Flaws Of An African Girl (COMPLETED/UNEDITED)

CHAPTER 26/THE END

I just want to use this medium to say sorry to everyone that has been waiting for this chapter for a while now. I am so so sorry. Life called and I had to answer. I hope you enjoy reading it.
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I stand in front of the stage and hold the microphone, completely overwhelmed at the scene in front of me

I breathe out a huge sigh, thinking of how I got here. "I don't know what to say. I don't know where to start from"

I look at the people who came to celebrate me; they are made up of friends, close family and fellow writers. Timini came up with the idea of organizing a party to celebrate the 9 mobile Prize for Literature I won a week ago. Timini and Dakore organised the whole thing even after my constant refusal.

I look at the little crowd facing me and immediately see Timini smiling proudly at me. He mouths 'I love you' and my smile immediately turns into a grin. Dakore and her mother, Ebiere starts clapping and soon, everyone in the hall joins in.

"Four years ago on a hospital bed, I parted ways with my parents after overdosing on my anti-depressant. Four years ago, if someone had told me I would be this successful, I would have told them they were living a fantasy." I release a teary laugh

"I used to be a broken girl who hated anything about life. At eleven years old, I was diagnosed with depression, generalised anxiety disorder and possible schizophrenia. My family tried for a while but they gave up too early. A fake pastor convinced my parents that I was suffering spiritually and if he doesn't stop the demon in me from manifesting, I will become mad. My parents believed him over me and I was abandoned by my family and friends; the people that are supposed to be at my side in my hardest time. It was only Ifeanyi, my best friend that never left me. He stood by me throughout my hardest times, always advising me to stay strong. I was abused physically and emotionally by my parents. My house was hell and my parents were my demons. I was tortured for something I didn't impose on myself."

I continue. "A friend of mine, Kosi told me to start writing because he felt I had my ways with words. When my situation got worse, I took him up on his idea and started writing. At first, it was hard because I didn't know what to write but later, it became a drug for me. It became better than any antidepressant I have ever had. I wrote every single day of my life with my little phone. It was like I couldn't stay a day without writing something and even if I did, that day would be my moodiest. Even though Kosi and I had our differences, I will forever be grateful to him because without him, I don't know if I would have been able to find my dream"

"My biggest wish after high school was to get admission into University of Nigeria, Nsukka so that I can escape the terrors of my home and God didn't disappoint me. I got admission and left for school but I didn't know that my situation was just getting worse. My dad started finding excuses to not send me money, not because he didn't have but because in his own way, he thought he was doing God's will. It must have given him some sort of joy. Ifeanyi kept on holding me up; whenever he parents sent him foodstuffs, he would give me half of it no matter how much I refuse. Sometimes, he even takes me out for lunch. He was my shield. I thank him so much for that. I love you, Ify. I would always love you. I just want to let your future wife know that she will have to share you with me." I try to find his seat in the midst of the crowd and when our eyes meet, he winks at me and blows me a kiss. The crowd starts clapping and cheering; probably stunned by the amount of love we share.

"A semester into the school, I met the love of my life; Timini Johnson. He became my shield; always giving me great advice. He didn't know anything about my illness but he comforted me like he did. He helped me invest more into my writing and even convinced me to send it to a publishing company. One day, he invited me to have lunch with his mum and sister and I went. In the middle of the lunch, I got a call that my brother had been arrested in school and I immediately fell into a panic attack. In a quest to keep it hidden from Timini and his family, I overdosed on my antidepressants. I had a seizure and was rushed to the hospital. I was unconscious for a day and when I woke up, Timini told me he called my parents and they took a flight from Abuja to Enugu. Before I could react, they had already reached the hospital."