Chapter Twenty-Seven
The day after the incident in the cafeteria' everything went in a blur. I attended all the classes with a heavy numbness. I was taking lectures without ever understanding anything. I was there without feeling like I was. My body did not feel like mine. The reality did not feel real. I did not know what the hell had happened to me.
I could not believe that my worst nightmare had come true. One, that I was not even aware of. When had I even in my wildest dreams thought that I would end up in a place like this? Seeing the things that I did there. Was it all a big joke to him? He knew that I was pregnant and still he behaved like that? Even worse, he shared it with his friends like I was some sort of joke?
It was for sure that he had shared the news of my pregnancy with his friends, otherwise, they would not have laughed the way they do. And it was obvious too, that HE was the one who shared it. After all, I had not told anyone else. It was embarrassing to be humiliated like that. To watch from afar that you are being made fun of. It was seriously disgusting that they think a situation like this could be taken as a joke.
But what if it was not?
I did not want to give myself hope but there was a possibility that he had not told them. He can't be that depraved! He must have just told them that he hooked up with me and maybe, that might have been the laughing point. Maybe that was why they all laughed in the cafeteria.
I knew that it was not any better, but at least it was better than being made fun of for getting knocked up by him. I was ... this was ... I needed someone whom I could talk to, otherwise I would go crazy. I must talk to Mike. Possibly, everything I saw and heard in the cafe was some sort of misunderstanding. Or something like that. Mike can't do me like that. No, he won't.
Perhaps he did not reply to me because he was among his friends? Maybe, he will reply to me now. Or at least, give me a sort of answer.
Something about having hope or just giving him the benefit of the doubt gave me strength. It gave me something to hold on to. As soon as the idea entered my brain, the classroom bell rang and I rushed to the girls' toilet.
When I got there, I saw that it was fairly crowded with girls, so I decided to wait.
It was a long wait with too much foot-tapping in agitation, impatience and lip biting. But at last, my wait paid off. The last of the girls left and I had the whole washroom to myself. So, I chose the first stall, went in, and sat down on the closed seat. Pulling out my phone, I began typing a text but stopped. Instead of typing like last time, I decided to call him this time. If he can't come to see me in person, he could at least talk to me on the phone alone.
Right as I made up my mind and searched for his number, suddenly I heard many footsteps walking into the toilet. A group of girls strolled inside.
I had almost touched the screen to call his phone number when these girls' voices chit-chat took over the whole bathroom. Completely frustrated from the inside, I let out an inaudible curse. Damn, these girls and their gossip marathon. Now, they would not shut up until they got out of this damn place.
I clenched my teeth letting out a scream in annoyance.
"Well, she must have thought about it. I mean, why would a guy like Mike date a girl like her? Like seriously, she is a junior too." One of them said, and the rest of the group let out a series of chuckles.
The mention of the name Mike caught my attention. And the mention of a 'Girl like her' raised my heartbeat.
A girl like her? I knew it was me, but I hoped they dropped a name here.
"Why did he put so much effort though? I mean it was just one stupid bet between his friends." Somebody asked from the group.
Bet? What bet? What were they talking about?
"He's low on money like always. He needed to set an arrangement for his next hit. So, he did it." One replied.
Hold on a second. His Next HIT? Were they talking about drug - drugs? No, that could not be right. Maybe I was mistaken. He could not be a drug addict? Did that mean that Shirley was right? She was right ... all along? Mike Did have a drug problem? Did that mean that she was telling the truth all along? And I was doubting her?
Was her story all true? It was Mike who - who - No ... it can't be. Did it mean that Shirley WAS sold off by him? Mike?
"Who could blame him though? I mean, if I were as addicted to drugs as he was then, I, too, would take any chance to get my next hit." Another girl chimed in.
My breath came out in deep puffs as I tried to control my breathing. My hands began shaking and I began tearing up. I don't wanna know where this was going, but I had to. I needed to know.
"Yeah, plus the money was good. He made some serious cash with that stupid bet. Also, he got laid because of it, of course, he would do it." Somebody commented.
I clutched my mouth from letting out the whimper from sobbing. I did not want to believe it but there was no way. I was a part of a Bet? Did Mike use me as a way to earn some money for his next stock of drugs? God, I could not believe this was happening to me. Shirley was right all along. She warned me about it.
Suddenly, feeling sick to my stomach, I stopped breathing. Not wanting to throw up when I wanted to hear what was about to come.
God. Please say, this was not happening.
"Still, I could not believe that that girl slept with him in just two weeks. I mean, who does that?" Somebody asked in an incredulous tone.
Yeah, who does that? Me. Someone stupid enough to fall for all this shit does that. I do that.
"A junior, young and stupid girl does that." One of the girls read my inner thoughts and spoke them out loud. Her saying it out loud felt like a punch in the gut. It was as if all the air had left my lungs.
"Why did he choose her? She was so much younger than him. I don't think she is even mature enough to deal with all this shit. Especially being involved in such a thing. 'A bet to see if she sleeps with you or not.' That's so depraved." One commented.
I closed my eyes tightly shut.
Someone let out a groan. "Why are you defending her? Don't tell me you are feeling bad for this girl. She brought it upon herself. Plus, he chose her for the very fact that he should not have. Because SHE IS NOT MATURED YET. She would not have fallen for his trap easily if she was mature. But she did."
I was feeling so stupid that I wanted to kill myself. She was right, I brought this upon myself. I was the one who wanted to experience a free life before marriage and see where this had brought me now.
One let out a sigh. "I don't know man ... I feel bad for her. I mean she is so young. Even her name sounds so innocent - Viri."
My heart dropped in my stomach and I clenched my mouth hard to muffle all the sounds that were coming from it.
No, no, no ... this was not happening.
"I heard one of them saying to Mike that if he managed to get the girl pregnant, he would get a bonus. Some extra cash." One person said. A series of groans rang out in the bathroom.
The bomb dropped over my head. Yet the result was slow to take its place. My hands and feet went cold as I finally came to realise that I had become the joke of all time. It was all too much for me to comprehend at the same moment. My insides were like acid and I felt bile rising in my throat.
"That's dis-gus-ting. Horrible. If my boyfriend were in a group like this I would break up with him. How could someone say something like this? I don't understand how you let your boyfriend stay in that group. How are you sure that he would not pull the same trick on you?" I heard somebody say, but their voices had dimmed. Black dots began appearing in my vision.
I swallowed hard and breathed deeply to calm myself. Which was so damn difficult, it was hard to explain.
"Hey, don't bring my boyfriend into this. He is nothing like the rest of the group. And I know that he would not pull a trick like this on me, because unlike this, Viri - Siri girl, I would break hell on them. Not to mention the fact that he is in love with me. He would not do anything to hurt me." The first person retorted.
"Fine, whatever. I just know that this is all so sick." There was a collective sigh from the group.
"Alright, let's go. I don't wanna spend more of my time here." Somebody suggested. There was some rummaging sound before I heard everyone filing out of the bathroom.
In an instant, I got up, turned around, opened the toilet seat and threw up.