Jess walked into the PSE lesson she was having and looked at the board. She had stayed in her Mum's office over break. Her Dad had sent a message saying that he had told Maria. Maria but the words 'safe sex' and 'contraceptives' jumped out from the board. She took a deep breath and went over to sit with Bex who squeezed her knee. Bex lent towards her and whispered. "Has he told her?"
Jess nodded and whispered back. "Guess that's what led to the change of lesson plan." She smiled, she was determined not to let this get to her. There was general chatter around the classroom. Everyone wanted to know why the lesson on drugs they were meant to be having had been changed.
Maria stood at the front of the classroom and coughed. The noise quietened. "As many of you seem to have noticed, the theme of todays lesson has changed. It has come to my attention that some of the students in Waterloo Road seem to think that they are old enough to be having sex but not old enough to use the correct protection...now as we all know this can lead to STI's and teenage pregnancy." She shot her look straight at Jess who sat tall in her chair. She wasn't going to let this get to her. It was her decision.
Maria turned back to the board and pulled up another slide that read. "Teenage Pregnancy." Jess looked to the ceiling. This was going to be a long hour.
"Teenage pregnancy not only effects the mother but the children. Jessica Fisher, can you tell me ways in which pregnancy in teenagers has a knock on effect."
Jess smiled. She could play this game. "None come to mind Miss...apart from stretch marks." Jess heard the people around her laugh.
Maria looked at her. "How about the increased chance of crime in the child...teenage pregnancy themselves..."
Jess nodded. "I'm pretty sure when I looked they were all present in non-teenage pregnancies too...in fact I read somewhere that teenage mums are better mums..." Jess looked Maria straight in the eye.
"Mmm...that would be debateable...since you are so defensive...would you keep a baby now Jess? Would you ruin your life for a child? Some may call that selfish."
Jess gulped as she felt the tears prick the corners of her eyes...she couldn't do this. Jess heard the people around her start whispering as they looked at her. They were looking...pointing.
"Come on Jess..." Maria carried on. "Anyone would think you had something to hide."
"Piss off." Jess looked up at the bitch her father was living with.
"Excuse me." Maria walked towards her.
"You heard me...crawl into a hole..." Jess looked down at the desk.
"Cooler. NOW!" Maria pointed out of the classroom.
Jess stood up and looked at her. "Pleasure...I'll learn more there." Then she spat at Maria's feet. She walked out of the class with Maria's shouts following her. She didn't hear anyone else. Instead she walked straight to the cooler and took a seat. She pulled out her English coursework and showed it to the English teacher in charge before getting on with it.
...
Jess heard the bell ring for lunch. She looked around and made the decision to stay. She was enjoying the coursework and she knew by now that most of the school would know that she was pregnant. The cooler seemed like the best option for now. She pulled out her timetable to check her final lesson. Maths...with her Dad...brilliant. The cooler once again seemed like the best option.
...
Karen walked through the corridors. She could hear the kids whispering. She felt that it was her fault. She should have kept Jess with her and never made her go to the lesson. She had refused to see Charlie and Maria. She had put Chris in charge for final lesson. She had decided that she was currently needed more as a Mum than a head-teacher. She had made a call to a private clinic and booked Jess in for a scan. It was the least she could do and she needed Jess to know that she stood by her decision. She stopped in front of the cooler. Only Jess was it there, not a surprise really when it was lunchtime and she had chosen to stay. Karen knocked on the door and dismissed the teacher in charge for the rest of lunch. She pulled up a chair beside Jess and pulled her daughter into a tight hug.
"I'm sorry Mum...I just....I couldn't listen to any more." She heard Jess' voice crack.
"Sshh. Don't you dare apologise. I should have read the situation. I should never have let you go back into her class today." Karen pulled away from Jess and cupped her face in her hands. "I hope you don't mind...but I've booked you a scan for this afternoon...I thought it might make the day seem a bit brighter."
Jess smiled and flung her arms back around her Mum. Then she pulled away and Karen saw the tears rolling back down her cheeks. "I don't understand why you're being so nice to me...I screwed up...now Dad is mad with you as well and I've almost started warfare in your school." She hung her head down.
"Jess...you are my daughter...to me that means that I will always love you. I can't explain your Dad...but maybe he will change...I just know that I have to stand by your decisions...and that maybe I should have taken more care of you three through the divorce and everything else." This time it was Karen's turn to start crying. Jess hugged her back.
"I love you Mum."
