book-cover
SCARS
Immaculata Essien
Immaculata Essien
6 months ago

Have you met a typical introvert? Quiet, alone, not much of a talker? Well that's who I am, I prefer being at home all day to hanging out with friends. You will ask if I was born this way, of course not. I used to be a highschool queen adored by many, envied by most and a role model to all. In addition my family was very well to do so it gave me much of an advantage.The fame didn't last, it fade away along my parents wealth and that's when my misery begun.


You think being highschool queen is because you're beautiful or smart? No it's mostly because of your parents wealth and influence in the society. In my highschool students were categorized into three; the nerds category , the middle class category and the elites category. The nerds were filled with the book worms, the geek kids and the introverts. The middle class were filled with those who their parents were quite well to do but not so much and were hot, beautiful or book smart too. And the elites were made of those whose parents had so much influence in the society and 80% of them were bullies.


Well I was in the Elites category but I was the 20% of them that didn't walk on others. But who cares about that? If there 80% of bad eggs it means the rest are bad too. I loved reading as much I loved hanging out, I was obsessed with fashion that I signed up for a fashion design class. But when my parents were no more influential I became the center of attention. I was bullied by my so called friends, bullied by the middle class kids and even the nerds. I dreaded to wake up everyday and go to my school.


The place I was once comfortable in became the place I feared to be in. My school became an hell hole that I wanted to disappear from. I couldn't even tell my parents what was going on as they were facing a lot of troubles already I didn't want to add to their headaches. I convinced myself that it will all go away in a matter of time. But that was just the beginning. Everyday I just wanted classes to be done so I could rush back home.


Home became different too. My dad became distant from my mom and I, to crown it all he became a chronic drinker. It was too much for my mom I guess because one day I came back home and she was gone. She had left her only daughter to the hands of her now irresponsible husband. Her action had provoked my dad, so he transferred his aggression to me. Every night my dad came back from his late night outings he would march up to my room, drag me out of bed and descend on me.


I couldn't even go to school some days because of my injuries and I didn't even have the strength to face my colleagues and watch them say all kinds of things to me. I stayed away from everything that would hurt me even more; school, church, social activities or events. I stayed home all day waiting for my dad to return and continue his transfer of aggression. My mom never called and I didn't hear anything about her either.


A part of my problem ended when my father died in a truck accident on his way back. I was taken to an orphanage home as they could not reach my mother. I resumed school, another school entirely but my story had already gotten there even before I arrived the bullying didn't stop but I got used to it. I didn't make friends and preferred being alone. A few of my class mates approached but I turned them down. When I was done with highschool, I moved out of the orphanage to my own apartment that I got from my savings.


I think two years after I had graduated from college my mother reached out. She had relocated to another country, settled down and had a new family there. I was hurt, she had left her only daughter alone to make another family. I swore never to forgive her and blocked her from having anything to do with me. I became an indoor fashion designer, i didn't have physical contacts with my clients they just send me their measurements and styles and I sew it and ask a delivery man to get it to them.


I avoided dramas in my life as I hated being reminded of my high school days. I was going through a post on my social media handles a week ago and I read a post about a girl going through the same trauma so I decided to share my story to the world. It wasn't easy getting through the trauma but I conquered. I am married now and proudly a mother of two beautiful kids.


My advice to the other kids going through such trauma it's not your fault and it's okay not to be okay, you don't have to be perfect for anyone. You're okay the way you are and you don't have to change a thing, the world could change its heart. Don't keep silent and go through it all alone there's someone waiting for you to share your own story.


There's hope waiting for you in the dark.

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