Chapter Six

   Around 4:12am of the following day, Aliya was sleeping in her bed. She opened her eyes slowly when she felt the cold breeze that entered into her room. She yawned and walked sluggishly to lock her room windows. She looked outside and it seemed like the rain is going to fall anytime soon. She quickly lock the windows and land herself on her bed. She remembered the pregnancy test strip David bought for her. She went into the bathroom after picking up the test strip from her school bag. She opened the closet and sat on it to urinate. She put the pregnancy test strip in her urine. After urinating, she wore her pant and took the test strip with her to her room.

She placed it on her bed waiting for it to change to know if it's positive or negative. Minutes later, she looks at it again and it is positive.

      "Yeeeeh!" She exclaimed looking surprised.     

      'I should just know that I'm dead. Ahhhhhh!' Tears started coming out of her eyes. She started panting. All thoughts ran into her head. 'How will she tells her parents that she is pregnant for David? What if David doesn't want to have a child now? What if his parents doesn't like the fact that she is pregnant for their son?' She fell back on her bed thinking about the whole scenario. 

    She stretched her hand to pick her phone so she can call David. She looked at her call log for a while before dialing David's number. Another thought came to her mind, she thought it would be better if she calls David in the morning when everyone would have been awake. She dropped her phone in anger. She thought aloud to herself. 

     'Should I go to the pharmacist David and I went to today to abort this pregnancy? Oh God, I'm scared to death. What would I do now? I need to carry out another pregnancy test in an hospital for me to be sure.' She sighed heavily. 

     She sluggishly walked to where she kept her school bag. She opened the zip and placed the test strip inside her bag. She sat on the bed like someone who has lost control. Her eyes were filled with tears. She couldn't put herself back to sleep. She laid her head on her pillow, looking at the ceiling, thinking about nothing in particular. She sighed. She stood to check the pregnancy test strip to confirm if it is truly positive. She looked at it over and over. She bursted into tears.

    When the day has brighten up, she came down from her bed, her eyes look swollen. She used her handkerchief to clean her running nose several times.

    'How I wish it was a dream!' She yelled at herself.

     'Why would I be so foolish to get pregnant? I'm just sixteen years and by next year I'll be nursing a child. How old am I to become a mother?' She fell on her knees crying.

     The door to her room opened widely, her eyes met her mom's eyes. She saw the astonishing look on her mom's face, she quickly stood. She uses her clothe to clean her eyes and nose. She continues staring at her mom with her eyes filled with tears.

     "Aliya! Are you alright? Why are you crying? Talk to me." Her mom moved closer to her examining her face.

     "Mom, it's nothing. I was praying for me to pass my exams and for my family's protection." She lied to mother.

     'I hope she believes me?' She thought to herself looking at her mom's reaction.

     "Really! Are you sure? You said you were praying, why weren't you wearing an hijab?" Her mom questioned her.

     "Hmmmm.... Hmmmm.... I.... I... Was....." She stammered because she didn't know the right sentence to make.

     "Aliya,sit down." Her mom said.

     "Okay ma." She sat down quietly.

     "What happened to you? You can talk to me about anything. I'll be here to listen. I'm your mother and I love you so much. Do you think I'll hurt you?" Her mom spoke to her in a caring voice. Aliya thought to herself if she should inform her mom about her pregnancy but she knows that she can't.

    "Mom, I understand what you're trying to say. I was praying. It's true that I wasn't wearing an hijab but I removed it just now. I remembered about things I haven't prayed for when I finished praying, that's why I knelt crying to God asking for His help." She lied again hoping her mom believes her this time.

    "Okay, that's good. It's good to pray to God." Her mom uttered.

    "Yes." Aliya replied her.

    "I came to wake you up so you can prepare for school. You know today is Tuesday? Get ready before David comes to pick you up." She advised and left.

     "Okay mom." She tried sounding as lively as she can.

Immediately her mom left, she throws herself on the floor. Rolling from one side to another. She stopped when she heard her phone ringing. To her surprise, it was David. Her hands were shaking to pick the call. She stared at phone as it is ringing. The phone stopped ringing. She began sniffing and wiping her wet and puffy eyes with her clothe.

                         ********

David went home straight after he dropped Aliya off in her house. He was confused and scared of what could happen if Aliya is truly pregnant. He drove his car into the house. He walked sluggishly into his parlour. His parents were inside the parlour watching TV. He looked at them as they talk and laugh with each other.

     "Hey, David! How was work today?" His mother asked him when she noticed the worried look on his face.

     "Work was good. How are you doing dad?" He quoted to his dad. His dad looked at him for few seconds before replying.

     "I'm doing great. You look dull, David. Is something wrong?" His dad questioned him curiously.

     "Nothing is wrong. I just had a stressful day at work." He answered hoping he won't be questioned further.

     "Okay, make sure you rest. How is Aliya doing?" His mom quoted. David looks tensed immediately she mentioned Aliya's name.

     "Aliya is doing just fine." He turned away from them to climb the stairs.

     "I hope you guys didn't break up? You look like you are depressed." His dad said turning his attention to the TV.

David was completely pissed off by their interrogations.

     "We didn't break up. Why would you think we would break up?" He asked looking annoyed, he placed his hand on the rail as if he was going to climb the stairs.

     "Sorry for asking. You haven't visit grandma yet? She asked of you yesterday." His dad spoke.

     "I would visit her this weekend." He answered and hurriedly climbed the stairs.

He entered inside his room. He placed his office bag on his couch. He stood in front of his full length mirror looking at himself. He pulled his shirt, singlet and trouser off remaining his boxer brief. He looked at himself again. He focused his attention to the way his penis is under the boxer brief.  He used his hand to bring it out. He pulled off his boxer. He walked into his toilet to take his shower. After spending few minutes in the toilet, he came out with a towel wrapped around his waist.

     He went to his wardrobe to pick a night wear. He examined the clothes and removed his towel. He wore his night wear. He closed his wardrobe and went straight to his computer to see the email he got from a business partner which he couldn't check when he was in the office. He viewed the email.

     'What if Aliya is pregnant?' He questioned his curiosity. 'What would her parents think of me? I don't want to be the bad person. ' He lamented.              

    He went to his bed to lay down. It wasn't up to five minutes before he slept.

    ''David! David! Wake up, dinner is ready." A voice called out to him.

    "Yes," He answered unconsciously trying to open his eyes.

    "Wake up!" I'll pour water on your face now if you don't wake up." The voice threatened him.

     "I'm awake now, mom." He fully opened his eyes. He stretched his hands as he yawned.

     "You shouldn't have wake up, I would have pour water on your face." She joked.

     "Oh, mom. I was enjoying my sleep." He complained.

     "Meet me downstairs." She commanded. She left closing the door gently behind her.

David stood on his feet. He yawned. He thought of calling Aliya to ask if she has used the pregnancy test strip. He decided not to, so he would not disturb her.  

The following morning, David woke up. He used his hands to search for his phone on the bed. He picked his phone and dialed Aliya's number. He was surprised that she didn't pick his call. He waited for two minutes before calling her again.

                        ********

     Aliya's phone rang again. She immediately picked it up.

     "Hello David," She said to the caller.

     "Hello, babe. How was your night?" David asked her.

      "It wasn't good at all. It was......" David interrupted her.

      "Is it positive?" David questioned fearfully.

      "Ye.... ssss.... It's. I'm... pre.... pregnant." She stammered. She burst into tears. David was silent for a while before he spoke.

     "It's okay. We'll talk more later when I come to pick you up for school." David said trying to hide his emotions.

     "Okay, babe." She uttered sniffing the catarrh in her nose.

     "I don't want you to think about it. Don't be sad, we'll discuss about it and we'll know how to solve the problem. Okay?" David said. His voice was soft and calm.

      "Thanks." She uttered cleaning her eyes with the back of her palm.

       "I know I owns the pregnancy and I'm accepting it. It's our responsibility. I love you so much." He comforted her.

      "Thank you so much. I love you more." She smiled happily cleaning the tears running down her cheeks.