A compromise.

"I tell you what," you decide, latching the chain onto the door as undo the deadbolt. "I'm going to open the door a little bit. The chain's still on, but you can push the bag through."

No sooner have you said the words and pulled the door open than Deon thrusts his forearm through the gap, startling you into jumping backwards.

"There you go, baby doll," he tells you.

"Great. It's a bag," you grouse. "Let go."

"Okay," he says, and with suspicious ease he lets go of the bag so that it drops toward the floor.

Being athletic your reflexes are pretty good so you manage to snatch it from the air before it reaches the ground.

"What the... it's empty!" you exclaim, and give the door a shove.

"Ow! You trying to break my arm? Look at the hand!"

"The what? This is fucking serious, you moron. I could be... I might be..."

"Look!" he yells, and the clenched hand opens, two fingers holding a small sealed package between them.

"Aspirin?" you ask caustically, drawing a chuckle.

"Oh you're such a blonde," he sighs. "It's called a Morning After Pill."

"Morning..."

"Damn, didn't your school have sex-ed? Even the dump I went to covered this. Probably didn't want us black folks breeding like rabbits and taking over the world. Anyway, you take one of these within three to five days of unprotected sex and you're golden."

"Really?" you ask warily. Deon & Shona's parents work for a pharmaceutical company so you know they might have access to something like this. "Are you telling the truth?"

"Would you believe me if I said yes?" he said, sighing. "Look, Joy, we've known each other for a long time. Since you took off all your clothes and chased me around the playground when we were six."

"Oh God, don't remind me. That was you taking off your clothes, by the way," you grumble.

"Oh yeah? I have pictures as proof."

"What? You do not! Give me the pictures!"

Deon's laughter booms through the part-open door, making you realize you fell into his trap. "Fine, maybe I was a dumb little girl."

"Ri-i-ight blondie. Anyway, do you believe me?"

For a moment you stay silent, unwilling to believe a man so soon. But memories of you, Shona and Deon float past you, reminders that in all the time you've known him he's been a pain, yes, definitely a flirt, and occasionally he's copped a feel (admittedly you might've been the instigator at least a couple of times). But he's also defended you against overly aggressive boys and backed off whenever things seemed they might become uncomfortable.

"Yes," you whisper at last, and the fingers holding the small foil container proffer it up to you.

"Take it," he says, and you do, holding the package for a second before fumbling to find the opening."

Then it occurs to you. Three to five days. You could take it now and be safe from Mr. Baker's sperm, and then tomorrow go about your life.

Or, you could wait a few days. Three to five days, to be precise, be adventurous, live out a few fantasies. Then erase it all with one pill.