II

I was told that being different is good, but you know, it's just a nicer way of telling me that I'm weird.

Unique, special, exceptional, words, more words. But today, I feel particularly stupid, stupid for actually standing on stage to make such an embarrassing declaration, foolish for thinking that for once, something could be different. But, we all have the right to wish, and to hope.

So, as I stoop, and put so much effort in creeping past the large mass of students packed in the halls, my mind keeps replaying yesterday, keeps placing different tags on my stupidity, but then, that was yesterday.

"You should have really thought it through, you know, maybe contemplated more before embarrassing yourself. I think you always forget where we are,

or you just ignore it. So, here's the thing, in this town, girls are trained for marriage. Maybe, get a good education, a good enough job, then, well, get married. And all that's done just to make sure that, on the day of her wedding, her bride price will be humongous. Listen, in the eyes of almost every mother, you aren't marriage material, but, most of them are judged based on how well they score in the test for marriage. So, why bother yourself ?" I've thought the same so many times, but I'm not dumb enough to think that it was me who spoke. "I'm sure we don't know each other, I'm Odili." I felt my heartbeat slow, awaiting a sort of insult, some mockery here and there."I won't insult you, I actually think it's a good cause. When you grow up hearing your mother weep every night, and your father justify his stupid actions, you begin to think differently. " So, I stopped stalling the inevitable, cause regardless, I could never be a snub, so I turned.

He was unremarkable, slim, average height, and dark, nothing special, very average. But his eyes weren't, they spoke a language of their own, covertly, but they spoke, for though his eyes were black, they seemed too deep. Normally, boys towered over me, dwarfed me, but he, I stood over him. Unexpected, but yeah, I felt my lips tilt into a smirk, the kind that comes with a knowledge of you actually feeling a bit more superior than the other. " Mtchwww, see someone I'm talking to. Are you even listening?" No, I could never use the word superior, I wasn't, and neither was he. For what he lacked in height, was fully made up in his academics. And now, I know why I couldn't place his face, he was the bookworm, the one who gave off the 'Don't talk to me if you're stupid vibe', but, why would he speak with me.

"Actually, I am, but we've never spoken. So, why now?"

"I saw you yesterday, I just don't want you to give up. But, you can't force others to think like you, but at least, an effort was made."

And that, that's how it ended, his well practiced speech was over, and so, he turned, backpack strapped tightly to him, he walked off.