Hidden In The Shadows

1. Emi

Why do parents feel the need to control their child's every move? What's the worst that can happen? Your child will take advantage of your leniency and run off with a random man 15 years older than her, change her name to Shirley and move to Ibiza?

Nice way to start a little bit of rambling, well at least you already know that I am one to complain. I suppose you would want to know more about me and why I am angry at my parents. Of course you would I am the protagonist, without me this story would just be words.

My name is Emi- Short for Amelle (A-MEE-EL)- and probably the best nickname in existence right up there with Bob. I am British but my ancestors hail from Asia. But I don't really connect with my Asian side because me, my siblings and my parents were born in England. When people ask me what I am I prefer to take them through the confusion route and say that I am a 'British girl who happens to have people claiming to be her family about 7000 miles away in a place she has visited once and never wants to again.' Yeah talk about extra. I am 16 years of age going to turn 17 in December, therefore I am off to college this year.

My parents, unlike me are far less enthusiastic, ecstatic or elated for me going to college as this is the first time I will be interacting with the opposite gender. I've been forced into a single-sex girls primary school and then carted off to an all girls high school. I know what you're thinking:
"what's so wrong with talking to boys?"

Well my friend, it's not the talking that frightens them it is what comes after the talking. You see in their mind when someone talks to you it automatically means that they are in love with you and before you know it you are a teenage mum bringing shame upon your family, forced to abort the child and sent 'back home' where you marry your cousin you never knew existed and work as a housewife until you ultimately fall to your dusty death. Someone had a happy childhood.

I, on the other hand, crave for a little freedom inside a huge college to roam around during free periods, bunk off to play video games in a friend's house across the road and most of all to go to a party. It may not seem like a lot to many people, but I am intrigued with parties. The feeling of freedom, the feeling of getting drunk and of course the bursting of your eardrums to the beat of the music. That is my goal for the next two years on the journey of education: to go to a college party.

You may be thinking why don't my parents send me to an all girls college and continue the line of tradition that they feel so compelled to uphold? To you I say, stuff you do I not deserve some freedom? Also there is only one girls college around where I live and the reputation is so exceedingly terrible it is sure to put off people surrounding the area for miles. The one I am going to is the best college around with it's reputation and grades of graduated students further anchoring the idea of it being one of the, if not THE best college in town. Yeah I'm right up there in bad-ville.

I don't know whether to be nervous or excited or happy or sad. All I know is that I am going to make the most of my time because I know for a fact that I am never going to get this time and opportunity again. It's time for the world to see who Emi the girl hidden in the shadows really is.