We used a condom and the condom broke. It was 4am and we went right away to a 24-hour pharmacy, where we realized that I need a prescription to get the morning-after pill. I called my gynecologist and she got back to me in time to call in a prescription. I took both pills exactly as instructed and within the correct time frame. I assumed that was it.

About a month later, I had a birthday party. The next morning I threw up and was confused since I didn't drink that much the night before. Just to confirm I wasn't pregnant, I took a pregnancy test. It was positive. I took four more tests and made my housemate take a test. It seemed impossible. The next day I took another test at my school's Health Services and they were like, "listen you're pregnant. These are your options."

I felt awe. I couldn't believe that I was walking around pregnant. I made an appointment with Planned Parenthood to have the abortion. It was very clear to me that I wanted to do this on my own. I didn't want anyone to influence my decision or be involved. I didn't tell my parents even though I knew they'd be supportive and encouraging in every way possible, but I didn't want even that to be an influence. I also didn't want the possibility of one of them saying: Did you use protection? How did this happen? Just the thought of such a question was so upsetting to me.

I chose to be awake with a local anesthetic. I didn't want to be absent for the experience. I thought that not knowing what I had gone through would freak me out more than the physical pain of the experience. The experience itself was really uncomfortable and my body went into shock right after. But the physical pain soon went away.

I tend not to hold back. But for some reason I was pretty secretive about the abortion. I would tell people really carefully and select whom I told. It felt funny for me to keep it as a secret because it's not something I'm ashamed of.