My Boyfriend , Atlas .

♡EPILOGUE ♡

I walk on the stage in a nervous manner,  my hair is looking abit messy and my papers are jumbled . Should I wing it maybe , I should just wing it .

" Ladies and gentlemen ,The headmistress, members of the PTA , Parents and teachers,  I  am beyond privileged to stand before you  today and address you in this manner and at such a special occasion,  the Grade 8 and 10  Orientation ceremony of the Fatima Girls Secondary school  2035 ! " , the crowd cheers in excitement.

" Let me tell you a story ;
When I was in school I never got above 50 percent in biology ever and for math it was worse my highest grade was 40% .... and I was even called to numerous meetings for people who were "always failing classes"....on how we could improve the "fifty shades of red" on the results board. ..." , they laugh as I continue,

"  (as in at Fatima all results are in black except those below 40)...I really felt bad ...like a loser you know....because all my friends where super smart ....at Fatima everyone is smart ....most of them are beautiful ...so Nomba you have to be extra special to stand out and I was an average potato you know? ..... 

Today  ,I am proud to stand before you today  as a world known storyteller and novelist and this is the message I bring to you Grade 8s  and 10s of 2035 .
Always struggle to be a better potato than you where yesterday because true happiness is found when you stop comparing yourself to others."

The crowd claps .

" And before I sit down," I countinue , " I would like to recite a poem I wrote when I was your age and I was plagued with similar feelings that you all go through, the question of whether you are enough and of course , Boys.  It's  called , " And the boy in my class says I'm ugly ...."

And the boy in my class says I'm ugly.
He says this to his friends as I walk by
In a whisper
because I wear an Afro and cannot afford expensive wigs
He says,  "that Afro isn't for everybody.
Well this Afro is growing on my head
This Afro is growing on my body
It doesn't get more for me than that.
It's roots are deeper than my heritage
It's  stems will not obey gravity.
I am a goddess crowned in her curls.

And the boy in my class says I'm ugly . Because I am fat. His sister is beauty.beauty is a size 2 .When she bats her eyelashes all the boys stare,  her skirts are so tight the curves of her body are well outlined. And at prom,  she had every guy begging at her knees...  Just to dance with her.  Beauty got raped last week.  Beauty committed suicide,  her suicide note read " pretty hurts.. "
And at beauty's funeral,  the chairs where empty. 
Beauty died last week   , her heart was a mausoleum of a broken soul.
I wounder if the architect had know that his beautiful masterpiece would one day be filled with so much gloom.
Beauty died last week,  nobody remembers beauty.

If this is the price of beauty,  then I want to be the ugliest person alive.  Because the worth of a person is far too big to be found in a label.  I would rather  be Surrounded by people who care about me.  I would rather be rejected   , ignored,  ridiculed and made to look weird that to pretend I actually belong.   I would rather be with an Afro , than wear the dandruff of some poor old lady in India,  who thinks her hair is a great sacrifice to the goddess . Not knowing her hair is being transported over the oceans to be worn by other people. I would rather be fat,  than to starve myself to oblivion,  to suffocate myself in pencil skirts , how awful,  it must be to be beautiful.

And the boy in my class says I'm ugly,  I open my mouth,  my black gums partially showing and I  smile.  Thankyou " , I say as I walk off the stage . Everyone is clapping  including Atlas and Rose .

" You nailed it , mum !" , she says when  we get outside, hugging me , she is 5ft7 and nearly my height .

" yeah ...Miss Hogwarts,  you Even had Little Sakwhima , clapping..." , Chonde teases  , " isn't that right baby ???"

Little Sakwhima,  a beauty even at 2 giggles in delight  , her skin is a glimmering olive tone and she has the cutest eyes ever , like Chonde's sister .

I am about to take her into my arms when someone taps me on the back .

I turn around and there is Abraham standing there  with his daughter , who goes to chat with her friends. 

" Nice speech you gave there ..." , he says smiling at me .

" Thanks" , I say .

" My daughter is a huge fan of your novels" , he says , " could  you please sign her copy of  "Falling for Africa " ?"

" Sure  , I say "

You kinda , owe it to yourself to do everything youve ever dreamt of.... N.N.... I sign .

" So would you be open to coffee sometime? " , he says looking optimistic , I look at Atlas for confirmation , but he just shrugs and I smile.

I hate Coffee  .

" I'm married Abe ...." , I say raising my hand confidently . I notice his ring is missing.  And he is divorced.

" please just one last chance...please ...." , he says holding my wrist tight   .he always never knew how to treat women right.

Atlas walks over with our Child and Rose .

" Hey...we probably haven't met , but I'm the husband.. and these are our daughters... " he says with a grin.

Abraham walks away in defeat.

Atlas  , my hero.

" Now Rose  .... are you ready to go see uncle Wanji and aunty Ruth ?", I say to her .
S

he nodds

♡THE END♡