Outdoor informal market. SINDI, in her school uniform, is buying sweets at one of the stalls. There is lots of noise from taxis and market sellers. She is paying for her purchase when she is approached by KARABO.

KARABO: No man, Sindi, you eat too many sweets. Your teeth will fall out, you know.

Sindi turns to look at her in surprise. She had not noticed her there.

SINDI: Oh, Karabo! Don’t joke with me. You know I get hungry after school.

Karabo laughs and playfully knocks Sindi on the arm.

KARABO: Jokes, ne. I don’t want to mess with you when you’re hungry. Never mess with a hungry woman.

Both girls laugh. In the background, a taxi gaatjie calls for customers.

KARABO: Okay, but now tell me, why are you this side of the world? You have something going on here?

Sindi looks uncomfortable. She shifts side-to-side. Karabo leans close in, examining Sindi’s face.

KARABO: Cousin, what’s wrong? Sindi? Hang on … are you crying?

Sindi tries to look away. Her chest begins to heave with silent sobs.

SINDI: Karabo, I don’t know what to do.

KARABO: Girl, you’re scaring me. What is it?

Karabo looks to the side and spots something. Comprehension dawns on her face. She puts her arm around Sindi’s shoulders.

KARABO: Come here.

She leads Sindi away to a low wall and the girls sit down.

KARABO: The clinic. Did you come here to … to go to the clinic?

Sindi bursts into sobs and buries her head in her hands. She nods from behind her hands. Karabo makes soothing sounds and tries to comfort her.

SINDI: I don’t know what to do, Karabo.

KARABO: Sindi, it’s okay. Look at me. Cousin, tell me? What did they say?

Sindi sniffs. She stops sobbing.

SINDI: I’m pregnant, Karabo. They said I’m pregnant. Five months already. I didn’t know! I’m not showing or anything. My period has always been funny, you know. So I didn’t think about it. I didn’t know!

Karabo takes a deep breath.

KARABO: Okay, but listen. Do you … do you want to keep it?

SINDI: It’s too far already, Karabo. I have to have this baby. I don’t want to think about it. But I must. What am I going to do? I have school, I don’t have any money! My mother. My mother is going to kill me!

Sindi breaks into a new bout of sobbing and buries her head in Karabo’s chest. Karabo hugs her and tries to soothe her.

KARABO: It’s okay, Sindi. Come, we’ll work it out. You’re not alone.

SINDI: But I am alone, Karabo.

KARABO: Why do you say that?

SINDI: Because it’s Keegan. He’s the one I was with. He’s the … father. And he doesn’t want anything to do with me.

Karabo leans back and looks at Sindi.

KARABO: Keegan. Oh. Does he know? About the pregnancy?

Sindi shakes her head.

SINDI: He already broke it off with me, months ago. How can I tell him now? He won’t want anything to do with it anyway. You know him. You know what he is like.

Karabo nods solemnly.

KARABO: I know I don’t like him. I never liked him. Thinks he’s better than all of us.

SINDI: I don’t know what I’m going to do, Karabo. I feel like I’m all alone.

Karabo holds her close again.

Tell us: What options does Sindi have now? Should she tell Keegan?