Maya, feeling a pull of concern, decided to investigate. She knocked gently on the bathroom stall, her voice soft, "Are you okay in there?"

The response was a symphony of sobs and the shuffle of panic.

"Y—yes. I'm fine," came a shaky voice from within.

Maya recognized the voice. It was Charlise, a peer from her earth elemental practice. She did not sound fine at all.

"Can I get you anything? Do you need someone to talk to?" wanting to help, Maya offered.

Her words only seemed to trigger more tears. Maya felt the awkwardness of the situation, the bathroom stall doors physically separating her from providing comfort.

"You don't need to hide," she encouraged.

For a moment, Maya contemplated leaving her alone, but then the bathroom stall creaked open. Charlise sat there on the toilet lid, her face smeared with tears and ruined makeup, looking utterly devastated.

"What's wrong?" Maya asked softly, inserting as much warmth in her voice as she could.

In response, Charlise cried harder, her face contorting with pain. Maya knelt down to comfort her, but it only seemed to exacerbate her distress. Not knowing what else to do, Maya went for a full hug, recognizing the utter desperation and loneliness etched on Charlise's face.

Charlise accepted the hug, and Maya kept comforting her, repeating her question in a soothing tone.

"I don't know what to do…" Charlise finally managed to say.

"About what? What's wrong?" Maya asked patiently, her heart pounding.

Without a word, Charlise rummaged through her bag and showed Maya a white plastic object. It was a pregnancy test. Maya, unfamiliar with them, made an assumption based on Charlise's reaction—it was positive. She was stunned.

"I don't know what to do. I don't. I never—Why did this happen to me?" Charlise was barely whispering now.

Suddenly feeling out of depth, Maya continued comforting her. This girl was dealing with a major crisis that Maya couldn't have anticipated when she first decided to offer her support.

Keeping her calm, Maya asked, "Does your… boyfriend know?"

"No. He can't know. He can't find out!" Charlise's voice echoed with desperation.

"Why not?" Maya pressed on.

"We broke up over a month ago. He's with another girl now."

Realization hit Maya—Charlise was likely already a month pregnant at the very least. "How long have you known this?"

Stolen story; please report.

"I found out the other day… but… I don't know what to do."

No wonder. Maya barely had her first kiss recently, she was unsure of the next steps after that, let alone dealing with pregnancy.

"Maybe you should see a doctor," Maya suggested, trying to be practical.

"No! No one can know. You're the only one I've told…" Charlise broke into tears again, clutching Maya's sleeve. "Please don't tell anyone."

"You can't just ignore it. It won't just go away," Maya reasoned with her.

"I can't tell anyone. Oh, lords. Everyone will think I'm a slut," Charlise's voice was raw with fear.

"No. No. It happens. It's nothing to be ashamed of," Maya tried to reassure her.

"It's easy for you to say." Charlise's voice was bitter now.

"A doctor won't tell anyone. They will know what you can do," Maya suggested.

"Maybe I can take a pill…" Charlise was grasping at straws now.

"Um… I'm not sure if that would work, now," Maya said gently.

Charlise's face contorted into a grimace, and she was sobbing again. "Oh, lords. Why did I do this to myself?" She was giving into self-loathing.

Desperate to help, Maya suggested, "Come. We'll go to the doctor together. We can tell professors I got sick."

"No. No. I can't. They'll have to report it." Charlise was terrified.

Understanding her fear, Maya tried a different approach. "Do you want to keep… it?"

"I don't know. I don't know. But no one can know. Please, this needs to stay a secret. At least until I figure it out," Charlise pleaded.

"But you can't put it off for much longer." Maya was trying to be realistic.

"I still have time. It won't show at least for a month. I just need time to think."

Maya was torn. She understood Charlise's fear and desperation, but also knew that ignoring the problem would be unwise. She decided to help Charlise as much as she could, promising to keep her secret until she was ready to face it.

Maya also pledged to support Charlise in exploring options, providing emotional support and research assistance. Though the situation was daunting, Maya wanted Charlise to know that she wasn't alone in this. "We'll figure this out together," Maya reassured her.

In brutal honesty, Maya's initial decision to approach the source of the distressed crying was not entirely altruistic. Her recent relationship developments had left her feeling lonely and desperate for a friend. She, too, was burdened and wished to cry her heart out, wondering if perhaps she could form a meaningful connection with this upset stranger and forget her troubles.

Encountering Charlise's predicament, however, Maya quickly realized that she was stepping into a situation she was ill-equipped to handle. The gravity of Charlise's issue was unlike anything she had faced before. But Maya was not the kind of person to shy away from a challenge, nor did she believe in picking and choosing which problems she was willing to confront.

Regardless of her personal readiness, Maya was determined to honour her promise to Charlise. She became an unexpected pillar of support for Charlise in her time of need. This shared experience rapidly fostered a bond between them.

Maya stayed by Charlise's side throughout the day, providing her with company and a comforting presence. Although they did not bring up Charlise's predicament outside of the initial conversation, Maya understood that Charlise needed time to process her situation and organize her thoughts.

She was just a young girl, now faced with a situation that could completely alter the trajectory of her life. Seventeen years old seemed too early to deal with such a serious situation all alone, without parents and support, in a completely unfamiliar world. Therefore, Maya recognized the immense value of having someone to confide in during such times—someone who would listen without passing judgment, someone who would offer comfort and support even in the absence of immediate solutions.

Even though Maya did not have all the answers, she knew that her presence and understanding could make a significant difference for Charlise.

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