Two sides the of coin

Chiedza Matenga
There are two sides to a coin. Ropa (not real name) was a bright young girl throughout her life as she had no flaws that she revealed. She was always first in class, mostly focused and had big dreams. Her parents were proud of her and she had achieved quite a lot at 16. Besides having friends from church Ropa had a bunch of other friends from different walks of life. Her hobbies were more civil and formal as she spent much of her time reading books and magazines or taking a dive in the pool

As the last two years of high school progressed she met someone. He was interesting and different from the rest of the guys she knew. To her he was perfect, Mr Right her own Prince Charming. His friends liked Ropa and so did their partners. Together they enjoyed each other’s company.

In no time Ropa’s performance dropped as she started getting lower grades across the board in her school work despite the fact that she was facing the door to graduate from high school.

Apart from the poor performance she also developed an attitude and became disrespectful toward her parents and school authorities.
Above all this, she gave in to peer pressure. From friends tried in vain to persuade her to have a reality check on what was going on but she was stubborn and calling them old fashioned. Was the scholarship she aimed to attain still possible?

Everything around her seemed more enjoyable and worthwhile and she could not stop. She became outgoing, life became exciting attending parties to the extend that when her parent restrained her from going to one of them she even though of ‘jail breaking’ if they insisted.

However, her mum gave permission reservedly with restrictions on time as a test.
Ropa became the star attraction because of the way she dressed. She earned the Miss Swaggar title amongst her newly acquired friends as she also made grand entrance to their parties. In due time, her friends had completely won her as she joined in taking the wise drink – alcohol.

Unknown to her, the drink took over her thoughts and body and the reserved Ropa stunned them all as she danced wildly striping her clothes off.
Prince Charming quickly whisked her out of the eyes of the people and clothed her while she knocked out. Her set time to be home ticked off while she slept.

She later woke up to a bucket of cold water and she naked. It was for all to see that someone had been intimate with her. Whoever had drugged her had his mission accomplished.

As time went by she discovered that she was pregnant. Nine months later, she was a mother to a baby body whom she had no idea who the father was. To Ropa these nine months became a living hell with her parents reminding her every single day of how she could have been a better person.

It is true what they say that “you can achieve a lot in a lifetime but lose it all in a moment.” This is how Ropa viewed her life now. She lost almost everything that she called important, her education, her virginity, respect and maybe her sanity too.

Being a mom or father at an unexpected time is stressful because a child is a responsibility. All they know is to cry out to you. A child is a dependant who needs a lot of things to survive as they grow up.

However, Ropa became a determined single mother at 19.
Having experience teenage pregnancy and early motherhood she now knows the dangers of associating with the wrong people. As always parents’ love will never fade or die. Counselling Ropa was encouraged to help her and support other single mothers.

Despite the fact that Ropa was bitter she chose to focus more on her child.
She had no idea what to tell him when he grew up, to her he was a constant reminder of her past a life that she had never imagined but occurred unintentionally.
It appears the night horse had fallen prey to her once envied fantasy and it was unbearable
The motive of the story is don’t get carried away by today’s acts when tomorrow is still there.

You can choose 95 percent of tomorrow by obeying instructions or 5 percent of today of my own instructions. But if I were you I would choose 95 percent of a better and brighter future.