Ashley  − January, 2000

She sits next to me with her hand absently upon her swollen belly. Her pale fingers tap nervously to a rhythm that only she can hear. She's looking intently at the tabletop as the teacher's words pass over her, and I'm certain that she's not really here at all. Her blonde hair hangs limply about her, and I can barely make out her darkened face behind it as it twists in consternation. Painful thoughts swim behind her expression as she tap-tap-taps her belly.

She sees me watching her and I offer an apologetic smile, fearing that my face is as red as it feels. She smiles in return, and in this instance I come to the painful realization that she will never be more beautiful than she is at this very moment. Her life will be one of pain and struggle, both for her and her child. I am almost crushed by pity for the girl. The sadness in her eyes weigh heavily on her smile as she looks at me, and it breaks my heart.

Her name is Ashley. She is thirteen years old. Her baby is due in March.

Comments:

pepero (January 30, 2007. 07:09am)

you have a wonderful voice. i just visualized everything.

vision024 (January 30, 2007. 06:02pm)

wow! That is really deep. You are a wonderful writer. Hopefully Ashley's life will differ from the one described in Tupac Shakur's song "Brenda Got a Baby"

Oblivious (January 31, 2007. 05:14pm)

I never found out what happened to her. One can only hope things weren't as bleak as I'd predicted :p