Less Children

A few weeks later, Sophia had to confront herself with a situation she wished on no one, and especially not herself. The Math teacher, a sour old trout, had had it in for her since the very first day they had seen each other face to face. The teacher considered it a great proof of disregard to all morals for a pregnant teenager to be allowed to pursue her studies normally, especially a single one like Sophia. She had been slightly more understanding with Sage, who was engaged to her twins’ father, Jamie. Therefore, one day, the teacher gave Sophia a very unnecessary task of sorting out some old tests, together with who seemed to be the most despicable student in the whole school, a certain Alex Johnson. They were left alone in a room next to the classroom, where the tests had been in storage.
“So… Uhh… Sophia, right. Sophia, who’s the father?”
“I don’t think that is any of your business, Alex. Let’s just do this so we can both leave this place, shall we?” Sophia said, obviously nervous.
“Don’t get your ass up in the air, I was just curious. Who is it? Where did you come from, little girl?” he said, disgustingly, and touched her chin, lifting it up. Sophia could feel panic welling up on her. The mere touch of that person disgusted and unsettled her. Perhaps a simple touch would have been nothing to the average girl, but to her, it was a trip down memory lane.
“Take your hand off of me, Alex. Seriously.”
“Or what? What are you gonna do? You can’t even walk properly, Sophia. You’re gonna spank me just how you’ll be spanking your bastard?” he said and grabbed her arms. He pushed her into the shelves behind her and smelt her neck forcefully.
“What are you going to do, Sophia? Huh? I’m waiting, I am, I am. Is your baby going to save you, huh?”
“God! Take your hands off me, please!” Sophia begged, panicked, scared for dear life, feeling shadows of those dreadful moments in these ones, here, in that room with that stupid teenager.
“Ahh I like it when you beg! I like it when bitches beg from me, S.!” he said, kissed her jaw bone, and ended up running his tongue over her neck.”
“Leave me alone, please, leave me alone, Alex!” Sophia’s tears had already begun streaming down her cheeks. Her chest moved up and down, as she felt the world was collapsing again.
“No.”

Mark had entered the classroom and strolled to his desk, where he bent down to get the pen that had fallen right next to his chair. He heard Sophia begging Alex to leave her alone. He ran into the room and furiously pulled Alex away, throwing him into the shelves opposite the ones he had pushed Sophia into.

“She’s pregnant, you blithering imbecile!” Mark yelled, going to Sophia.

He took her by the hand into the hallway, and out on the grass-covered grounds of the school, one of his hands on her back supporting her. “Here, have a seat,” he said as he led her to a bench. “Breathe deeply in, and exhale slowly. You’re gonna be alright.” He took a pack of tissues from his back pack and gave it to Sophia. “Calm down. It’s no reason to cry. We’re going to the principal right now.”
“No! I don’t wanna go!” Sophia exclaimed, agitated.
“Why not?”
“I just… I don’t think we should… You wouldn’t understand.”
“I would, if you told me. I know I’ve only known you three or four weeks, but I think you should trust me, Soph. What is it that you’re scared about telling the principal?”
“It wouldn’t do any good. It wouldn’t erase what happened in there, it would just make the matter public. Who knows if Alex would even get punished? He’s very influential, you know it.”
“That’s still no reason why we shouldn’t tell the principal. Soph… what is it about you? I know, I know that what Alex did was horrible and disgusting, but you looked so… aggravated. You didn’t get pregnant the old school way, did you?”
Sophia abruptly looked up at him.
“No.”
“What happened?”
A new tear went down her face, followed closely by another.
“I was raped one night, coming home from a concert. I don’t want to continue. All I know is that this is a matter very fresh in my head, and that I am bearing the child of that monster. For my entire life, I will have to know and carry around the fact that my child, whom I have grown to love and expect excitedly, is not the fruit of love, but of the biggest nightmare of my life. Please, don’t carry on with the asking, Mark.”

Mark’s jaw fell down, leaving him with a gaping mouth. The beautiful superiority his face usually expressed turned into an expression of deep solidarity.
“I am very sorry that I asked so curiously about this, Sophia. I had no right. In exchange for this embarrassing gesture of mine, I can only hope that you will still consider me a friend.”
“Don’t worry, Mark. I am, as it is, already deeply indebted to you. Who knows how far Alex would have gone if it weren’t for you? I have to go home now. Math has been giving me an awfully hard time, and I have to study for the exam next week,” she said grabbing her bag, fixing the black, soft blouse over her belly and took off, down the school alley.
“Sophia… Perhaps I could help you with Math. I mean, I’m pretty good, it could be useful.”
“You would do that?”
“That’s what friends are for,” he said, smiling, once again proving wrong his superiority-inspiring gaze.