I had sex for the first time at 16. I was suicidal and planned to kill myself the day I met him. Because I thought he “saved” me, I had sex with him and he eventually got me pregnant.

He was a criminal, both because I was underage and because he sold drugs. We had sex after six days; thankfully, we used a condom.

A few months later, we had unprotected sex. I was on my period and didn’t think anything would come of it. Unfortunately, I was wrong and became pregnant. I just knew. I also knew I couldn’t have it. College or baby? It was an easy choice.

I arranged for a surgical abortion at a local clinic. The good news: it didn’t cost me anything. The bad news: I had the abortion the day of my senior prom.

We rode home on the city bus. I walked in and my mom said she was proud of me and that she knew what I had just been through.

I felt like I was ruined for awhile, but it was absolutely the right choice for me.

I looked up my ex and found out he’d been arrested for assaulting a child between 13 and 16 years old. I can’t imagine being linked to someone like that, let alone what he might have done to our child. So grateful I had the option to terminate.