𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲'𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞 | 𝐍. 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐭𝐨𝐧 [ 𝙳𝙸𝚂𝙲𝙾𝙽𝚃𝙸𝙽𝚄𝙴𝙳]

𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚞𝚎

My life fell apart when I was only nineteen years old after Winter Break. It was my sophomore year at Villanova University and I had gotten into an argument with my parents about my career path.

My parents wanted me to be a lawyer, following in their footsteps to grow their business. A few days after Christmas, my parents had bombarded me about my career choice of wanting to be a designer, and as much as I wanted to please my parents, I just didn't want to.

I had always been headstrong, and knew how to stand my ground. For years, I had gotten away with my dream, but then they decided to put their foot down. The argument got ugly. My mother called me ungrateful, my father hit me, I hit him back. Next thing you know, me and my things were in trash bags on the front porch in the cold.

They stopped paying for my tuition, so I had to live with my grandmother and grandfather who lived a few hours away from my school. My grandparents supported my dreams, and at the same time, they even tried to convince my parents to continue to pay for my education, but they refused. So, my grandparents began paying for half of my tuition, while I paid for the other half as well.

I found myself working two jobs and made sure I got all the hours that I could get while I did my schoolwork as well. At first, it was difficult, believe me. I balanced having a 4.0 GPA while working two jobs and also taking time to at least have some kind of college experience.

Just when I had thought my life had gotten back on a track that I liked, I met a guy. His name was Andre Hayworth. He played basketball and ran track. He was sweet at first and thought that my dream was amazing, but the moment that he realized that my education came before him and how independent I was, he began acting out.

We had been together for a little over two years and finally, he broke up with me for a girl who wasn't independent. Who waited on his hand and foot. Who did everything he wanted her to do.

It was at that moment that I realized I didn't want a relationship with anyone because men only want a woman who wants to be a regular housewife. They only wanted a woman who would put their dreams and aspirations aside to please them.

I wasn't that kind of woman.

So, I stopped dating. I stopped paying men attention. I stayed focused on my goals.

Two months later, my grandfather died. That was my final straw. I fell into a deep depression and it was hard to get myself out of. My grandmother noticed and she told me something that changed and motivated me.

She told me, "If there's one thing that I know your grandfather would've wanted, it would be for you to reach the goals you set for yourself. For years, he believed that you could and would do amazing things. Although things seem broken now, there is nothing so broken that can't be fixed."

After that, I pushed myself to do better. I got back on my work and worked harder than I ever had before. By the time I graduated, I was the valedictorian of my class, and walked the stage proud.

My parents hadn't attended my graduation, but my grandmother did and that was all that I cared about, because I knew that my grandfather was watching me, and I was making him proud.

When I look back at things back then, I can't help but lay awake at night and wonder if my grandfather is proud of the person that I am now?