Vanilla

Chapter 54

I requested a one-day extension to listen to Melanin's speech at City Hall. 

She looked tired, which wasn't surprising to me, I knew Lexie fucked her till midnight. 

They even pinched my ear for listening to their conversation and laughed at my overdramatic reaction, saying I never changed. 

I knew I was a bit overdramatic but who would want to hear that from their friends while they make out shamelessly in a public hospital? 

Well, at the end of the day - that's their business, not mine. 

"Attention, City of Miami," Melanin began, silencing every individual that was conversing before. "I won't hold you all long so I'll get to the point. The world is in need of change and help, everyone won't stop until they see things from their perspective - whether it's good or bad. And I want to be the help that brings those in need back on their feet, man or woman, I will be there for you no matter what." she looked at Shawn, who wore his old uniform for the day, and nodded to him. "My friend, Shawn, will give you his words, please listen to him if you will." 

Everyone watched the former soldier walk to the microphone with his hands behind his back, boots scuffed the ground as he stood firm in place. Motionless. His eyes scanned the crowd impassively, but when he found mine, they softened a little before returning back stoic. 

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, Melanin may or may not have said this before but-" Shawn swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbed, he looked tense. "-I used to be a cad, an immature male that didn't have any regards for people's emotions except his own, but I taught myself how to mature and how to grow. I wanted to become a man to change. But sadly, not everyone is willing to step up to change for the better, regardless of their gender." 

He waited for a few seconds before continuing; "My speech today is directed towards men or has the appearance of one," he swallowed again. "people who are men and act cruel are unforgivable, not everyone is evil but not everyone can be trusted. I grew up around those who take advantage of others and make their victims scared, causing them to make bad decisions to prevent harm to themselves. Sometimes the outcome is inevitable but other times it is, that depends on who's on their side the entire time and how they carry themselves to the end." 

His eyes obviously flickered from Lexie and me before he continued on; "But for men that are innocent, good, trusting - why do they earn the same mistreatment by others?" 

Everyone whispered to each other but Shawn answered for them. "It's because if one man does the crime then the others must be the same, right?" he shook his head. "Wrong! They are not the same, not all men are the same like not all women are the same. Everyone does the same thing, not just men. Women stalk others during the night too, women take advantage of others too, not just men. People have to understand - judging someone's gender will not correct any issue that others do, you have to stop misinterpreting the people that are living their lives daily." 

He placed his hands on the podium, on either side of the microphone, sighing. "We need to change, all of us. This discrimination of character has to be put to an end. I will serve my country alongside those who stood by me during my darkest days, the days where I acted just like those men.  The men that woke up every day just to disappoint everyone that had hopes for them. I will not become that person again, I can't let my people down again. I will stand for everyone to try to create peace and bring justice to the wrong. We will bring change because the only way to change is by correcting ourselves to be better." 

He clapped his right hand over his heart. "Let's be better! Let's bring change!" 

Everyone applauded while Shawn bowed and walked to his previous position, allowing Melanin to stand behind the podium again. She raised her fist in the air and smiled. "As Shawn said, we will bring change! We have to believe that our world will convert from this harsh society to the one we all dreamed about! No matter what it takes!"