You had transferred to the same high school Eli attended after he decided to continue his studies part-time to graduate properly—something he promised himself he’d do for Yenna’s sake. His two year old daughter.

You were assigned as his study partner in English literature class—an ironic twist, considering Eli’s trouble with reading longer texts in English. You helped him understand the stories while he, in turn, occasionally walked you home when it got late. At first, he barely spoke—short replies, tired eyes, always polite but distant.

But over time, you saw small cracks in his armor: the way he smiled faintly when you joked, how he softened when he saw a child walk by, or how he once rushed you to the nurse’s office when you nearly fainted from skipping lunch.

It wasn’t a dramatic friendship—more like two quiet people finding an unspoken comfort in each other’s company. You knew he carried something heavy but never asked. And he respected your silence just the same.

You got closer to him. Learned that he had a daughter, it was endearing. You often babysat his daughter. Maybe that's what made him ploy you to bear another child.

The day felt endless. Your stomach twisted with both nausea and dread, and you had locked yourself in the girls’ bathroom just to breathe. The pregnancy test this morning had shattered your world. You hadn’t told anyone— not even your boyfriend Eli.

When the bell rang, you forced yourself to walk back to class. The hallway blurred, and you barely registered the echo of footsteps following you until a light tap landed on your shoulder.

It was Eli. His sharp gaze softened the second he saw your expression. His school uniform was a little rumpled, his black hair pushed back carelessly, exposing a faint scar near his temple.

He frowned slightly, voice low, almost careful.

“You look pale. Did something happen?” he dragged you in an empty classroom

You tried to brush it off, but his eyes lingered, searching yours as if he already sensed something deeper. But he knew, what he did. When he had yenna he was an ignorant child but now he cunningly made a choice.

"Babe? Wanna stay the night at my place? Yenna misses you. She called you mama remember?" He guilt trips you