Bridging Worlds:A Journey of Love and Acceptance

“You get a scholarship into one of the biggest and best schools in the country and the one thing you can do to help yourself is get into a fight week by week, Monifa Olu tell me what exactly your problem is?” Mrs Naomi Olu asks her daughter in a fit of rage while Mr Tayo Olu tries to hold his wife back in order calm her down.

Monifa what exactly is the problem you know you can talk to us about anything we are your parents,In your 1st month in GEORGE HILLS COLLEGE we’ve been called in thrice by your School Council, don’t mind your mothers exaggeration, you know our family’s pockets aren’t so full.If not for “The Smith’s” that put in a good word for us and also helped us out with their connections you wouldn’t be able to attend such a reputable College. So why are you letting our family down with this newly developed nasty behavior of yours? Monifa’s dad asks

First of all you give me a very rare and weird African name because you want to remember our roots, I’m the only scholarship student in GEORGE HILLS COLLEGE of all schools, my hair and this stupid Afro texture and lastly in case you didn’t notice I’M A FREAKING BLACK GIRL! not just any black girl a dusty ass maids and bodyguards black daughter. Do you know how much I suffer, i get bullied cause my hair’s in this texture the other girls even go as far as saying my hair is like a helmet and they proceed to throw stuff at my hair. Let’s talk about the name Monifa what the hell is that? I get called “Momo Monkey with a helmet on”. Do you expect me to just sit back and watch them beat me up? And when i fight back it’s all my fault and they never get blamed, you wanna know why? Cause both of you are so poor and we don’t have a reputation without the Smiths, and also it’s not my fault y’all are so poor that you have to be at the mercy of the SMITHS. I’m going to keep fighting back for as long as I can, so expect to be called in by the School Council a few more times.

Monifa go to your room right now before I make you regret those words and you better drop your phone and laptop on the table cause girl you’re grounded,And this better be the last time you ever get into a fight with anyone else at school cause the next time you do I’ll make sure I give you a better opponent to fight and just so you that’ll be me, you’ll fighting your own mother since you’re so grown now.

Monifa stands there with tears in her eyes and a big look of disappointment as she stares at her mother and father. How is any of this my fault? she screams and the top of her voice, both of you don’t understand me one bit and you never try to. And you always say I can tell both of you anything but in the end y’all are bloody liars that don’t ever do anything to help me out. you can have the gadgets I don’t need them anyway I’ll be up in my room making music and crying my heart out since y’all care so much. Monifa Storms out of the living room and immediately she leaves Mrs Naomi bursts out in tears, she gives her husband a really tight hug as she grabs unto his shirt really tight trying to reduce the sound of her crying. Where did we go wrong? she asks her husband with tears In her eyes, it’s not even Moni’s fault and we can’t do anything to help her out. It’s okay my love things will only get better don’t loose hope Mr Olu says trying to comfort his wife with those soft words.

Hello reader I’m Monifa my parents call me Moni for short,I know you’re wondering who the Smiths are so I’ll fill you in on the details. Mr and Mrs Smith are my parents bosses,Mr Smith is the CEO to a multimillionaire tech Company and Mrs Smith owns one of the biggest makeup brands,My mom is a maid at the Smiths mansion and my dad is Mr Smiths most trustworthy bodyguard,to repay my parents hard work Mr and Mrs Smith put in a good word for me and landed me a scholarship at GEORGE HILLS COLLEGE. I hate to feel indebted to them but the only reason I agreed to take the exams, accept the scholarship and attend the school is because I get to be closer to my one true love RYAN SMITH, the 21 year old son of Mr and Mrs Smith….now I know this sounds crazy and it’ll never work out but I love to see and be close to him, just knowing he’s around me is more than enough to make me feel like flying I’m over the moon. Ryan is one of the reasons I love to accompany my mom to work at the Smith mansion, and I don’t mind helping her out to do a little cleaning here and there it just gives me great joy knowing that I get to clean places Ryan has probably touched. Even though we’ve never had the opportunity to say the slightest words to each other like “Hello” or “Hey”….my love for Ryan continues to grow as the minutes, hours and days pass by. *Mr Olu gives a soft knock on the door and he proceeds to open it a little* Hello my little Princess how are you? He says. I’m sorry about yesterday you know your mom and I love you so much and we only want what’s best for you,and also we didn’t give you a weird name just to remember our roots, your name’s a Yoruba name that means “I am lucky” you’re such a lucky child and you bring so much Goodluck to your Mom and,so don’t worry about what the other people at school have to say about you okay, and your beautiful melanin skin shines so bright they look just like pearls, your Afro is your crown so pay no attention to what anyone says because you look like a real life princess that walked out of a Disney story …now cheer up and make sure you stay out of trouble at school, now come give daddy a hug my little princess….Now get dressed and accompany your mom to work you know it’s Saturday and she’ll need all the help she can get working at the Smiths.. Alright dad,like I said I love helping my mom out at the Smiths….Time to smell nice, put on a pretty outfit and style my fro. That’s all it takes and I’m finally ready to go work for the love of my life.

We arrive at the Smiths mansion and my mom and I get to work…. While I clean the windows I imagine my dearest Ryan running to me and giving me a very tight hug with a bright smile on his face, and my fantasies are causing me to slow down and do a very lousy job cleaning the windows . Monifa what exactly is wrong with you, you better clean those windows properly and be fast about it you naughty girl, i’m heading upstairs to clean the bedrooms okay, you hurry so we’ll get home quickly . Alright go ahead mom… immediately my mom leaves I snap out of my fantasy and I proceed to clean the windows diligently, and the next thing I get a push from behind and the dirty swine that pushed me ran away without an apology I didn’t even get the to see the face of the culprit because I grabbed unto the dropping curtain but that was useless because it caused the curtain fall on me. while I was struggling to get a grasp of what just happened. I felt big warm arms wrapped around my waist trying to lift me up the ground, i couldn’t see his face at all cause the curtain was still over my face…he lifts me up in his arms and I place my hand on his chest to support myself, I could feel his heart race gently and his amazing scent that took over the entire room was something to remember. He moved the curtain away from my face gently and he asks “Are you okay?” I life my face up and I look straight in his eyes. it was RYAN!,MY RYAN,THEE RYAN SMITH HIMSELF.

I was in the arms of a demigod standing at a striking 6'4", I could feel his 6 toned abs with my body pressed against his chest,I couldn’t stop staring at his honey blonde curly hair that cascaded down his face slightly ,his handsome chiseled face, and his captivating grey eyes that leave you mesmerized with just one stare, What a wonderful sight to behold. am I the luckiest girl alive right now or is this one of my day dreams again… Are you okay Miss?? Ryan says in a louder tone. That’s when I snap out of my thoughts and I muttereabsolute gibberish…no,yes,yes,no,I’m okay. “Alright then” he says and proceeds to drop me gently on the ground so I can stand on my own two feet. Now, which way did that menace go? I think he went out through the back, I couldn’t see properly with the curtain over my face… I respond gently. Thank you Miss….??? He says with a puzzled look on his face. Monifa, I’m Monifa. Well thank you Miss Monifa that’s a unique name you have there it sounds really beautiful. I’m Ryan, nice to meet you. he says with a warm smile. and he leaves the room almost immediately after saying his name, I guess he went to find the menace that pushed me. My parents have worked for the Smiths for the entire 18 years of my life, and in 18 years I’ve only had the opportunity to see Ryan from afar or I don’t see him at all cause he spent most of his time abroad either studying something new or on a vacation. But he always came back after a while and that made me so excited,I steal glances of him anytime I get the opportunity to, I steal glances of him even at school and he has never noticed or spoken to me once, maybe because no one would wanna be friends with a maids daughter or the girl that he has probably seen cleaning his house a few times with her mom. But for the first time in 18 years I saw him up close, I felt him and I spoke to him, and he also said my name was beautiful, a real compliment from him! . I’m so elated right now… maybe it’s my cologne or today is the day my name decided to bring me goodluck, whatever it is one thing is for sure I’m never getting over what happened today. MONIFA OLU why are the curtains on the floor, you were supposed to clean just the windows so how are the curtains magically on the floor. Oh My Beautiful Mother you’ll never believe what just happened to me… Hush girl I know you’re only going to make stories up to defend yourself, fix this mess so we can wrap things up and head home.

Ugh the weekends are finally over , how I hate Mondays, I hate having to go to that HELL HOLE (GEORGE HILLS COLLEGE) for the rest of the week. But look on the bright side I get to see Ryan and watch him play basketball at school. Bye Mom and Dad I’m off to school… Stay out of trouble my little Princess we love you….I love you too Daddy. I love you Pumpkin, love you mom. Pumpkin? Someone’s in a good mood today.

Education is the key to success.but to be honest I just love music classes and running on the track field also helps to clear my head, those are my favorite part of school, although my Parents want me to become a really good lawyer so I can work for the Smiths someday, I have no true passion to study Law,My heart and soul is in Music but I need to have a reputable job so my parents hard-work won’t be in vain, and I also need to build a new reputation for my family so that’s why I put in my best in studying, and I’m good at it too.

Oh my God! I just locked eyes with the girls that make my life a living hell, Bianca, Tess and Ruby.”The terrible trio”, and if you didn’t figure it out already Bianca is their leader. The Cheer captain of the GO GETTERS, and with Tess and Ruby by her side they’re an unstoppable force of evil. Bianca’s dad is the founder of GEORGE HILLS COLLEGE so they literally rule the school and they have everyone under their control. They have everything they need but for some reason they choose to pick on me.

Hey girls check this out Momo Monkey is back with her helmet today. I knew coming out to the field was a bad idea, now I have to deal with these witches. Momo Monkey, when are you gonna give up and return to the zoo Momo we don’t need you here or do we girls? “NO WE DON’T” the girls echo. You see Momo I’m not alone on this one you’re literally ruining the reputation of our elite college, you should’ve never accepted that scholarship look around you you’re the only dirt on this College grounds, So do everyone a favor and get out of here. You have everything you could ever ask for Bianca so why do you keep doing this everyday? you’re always calling me dirt but you’re the one with the filthiest character in this school, you need to fix yourself you psycho. How dare you call me a psycho? I’ll show you your place. Bianca walks closer to Monifa and pushes her straight to the ground with the help of Tess and Ruby Bianca gets the rest of the cheer squad to throw stuff at Monifa while calling her names. The words of Monifa’s parents “Stay out for trouble” are stuck in her head as she faces the ground with tears running her from eyes unto her face. Please stop hurting me Bianca I beg you, please make it stop. Oh what was, that I couldn’t hear it over all the sobbing. I think she said we should hit her harder Tess says with a big smile on her face.

STOP THIS MADNESS NOW BIANCA, he shoves Bianca out of the way and he stretches his hand out to reach for Monifa. I lift my face up to reach out to that hand that offered me help, with tears i my eyes I see my dear Ryan staring at me with so much pity in his eyes. I grab unto his hand and he helps me up, places his hand on my chin and lifts my face up, wipes my tears and asks Are you okay? I’m not okay, I responded with pain in my voice. get me out of here Ryan,He bends down gently and lifts me up in his arms once again. He turns gently with me in his arms, looks Bianca straight in the eyes and says your behavior disgusts me Bianca, I’m highly disappointed in you. He walks away with me in his arms leaving everyone shocked and puzzled. I don’t even know how to feel in this moment but one thing is certain, I forget my problems when I’m in Ryan’s arms and I feel like I’m a true Princess in the arms of her Prince, I could stay here, right in his arms forever. Why he’s suddenly helping me, and in such a strange way at that, These are questions I’d rather not think about right now. but my mind can’t help but wonder WHY he’s helping me out after all these years of not existing to him…