Short Story: Lost Opportunities
In sheer agony, Serwaa watched as the sleek SUV moved away with a successful-looking Don at the wheels, smiling satisfactorily to himself. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she relived her youthful days.
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Serwaa was an adorable girl and her parents provided her with everything she needed. But her zeal to enjoy her youth no matter the cost, made her never satisfied with anything she had.
While in secondary school, she found pleasure in sneaking out to town to have fun at nightclubs. She also smoked and drank with her equally recalcitrant peers at their hideouts on the school compound.
Somehow, she and her friends managed to outwit the school authorities, though it was always suspected that the group was up to no good. Studying was never her priority. She believed she had ample time to catch up whenever she was ready.
Added to that, she was arrogant and would not take advice from anybody.
When she joined that notorious group in school, for instance, a lot of her mates as well as some of the teachers warned her about the dangerous route she was taking but she dismissed them.
As time went on, she formed a close relationship with the leader of the group, nicknamed Don by the students because of his popularity in the school.
Don was handsome and smart so most of the girls competed to win his affection. Serwaa, therefore, felt privileged to have been singled out by Don as his friend.
Soon rumour went round that Serwaa and Don’s friendship had crossed the line into an amorous relationship.
Serwaa had no time for school activities and spent all her time with him.
A few months later, Serwaa became pregnant. Since it was against the school’s rules, the two of them were dismissed. Out of shame and fear of facing her parents, Serwaa went with Don to his hometown, Asamankese.
While there, they attempted to abort the pregnancy but it was not successful.
She experienced excruciating pain for days until she passed out. For three good days she did not know where she was until she regained consciousness and realised she was surrounded by a team of surgeons. Thankfully, they had successfully removed the dead fetus from her womb surgically, otherwise she would have died.
When Serwaa’s father got the news, he was shocked. There was worse news when the doctors confirmed that Serwaa had lost her womb and, therefore, would never have a child of her own.
When they were about to leave the hospital, Serwaa’s father’s phone rang and he was told some further bad news.
His house had been razed by fire. He collapsed right there. Serwaa was left with nothing and became very miserable.
Unfortunately, Don did not even bother to look for her. Ten years later, Don resurfaced from nowhere, very rich but did not offer any help to Serwaa.
He was married and had been blessed with a child. As Serwaa watched Don and his son drive away in his SUV, she could not help but regret her past folly and wished she could change everything.
Dear friends, tomorrow is always unknown so you must make good use of every opportunity that you have. Let us avoid bad friends and never forget that we will reap what we sow.
By Eyram Gbedema & Jeanne Dugban,
St Rose’s Junior High School,
Akwatia, E/R.