I WANT AN ABORTION

Ava’s POV

I sat with Doctor Dane, the same doctor who had overseen Bryan’s treatment. Bryan had been hospitalized for weeks, and according to him, Liana—who claimed to be his friend—hadn’t visited once.

I asked Doctor Dane, “Can I have the pregnancy aborted?”

His expression darkened. Why would a young girl like you ruin her life like this? I could read it on his face.

“How old are you?” he asked, his voice thick.

“Eighteen.”

He drew a long breath through his nostrils before speaking again.

“I know the pregnancy is only four weeks along, but I don’t think any child deserves to be denied life. Ava, I don’t know the circumstances behind this, but believe me—this baby isn’t a mistake.”

My heart sank at his words, and tears welled in my eyes. I gave a faint nod as he continued.

“Where are your parents?”

I glanced up at him. “They’re late,” I murmured, looking back at the ground.

“I won’t perform an abortion on you. You’ll keep the baby, Ava,” he said with firm assurance.

I raised my head again, and this time our eyes locked.

“Doctor, I’ve made up my mind. I want to end the pregnancy. The baby I’m carrying does have a father,” I confessed, letting the tears fall.

He was silent for a while, as though my words had touched him.

The room stayed quiet until his phone beeped, breaking the stillness. “A minute, please,” he said, raising a finger.

He checked the screen, set the phone back on the table, and continued.

“Were you drugged?” His brows drew together. I shook my head.

“Was it rape?”

I nodded.

Shame burned through me. I wanted to hide under the table between us. It was my first time meeting Doctor Dane, yet I couldn’t look him in the eye or answer confidently. I felt like a disgrace. I hoped he wouldn’t judge me. My late dad used to say our mistakes shouldn’t define us. Doctor Dane wasn’t perfect either.

His voice pulled me from my spiral of justifications.

“I understand you, Ava. I’ll write my number on a piece of paper for you. Go home and think about this decision carefully. It’s good you said you weren’t raped. Now, sit back and ask yourself that question—you know what I mean, Ava. You may go now.”

I stood quietly, ashamed of the girl my late parents had left behind—the one they believed would make them proud even in their graves. I opened the door and walked toward Bryan’s ward, each step echoing the weight of what Doctor Dane meant.

“Have you seen the doctor?” Bryan asked as I stepped in. I shook my head, hoping to shake off the mood.

“He says I’ve been stressed lately and should rest more,” I lied.

“I thought as much,” he replied.

“Bryan, I’ll see you at school tomorrow, okay? I need to go home and rest.”

We said goodbye, and I left.

I caught a taxi in front of the hospital and asked the driver to drop me at the stop before mine. When I got out, I noticed a lone tree in the field by the road. I walked toward it and sat underneath, my head spinning.

To be frank with you, I was never attached to you. Chris’s voice replayed in my head like a broken tape. My eyes were dry and hard—I had already cried them out.

I don’t think any child deserves this, Ava… This baby isn’t a mistake. Doctor Dane’s voice pushed Chris’s away.

I clutched my stomach as memories came flooding back—the birthday surprise, the sex, Alex’s interference, the sketches, the rides to school. Then another memory hit—the screensaver, the video, Liana’s words in the restroom.

Something clicked.

I pulled out my phone, opened the video again, and zoomed in.

“Alex!” I hissed, tears rushing to my eyes as if they had been given permission to escape.

The signs were there, but I was too blind to see them.

I hurried home. Thankfully, Margaret wasn’t in. I dumped out my school bag, spilling everything onto the floor. I searched frantically until my eyes found it—the diamond necklace. My brows furrowed. The main diamond was shaped like the letter L.

“Liana,” I muttered. It was the first letter of her name. My name is Ava. If Chris had wanted to give me a diamond necklace with my initial, it should have been A, not L.

I had been a fool all along. Realizing this made me hate Chris even more. I regretted ever knowing him—he was a devil in disguise.

Just when I thought I was beginning to heal, life found a new way to tear the wound open.

Bryan is Steve’s friend, and Steve is also a friend of Alex. Bryan hadn’t known about my deal with Steve until after it happened. When he found out, he was furious with Steve. He approached me the next day to apologize on his friend’s behalf—and that was how we truly became friends. But Bryan and Steve still remained close.

I texted Bryan on W******p. He replied immediately.

“Can you help me figure out who edited the video I just sent you? Something’s weird—it looks like Kia, but I don’t think it’s her,” I wrote. “I think it’s an edited video.”

“Okay. I’ll check tomorrow at school. I’ll find out from Steve’s phone. I hope he doesn’t notice.”

“He won’t. Just play smart,” I assured him.

“Alright.”

“Thank you.”

I stared again at the necklace. Realizing the truth felt like a fresh cut in my chest.

A loud knock pulled me from my thoughts. I hurried to the door.

“Hi, Ava,” Margaret greeted warmly.

“Aunt Margaret,” I said, kissing her cheek and taking the small polythene bag she was holding. Inside were spinach and eggs for dinner.

“Yes,” she said, her face tightening as if she had just remembered something.

“I meant to talk to you yesterday, but I fell asleep early.”

My heart raced. I hoped she hadn’t found out about my pregnancy.

“About what, Aunt?” I asked, keeping my tone neutral.

She stepped forward and studied me closely.

“Are you okay, Ava?” she asked, making my heart pound faster. It felt like a heavy weight was pressing on my chest.

My lips trembled, and I opened my mouth to speak, but a wave of nausea rose in my throat. I covered my mouth with my palm.

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Ava?” she said, surprise widening her gaze.

The bag slipped from my hands. The nausea surged again, and this time I couldn’t hold it back.