Zuriel came from a small village where life was tough and getting money was always hard. Her parents didn’t have much, her father was a security guard in the next town, everyday he walks about half an hour to get there. Her mother was a cleaner at a local school, early in the morning she would wake just to sweep and clean toilets.
Life wasn’t easy, but they were determined about one thing. ‘Zuriel must go to school’, that was what drove them. Even when there was no money for food, they would find a way to buy her books. Her mother would say, “I didn’t go to school, but you will. Even if I have to clean the whole town.”
Zuriel was very smart. In school, she was always the best, sharp and determined. Her father often told her, “If anyone will carry our name out of this place, it’s you.” And she believed it too.
When she got her acceptance letter to a university in the city, her parents were the happiest. Her father used all his savings, everything he had made from staying awake every night.
When she got to the city, it was like a different world on its own. She felt that freedom and could breathe in air she couldn’t at their choked-up village. Her roommates were all city girls, they dressed elegantly, spoke with an accent she was hearing for the first time, use iPhones, and laughed at her when she brought out her local meals.
They said she was from the streets, they mocked her clothes and everything she did. She tried to keep to herself, she studied hard and stayed out of trouble. But she wanted to belong.
That’s when Kenzie and Gina, two of her roommates noticed her. They didn’t study their books, but they always had money, wore nice clothes and went to parties.
They gave her clothes and makeup. At first, she was careful when dealing with them. But later on, she started skipping classes too, her grades dropped and she started attending night parties. She started living the ‘big girl’ life. Started hanging out with boys they introduced her to, she thought she’d made it.
She sent money to her parents and when they asked where she got them from, she’d say she took up a part time job and it pays really well. She had a test in a few days, and the supposed test was the day a big party was taking place. She ditched her test and went along with her roommates just to have fun.
Weeks later, she missed her period. She thought it was due to stress, but she started feeling nauseous and the signs kept coming. She didn’t know what to do, she bought a pregnancy test since she could only think of that as the cause of what was happening to her.
Her world stopped, it was positive. Kenzie and Gina told her go get rid of it if she doesn’t want to ruin her life, but she couldn’t. She didn’t know who else to talk to, she couldn’t even remember the guy’s name, her stomach turned anytime she thought about it.
After hiding it for weeks, she finally called her mother.
“I was just telling your father we haven’t heard from you since last week.” Her mother sounded happy, Zuriel didn’t know how to break the news.
“Mum…I have something to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“I’m pregnant.” Everywhere went quiet, her mother didn’t speak, she hoped she’d heard wrong. Later that evening, her mother broke the news to her father with eyes red.
“Tell her to come back home.”
Her stomach was already out, she wore a long gown that didn’t fit properly. Her hair was rough and her eyes swollen. People were looking at her, some were whispering for they all knew the struggle her parents went through just to get her to school.
Her mother couldn’t face her friends, she just did her cleaning work and came home tired. Nobody talked much, and Zuriel? She didn’t go out, the only place she could go was to fetch water late at night when the neighbors ware asleep.
She wanted to fit in, she followed people and friends who didn’t care about her and ended up making mistakes. Her baby came, a girl. That was the only drive she had that kept her going, her mother helped her with the baby.
Her father built a small wooden crib for his granddaughter. The baby became the light in the home. She’d look at her daughter and say. “You’re going to do greater things than me.”
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