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5942 Days Before
It was just one time, only 6 minutes and 30 seconds of her life. She was at a party, celebrating the 113 days left of high school. He didn't wear a condom-she was on the pill. She couldn’t get pregnant. STDs and AIDs didn't scare her. She was still in high school. A Senior. Invincible.
123 days later, the same girl was at the beach celebrating summer and college. They started gossiping like teenagers do, when the boy from the party’s name came up, along with talk of HIV and AIDS. Did she have sex with him? No, of course not. She wasn't worried. She couldn't get AIDS.
1,113 days later the same girl now an adult. Mature. Responsible. Went to the doctor's. She had a cold. Just a cold. They did a blood test, just to be sure. She sat as they drew her blood thinking about her wedding- only 91 days away.
4 days later, the girl's phone rings. Its. 1:49PM. The doctor. Something's wrong with her test, they want to do it again. Nothing to worry about. A lab mistake.
9 days later, the real results are in. She has HIV. She is going to die. How did this happen? Had she been monogamous? Yes. Only her fiancé for the past 26 months. Before that? No, she had been in high school just a teenager. None of them could have AIDS, they were just teenagers- kids- babies. This was wrong. She was dreaming. She was on a reality show. This is someone’s idea of a sick joke. Her fiancé is testing her.
13 days later, the wedding is off. Who wants to marry someone that has AIDS? She trades in her dreams of white picket fences, dogs, dinner at 5pm, children for hospitals, pills, sickness, solitude. Did it have to end like this? Yes. He had moved on. Found someone clean. Someone faithful. Someone with whom he could have children.
4680 days later, laying in a hospital bed. Dying from pneumonia. She remembers the boy at the party 5942 days before.
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