The door creaked open. Mandume paused at the threshold, his voice low and cautious.
"Star?"
Startled, she turned—and lit up like dawn. Without a word, she threw her arms around him. Mandume froze, baffled.
As they embraced, she whispered softly enough that only the walls could hear, "I need to find proof… Show him who his mother truly is. Then we find his father together."
Mandume pulled back slightly. "Did I miss something?"
Star blinked, scrambling for words. "Oh… I—I just missed you," she said, blurting the first thing that came to mind.
"Really?" He chuckled. "That's sweet. I'm here now—what's going on?"
"Nothing, really. Just trying to enjoy this weekend before reality hits. School's starting again, and I have to begin ANC."
"ANC?" he asked, brows knit.
"Anti-Natal Care," she explained. "Monthly check-ups till I give birth. Part of the package deal now."
"Oh…" Mandume murmured, the reminder landing harder than he expected.
"You forgot I was pregnant?" she teased with a half-smile.
"No, no—it's just… that jerk is probably out there somewhere living life like nothing happened."
Star's gaze dropped. "I've moved past that, Mendu. I fought it for days, but the pregnancy is here. No proof, no case. What am I going to tell a courtroom? That I 'felt' something was off? I didn't even know I was four weeks along."
Mandume stared at her. "Wait—you said you were raped?"
Star sighed deeply. "Yeah. It was last month. A guy named Steffy. Or at least, that's the name he gave me. I thought he'd be a good friend. After exams, he invited me over to 'just watch some movies.' I went. Needed the distraction."
She closed her eyes, her voice quieter now.
"The moment I stepped into his room, he locked the door. Said it wasn't a big deal. I asked him to open it, and he eventually did—but I should've left then. I didn't. I stayed. He seemed normal again. While we were watching a comedy, he locked it again. And then… he started touching me. I said no. I tried pushing him away, fought him—but he got serious. Everything's a blur after that. I blacked out."
Mandume's fists clenched.
"When I came to, I was alone in the room. Later that day, I felt pain down there—but I brushed it off. Then I found a note in my pocket. Said he was sorry 'for being a jerk.' And then I missed my period… Doctor confirmed everything."
She looked away. "That's the story."
Mandume's voice cracked. "Star, you…"
"Naive?" she finished. "Yeah, I know. I mean, who thinks there's such a thing as 'harmless fun' between a guy and a girl anymore, right?"
"Are you sure he's the one? Maybe he didn't… I mean, if you blacked out—"
Star shot him a look. "How else am I pregnant? Mendu, I was a virgin. I didn't even know how painful it was supposed to be. I found out the hard way."
"You mean that was your first time… ever?" he asked, stunned.
"Yes." Her answer was firm.
"…Damn. I'm lucky," Mandume muttered.
That made her giggle a little, just enough to break the heavy air.
"Did you ever confront him?" he asked.
"I tried. Called him—his number vanished. Went to his place. Room locked. Came back with my cousin—it was still locked. Neighbor said a woman lives there now. I left a letter, but… I don't know if he ever got it. Don't care anymore. I'm going to study hard. My baby and I are going to survive. I'll make sure they don't feel fatherless."
"You're wrong," Mandume said gently. "Because I'm his father."
Star blinked. "What?"
"I mean—I'm adopting him. Even before he's born."
She laughed, playfully pushing him. "You're just being silly."
"I love you," he said suddenly.
"I hate you," she replied, rolling her eyes.
"…So much," he added with a smirk.
Star smiled again. Then her tone turned curious. "Okay… so why did you come here, anyway?"
That's when it hit him. "Right. You came out of that clinic running like something chased you. What happened? You haven't told me."
Star froze. Her smile faded. Her lips parted slightly, but no sound came.
A storm of thoughts churned behind her eyes.
She didn't have proof. Not yet. But she had suspicions… and if she told him now, he might not believe her. Not when it involved his mother.
Her silence hung heavy in the air, and Mandume waited.