It was a nice day in late September, at Berkley Lela sat at her desk in her dorm. Lela starred at the math book in front of her, but she wasn't studying more like starring off in to space. Lela's roommates Justine and Jasmine came into the room. "Earth to Lela," Jasmine called as she walked up to Lela and wave her hand in front of her face. Lela snapped back to reality and smiled at them.
"Were you actually studying?" Justine asked. Lela looked at her and said, "Trying to."
"My parents actually care about the grades I get here, so I try hard for them," Jasmine comments. "Really, asked Lela, "What about you Justine?" Justine says, "My parents don't care about the grades I get. So I really just do it for myself."
Lela thought to her self. I am eighteen years old, in my first semester of college. Jerrica has always cared about the grades we get in school. I haven't really attended class since I've been here, which is why I don't plan on telling Jerrica about my ditching classes. Just then the phone rang. Jasmine went to answer the phone and the brought the phone to Lela. "Lela the phone is for you." She said. Lela took the phone. "Hello, Oh Hi Jerrica, yeah school is going great. I was actually just studying so I am going to get back to it." Lela lied as she hung up the phone.
"Who is Jerrica?" Justine asked after Lela hung up the phone. Lela looked away from her roommates and said, "Just somebody I know" Lela knows that nobody at the college except the dean and the board of directors knows that she is a Starlight Girl and Lela doesn't plan on telling anyone.
"Lela, why don't you come with us to the frat party tonight?" Justine asked. Lela agreed at least she can get her mind off her problems for now anyway. At the frat party Lela drank some punch she knew it was spiked and drank it anyway. Even before coming to the party Lela had a feeling that the only drink being served at the party was alcohol.
The next morning Justine and Jasmine were looking for Lela, they were all still at the frat house. When they finally found Lela they were surprised by what they saw. Lela was lying in bed covered by a blanket and her clothes were on the floor. "Lela are you alright!" Jasmine exclaimed as they try to wake her up. Lela woke up suddenly, her head throbbing as she looked at what she had apparently done. "Oh my goodness, what have I done and why is my head killing me? Lela said with dread. "That would be a hangover," Justine said as she handed Lela her dress. Lela took the dress from Justine as Justine and Jasmine left the room so Lela could get dressed.
Lela sat there on the bed thinking I am dead Jerrica is going to kill me when she finds out. Oh what am I going to do? Lela got dressed and left the frat house with her friends to go back to the dorm room to sleep off her hangover.
When Lela got back to the dorm room, the phone was ringing. Lela answered it. It was Becky and Delaree. They were all excited because after they graduate in the spring they are going to attend Berkley and be roommates with Lela again. Lela hangs up the phone and lies down on the bed.
A month later
Lela was sick to her stomach and she could not keep anything down. Justine had come in with the mail from the school. Lela has two mailing addresses one at her dorm room for school business and one at the school post office where she writes to and receives letters from the Starlight Girls. In the school mail was a letter from the dean. The letter read:
Dear Lela,
You are required to attend a meeting of disciplinary action on October 20th at 10 am. Your presence there is mandatory. See you then.
Signed,
Dean Jason Jacobs.
"This is just great, this is all I need. Lela said as she threw the letter down on the kitchen table and she sat down on the chair putting her head on her arms on the table. Jasmine came in and asked, "What is wrong?" Justine told her that Lela has to attend a meeting for disciplinary action tomorrow at 10 for all her ditching of class.
The next morning as Lela is getting ready for her meeting, she still is feeling sick. Jasmine tells Lela that she should pick up a pregnancy test on her way home from the meeting. Lela attends the meeting. In the room was Dean Jacobs, the Board of Directors and the Social Worker that got her into Berkley on a state funded scholarship. Lela knew this was going to go good, but she knew she had to be honest with them. Lela doesn't know why she was ditching class so much. The Social Worker, says, "Lela we want you to take off the rest of the semester and get your life together. You will have one more chance at college, so don't blow it again. My recommendation to you is that in the spring you attend Los Angeles community college and then transfer to UCLA." Next was Dean Jacobs turn to speak. He told Lela that she has to leave for the semester and that she has to be gone in two days. She can come back in the spring if that what she wants, but if she does they will be keeping a close eye on her.
Lela leaves the meeting and goes to the store to pick up the pregnancy test. When she got back to her dorm room, at least it was still her dorm room for now. She took the pregnancy test. It was positive.