Dropping out of college

 ZOEY'S POV

CONTINUATION FROM 5 YEARS AGO.

The time I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. I quickly got up when the memories came running back and I recalled my pregnancy test came positive.

"Oh my God, "I mumbled face-palming myself then I ran my fingers through my jet-black hair looking up only to find a nurse staring at me. She was the same nurse who told me my pregnancy test turned positive.

"You are awake," she said smiling and I smiled back but what she said next wiped the smile off my face." Are you keeping the baby or are you opting for the second choice? Abortion?"

I blankly looked at her. I just found out I am pregnant and these people are already giving me the options for what to do with my baby. Was that even professional?

"I am not aborting my baby. I am keeping him."I said. This was something I didn't need to think about. My friend and I had talked about a situation like this. 

Liv and I sometimes theoretically talked about what we could do if we found ourselves pregnant accidentally and I always chose to keep the baby when we thought of options. Now that it happened to me in reality, I was not choosing any other answer.

The nurse was quite shocked by my answer but her expression changed in a second and she was smiling."That's so brave at such a young age, you are rare. Most people at your age opt for the other option. Would you want to let anyone else know?" she asked.

I thought about that question and I shook my head."No... I have no one to inform."I gave my response.

She looked at me raising her eyebrows at me."Are you sure? Not even the father of the child?" she asked and I wanted to chuckle.

Father of the child? There was no way I was about to destroy an upcoming marriage because of my stupid mistake. I made a mental note there and then that I would do this alone, without him or anyone. This was my problem, I didn't want to bother others with it. 

"I'm good," I said smiling at her. I think she was feeling sorry for me probably because she thought I was young but I am better than those who were pregnant at sixteen or even younger. This was not a big deal.

"What about school, you are in college right?" she asked and I looked at her suspiciously. Why was she asking so much about me? Didn't she have other things to deal with other than wasting time with me? I could figure things out on my own.

But her question still got me thinking. What about college? My pregnancy would show soon and that would be...well not good for me. I would be the talk of the school.

"I'll just drop out."I declared not knowing if it was an impulsive decision or not. I didn't have much time to think about anything.

"And go where?"

"I don't know, anywhere far away from here."I shrugged then I thought about it."Well, there is this place I've always wanted to move to. Maybe there."I said looking at her.

She nodded."Do you have money?"

"I have savings, enough to start a simple living. If I get there I could just start working since I won't have school. I could work till I can't anymore because of pregnancy complications I guess. I could have earned quite enough to keep me going."I said.

I couldn't believe I was planning all this in my head at the moment and the crazy thing is that I thought it was possible or like I was going to carry on with the plan. Well, it was a good plan.

"How about your parents? Your friends? Won't you inform them why you are dropping out of school?"

"They don't need to know till I need them to know and right now I don't feel like saying anything because I would just worry them. It's better I just leave them out of my problems and figure things out myself on my own."I smiled sadly. My mother couldn't afford added stress, she had a lot she was dealing with.

The nurse looked at me and she smiled." I admire your independence." she praised.

I chuckled knowingly." I'm not independent, I just feel like I don't deserve help. You see how I look right? Who would even want to help me?"I smiled pained.

"Me, I would want to help you and I don't see how you don't deserve help because of your physical appearance. Everyone deserves opportunities," she said.

I nodded scoffing." It's easier for you to say that, you are beautiful and have a nice body. Isn't that what they define as pretty and sexy? I have none of those features."I opened up. This nurse was so gentle she made me want to just pour my heart out. 

"You think I looked like this?" she chuckled like she just remembered something so ridiculous." I didn't, I had to work for this body. I was tired of people bullying and body-shaming me so I decided to change that. I hit the gym sweetheart. I still do because this is not a strong body," she said and frowned.

"But you have a very nice body, isn't that the definition of strong?"I decided to ask.

She chuckled again."Most people you see with nice bodies are not physically strong. They focus on physical appearance more instead of working towards getting physically strong."

"But isn't physical appearance everything now? Being pretty is everything. When you are pretty, you have added advantages. I want to be pretty too."I confessed.

She looked at me smiling."And you can, you just have to change your mentality and be ready to work towards being pretty but not now. Give birth first then you can do that. You need to be strong physically and mentally don't ever forget about that." she said with finality and I nodded.

I've never met someone this nice."I'll support you with a little cash if you are planning to go through what you just said."She changed the subject. 

"Thank you so much but you don't have to. I have enough to get me through life before I get a job," I said politely declining her kind offer.

"But I insist," she said and I didn't know what to tell her."So I take it that you are dropping out of college then? Welcome to the real life, sister. It's not easy out here but I wish you good luck." she smiled at me walking towards the door but before she left she said."I'll wire you the money, I want your bank details," she said getting her phone out.

I gave her the details and my phone dinged with a bank notification. She wired me the money and looking at the amount, my jaw dropped. She was so generous.

"Thank you so much," I smiled. "Wait, I didn't get your name."

"I'm Sophie and good luck again," she said and then left.

I was left dumbfounded and overwhelmed at the same time. I needed to move out and I didn't how. I didn't want to alert anyone about my disappearance.

Later I was out of the hospital and the following day I had already gone through half my plans.

To make my mother worry less, I left a note vaguely saying I left town and that I was safe. I told her I would reach out when the time was right.

And that's how I dropped out of college and left to start a new journey, alone, in a foreign place pregnant.

PRESENT DAY.

I looked at my interviewers and wondered how to simplify my reason for dropping out of school.

"I got pregnant."I decided to speak the reality. It was nothing I was ashamed of anyway. 

I could see the raised faces after my answer. This made me feel like I would not get the job so I panicked and added.

"But I went back to school when my daughter was two years old and I continued from where I had left off before I got pregnant," I said and I could see them discussing amongst themselves and this didn't make it easy for me. I just got more nervous.

"Why did you apply to work in this company Miss Zoey?" one of them asked.