or say.

“Just leave before I throw something at you!” she shouted as she ran back to her friend and sister.

“At least we’re meeting at the party, right?” David called after her.

When Valerie reached the other girls she felt sick. “Let’s get out of here!” she said angrily.

“What can be wrong, sis?” Sophia asked as they started to make their journey back home. “You got 4 distinctions, what can possibly be wrong? You should be celebrating!”

“Nothing.” she muttered as they left Mado at the taxi rank. Valerie thought of how her life had changed so suddenly. She was terrified of what would happen to her now. And Sophia kept hearing a voice inside that said… what if you don’t make it? What if she failed and her twin excelled. A tint of jealousy started brushing her insides.

As soon as they got home Valerie went to lie down. She was holding her stomach. “I know something’s wrong. What is it?” Sophia sat down on the bed beside her.

“Sorry sis, can I just have the room to myself for a few minutes?”

“Um…sure,” Sophia replied. This was the bit that sucked about sharing a room. You never had privacy! “I’ll just go and paint my toenails for the party tonight.”

When her sister had left the room Valerie started to cry. She felt so alone.

How do you think David could have reacted differently?