C H A P T E R T W E N T Y S E V E N
Norman's POV
When we returned from our short recess, the programme director announced the next two schools which will be discussing the second motion. Victoria Akademie and Parktown Akademie. The auditorium lights were harsh as I stood at the podium as a representative of Parktown Akademie. The debate had started and it was my turn to speak. It was hard to ignore the anxiety knotting my stomach as I unfolded my notes. My heart began to race as the words on the paper rearranged themselves into a chaotic jungle. The clock above me ticked mercilessly as the silence stretched. The silence wasn't comfortable, it only amplified my internal struggle. A struggle that has been my constant companion in my academic journey.
I looked up from the dancing words and searched the audience for a familiar face and once my eyes landed on her, Ayize shot me an encouraging smile and mouthed the words, "You've got this."
Although I appreciated the words, but the letters on my notes continued to elude me. How was I going to be able to give a speech if I couldn't decipher the words on my page. Every attempt to decipher the words felt like grasping at mist. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as a murmur of impatience rippled through the audience. My anxiety gripped my chest, making it hard for me to breathe. My debate opponents were confident and eloquent speakers. They delivered compelling arguments, something I was failing to do. A wave of frustration washed over me as I tried to read the dancing words on the page. I took deep breaths just like how Ayize taught me but nothing seemed to be working. Before I knew it, I was running out the hall, far away from the judgemental stares of my classmates and teachers. I have faced many challenges before but dyslexia was a roadblock.
YOU ARE READING
Black & White
Historical FictionAs Ayize, a black girl from Soweto, and Norman, a white boy, navigate the dangerous waters of their interracial relationship in apartheid South Africa, they face brutal consequences of their love. Will their story survive in a society built on racia...
