PERFECT FLAWS

Cow girl

Cow girl.

It sounds like a normal, harmless term right?

You know, The name people call girls from the countryside who live in farmhouses with stables and tend cattle and horses for a living.

Doesn't sound so bad, does it?

Well, It wouldn't, If that was what they meant when the referred to her. 

To carol.

The asymmetrical patches prominent on Carol's skin which was likened to that on some breed of livestock earned her that demeaning nickname.

The nickname spread around Paramount high like an epidemic– a deathly virus, eating up the conscience and humanity in their souls.

I was furious, but as pathetic as it sounds, I was still at the bottom of the foodchain. Maybe just a step higher but still at the ground level. Hearing the nasty whispers and comments about Carol was very shameful.

It was like no one cared about how she felt or if she even heared what they said and I had never been more disgusted by the staff and students of Paramount High.

Being at the hall for the assembly was pretty annoying because I was barely able to focus on the announcements being made by the headteacher.
That was the one time I wished I had the guts to follow the PCC(Paramount Cool Code). Then I won't have to listen to all their trash talk.

All that surrounded me where snide comments and very unrealistic and made up stories.

All about Carol.

These people really had no shame or sense of concealment.

“Eh-hen, look at her eyes. Shey I told you it's a curse. She's probably Itanjade (outcast).” A fat girl with huge tribal marks on her face whispered to another girl who sighed dramatically and replied.

“I wonder the sins her parents committed to make her this way.”

“Her patches are so horrible. They make her look scary.” Bolu's calm voice commented, staring at her.
I was both stunned and disappointed that Bolu who was usually quiet and unbothered about people's issues could say that about her.

He probably saw the grave look I gave to him because he immediately turned away from my critical stare without another word.

Everyone avoided Carol like a plague, when they were the ones who were infected with the disease of stigmatization.

It was so pathetic that no one agreed touched the railings if she did or even walked in close proximity with her, like, how ignorant are these people

I knew the people in Kogi were still superstitious but this was preposterous. We're one of the most civilized northern states for crying out loud.

‘This is the 21st century for crying out loud!’ I wanted to scream at them.

Eventually, the whispers started to become more evident and suddenly the headteacher bellowed.

“SS3 Balsam! Do you mind enlightening us on the subject of your discussion?”

[Actually, every class in each grade were named according to trees and nuts.For example, SS3A(Almond), SS3B(Balsam), SS3C (Cedar).
Quite unique in my opinion.]

I Inwardly groaned at the multiple eyes staring as all attention was directed at us, although most only seized that opportunity to gape at Carol with reckless abandon.

“We appologize Sir. It won't happen again.” The Head prefect, Micheal, in SS3 Almond replied boldly, fronting for all of us.

Sparing us a warning look with beady eyes, the headteacher continued with his announcements.