Tale-Teller: The Secret of the Modern Girl

She was born in to a controversial society. Something inside her told her that she is destined for greatness, but she could feel this tug of war going on around her, so many people to please, yet not sure what to do to please herself.

In school, she tried to read hard, as required of every student. One day she failed a maths paper. She felt bad, she hated failing, but to her surprise she was told there was nothing wrong in failing mathematics, see, you performed well in languages and arts. Many girls find mathematics hard, so it is ok if you to not excel in it. She let out a sigh of relief.

As she grew up, her body also took shape, but it did not matter to her. She was living life and learning in all her innocence. So when the teacher asked her to came to his office, she innocently went. She did not need an explanation of why, see she had been taught to respect her elders, and she knew the teacher is always right.

So as she sat down in his office unsure of the situation, sexual abuse was the last thing in her mind. In fact she did not know such a thing existed. He did not rape her, no, he did not threaten her, no, he did not force her to do anything: he was just good man. He just talked to the girl, asking her if she was comfortable in school. He was just doing his job as a teacher, and the student, the young girl, was humbled. She felt privileged.

She went home and told her mother the story. The mother listened and decided there was nothing wrong. She was a single mother of four, with a huge responsibility. They were not a rich family, and she worked hard to provide, educate and generally support her children. She was glad that a teacher had recognised potential in her child, and was ready to nurture it.

The young girl went to his office almost every evening, not because she needed to, not because she was in trouble, but just because the teacher, whom she had now grown fond of, had asked for her presence. On her fourteenth birthday, he gave her a kiss, a special kiss.

She no longer bothered to tell her mother of how deep her friendship with her teacher had grown. It was now their special secret, and she was flattered, that a man had noticed her potential, and was attracted to her. She knew she was a bright girl, her teacher always told her that, and now she had realised something new; she was beautiful, and someone had noticed it, she felt special. He took good care of her, every time they made love he wore protection, and if he did not have protection, he gave her a pill after. “He really cares about me,” she thought, and couldn’t help glowing.

When she sat down to read, she couldn’t help thinking about her new found love. When she played and talked with her friends he was on her mind. The man intoxicated her thoughts. So when she sat for the final exam of her certificate of primary school examination, her brain had to been property filled with the right content required to excel. But she was glad to be through with her primary education.

As cherished the relationship with her teacher, she kept it a secret, at first she did not know why, and just did it because the teacher told her to. But as time went by, she realised that society did not approve of the relationship. "We are two people who love each other what is wrong with that." She could not understand why society was so harsh on something as beautiful as their love, so she kept it a secret.

Then one day her mother walked into the house with a beautiful card. It was a wedding invitation card. The love of her life was getting married, to another woman. The pain she felt was indescribable, the betrayal, and the hurt tormented her. Yet just like her love, she could not express her hurt, since society would condemn her. How can she embarrass her mother who had worked so hard to support her family?

“No one forced me, I was not raped, and I did this willingly. I have no one to blame but myself. I was not woman enough for him, I now understand that,” she told herself.

“What was I expecting from the relationship? Whaaat?” she questioned herself.

“He took advantage of your innocence, you were young and vulnerable, and he made you fall in love with his lies. He snatched away your innocence and your virginity. He manipulated you. You were just a young girl, your heart did not know better. You do not have to walk through life with this heavy burden he is to blame. There is a law against this; we need to report this to the proper authorities. Talk!”

She never heard these words; she never knew they existed; she thus secured the burden in her heart and braced herself for the long journey that is life.

So she will go through high school and excel in her studies, even join a University, but no one ever know her story. The little girl will remain trapped inside her: confused, hurt and locked up in eternal darkness, yet as she grows up she will consider herself a strong woman, for learning to live with the pain and shame.