ow over her face. Her fingers trembled slightly as she touched her lower belly, as if ex

eeks

in the

t didn't lea

r. Mood swing

girls in hidden forums whispering their fears. And still-still-she

ong. And now it was crumbling.

like saying it again might reverse something. "I'm sti

ivid. The closeness. The way they had fallen into each other like nothing had ever gone wrong. They'd gone

ulled her knees to her chest. Her ph

tiful. Did yo

board. She wanted to pretend everything was normal. That things were stil

finally mo

ed to

another. The dots ap

thing

o

e

n't

and took a breath. H

k I'm p

st immediately after

you serious? Omg.

thudding so loudly it drowned out the silence i

Joseph. I know. I fe

from him came

What shou

l like the answer might be writte

of it. We both know we're

pa

red. What if it come

settling deep now-not just about what they'd have to do, but about

hose little typing dot

reen, heart pounding as

o take it out... I'm not

ping bubble dance

and. I feel the same way.

sage follow

He's helped someone I kn

, thumbs hoverin

: Is i

id it works fast. I'll ge

ed with a sing

-

r, her phone

ot the pills.

ra:

near the bus stop by your

ag

mping as if the world already knew her secret. Joseph's car was parked under a dusty mango

enough for her to see the fear

w it goes," he

odded and

-

bag. A small strip of pills and a folded paper with uncle

like hours, staring at the

omething

ouse. If she started bleeding, if she screame

ed to be som

g and walked into the livin

eds me for the weekend. She's

. Just grunted, "

of pills tucked deep in her ba

e over? I want to take it at

ter, his r

Yeah.

in, dropped her bag on the floor, an

e," she said with

nodded, slowly, and watched as she

hen took the pills with a glass of water. Her h

from the fridge. She picked at them, but her appetit

from he

der br

: Where

ped qu

Miriam

r: Doi

t the screen

thing. Jus

n't rep

n Joseph's bed like a question mark, h

ht, the drugs

tighter. Then the discharge. Warm. Unmistakable. Her heart be

h, who was snoring

hispered. Then

ut didn't op

leep. The pain is too much. How are you sl

. "Shit... sorry... I-s

" she said, clutc

small sips, then lay back down. He sat beside her for a moment, rubbing h

hed in places she didn't know could hurt. She

ain was r

ely. Joseph didn't move. Didn't flinch. Is

tung as much

rom crying, she drifte

dulled. Still there,

-something she couldn't

ried herself to sleep, her brot

found out Sandra wasn't there, something shifted. He ca

And just like that, t

e but strangely normal. The worst seemed to have passed. Her body

at her. "Would you g

dded. "It's better tha

got dressed. Before leaving, she noticed her phone

rayers-none of it really sinking in. Her mind was e

her phone lighting up with a storm of n

d it, finge

lls: Dad, Mum, Broth

Wha

messages cam

lied to go see y

come back and I'

less. Just l

e body went cold. H

e started rin

tared at t

ng

n M

her eyes. She

owered the

ds were

ell them I was

he just k

l the things I never said. But the fir

scream. But

h. The shame, the fear-it wa

ring at the ceiling, the fear cre

d she go

ould s

even let

. And a hollow ache that had