Empty

One could begin with the heat , the loud snores coming from the other room . it was early in the morning and still dark when Toyosi Akinsowon woke up to the heat and the loud snores . she sighed to herself and said another day in this hell hole .

' Toyo!' Her mum called .

'Ma! I'm here

Before you go to school make sure you go to iya ashabi

Why ?! She whined .

Will you shut up ! Go and collect the dress she sold to me , you know today is your sister's birthday , I promised to get that dress for her . I'm late for school mummy I can't go ,why can't temi go he's not doing anything at the moment

Young lady ! Are you telling me what to do in my own house !!!

What's going on here ?! Her stepfather Mr akintola bellowed

Don't mind this lazy girl her mum replied . I told her to get that dress I Bought from iya ashabi she's telling me she can't go . omoo this girl has grown wings oh!!!

Leave her alone kemi he said with a calm voice . you know she's late for school , let temi get the dress for you .

You are spoiling this girl ooo! She turned to her husband . what's her usefulness in this house ?! Toyosi went to the other room to take her school bag and slung it over her shoulder ,left the house with a dejected face thinking what did I ever do to this woman called my mother .

Toyosi akinsowon is your average dark skinned petite under nourished 17 year old girl . The first child out of three children her mom birthed , currently in her final year of secondary school. All her life she has been under appreciated,given little care or none . she displays only one emotion most of her life which is emptiness . she replayed what happened early this morning In her head , Her mom has always remembered and celebrated her siblings birthday but not hers. Sh doesn't know the feeling of being loved by ones family ,her siblings never gave her the respect she deserves .she could never blame them tho ,its the way they see their mom treat her .Her step father has always sided her but there's more that meet the eye . Not a day goes by has she not wondered why her mother behaves like that towards her, she trains herself to feel nothing , but she always wondered am I not allowed to love and be loved ?!.

Morning Assembly ended at 8:20 , the principal gave his good morning speech while the rest of the teachers roamed around the students to check out their uniforms and sandals . When the Assembly was over ,the principal called the ss3 students to his office to address them about the commencement of their final exam waec . he warned the students against examination malpractice and told them to read and wished them good luck .

Toyo ! Toyo! , wait up ! She looked back to see who was calling her . I wasn’t calling you weirdo the girl laughed . I was calling her other toyo who sabi you ?!

Tope stop talking to her and let's go the other toyo said

OK she said running to meet her

As usual toyo showed no emotions , she stood at the entrance of the class looking at everyone interacting with one another . she felt constricted, jealous of her classmates . They felt what she couldn't feel .

Alright class its time for revision the teacher said . you know your exams is here already so please cooperate with me OK ?! OK !! The class chroused .

Toyosi why are you standing there ?! Go to your seat the teacher said

Yes ma'am she whispered .

As she got to her seat she heard whispers saying this girl just be like ogbaje , she no fine , she is so ugly and unkempt, only God know where her parents see her from . she ignored and sat down and said to herself 'I will be great ' .