I wouldn't say that the bitter lesson from the that happened in my life was part of my destiny. In fact, I couldn't but remember this particular incident that later came to shape my life adversely. However hard I tried to forget the incident, its ugly memory always come to hunt me.
I was the third child of a family of four where our lives were regulated by religious doctrines. My father was a clergyman, so we, his children were brought up in a strict and regimented home where things that could be tolerated by other families were forbidden. I grew up as a child in this family until I gained admission into a mission school in a neighbouring city and I had to leave home for a boarding secondary school. I had to live in a hostel and so for the first time, I had the opportunity of mixing with girls from various homes as my school was a girls' school.
I still remembered the warning of my mother when she was about to leave me after assisting me in carrying my load into my hostel. Shade, you must not forget the home you came from. You must not disappoint your father and me. Be guided by all the religions teachings you have been taught both at home and in the church." After saying these words, my mother with tears cascading down her cheeks, reluctantly entered into the car that brought me and the driver drove off.
The warning of my mother echoed in my ear until I fell into the trap set for me by my friends, Susan and Jennifer. Before this time, I was highly regarded by my teachers and mates as a girl who would never want to come near anything that could tarnish her image. Most times, I kept to myself so as to avoid ugly incidences that could make me disappoint my parents. While some of my mates engaged in social activities like sneaking out of school to attend parties, I shunned such things.
This good reputation of mine was one day tarnished by the bitter experience I had. One open day when we were permitted, as boarders, to visit town. Jennifer and Susan prevailed on me to accompany them to town on a visit to Jennifer's uncle who had just arrived the country from Britain. Jennifer was a native of the city but lived in the same hostel with me in school When we got to Jennifer's house. we were welcomed by three boys whom Jennifer said were her cousins. While we were waiting for Jennifer's uncle who we were told was resting upstairs, we were served drinks. This is what I could remembered until the second day when I woke up to find myself on a hospital bed in a hospital in the town. Unknown to me. Susan and Jennifer must have conspired with Jennifer's cousin to lace my drinks I was served with alcohol and sleeping pills so as to make it easy for me to be raped by her cousins. As I was told, I was indeed raped.
The incident later became a scandal in my school and I was expelled in my final year. As if this was not enough, three months later, my parents discovered that I was pregnant. This incident traumatized my parent and I was disowned by my father. I had to flee to my uncle's house to have the baby.
The reality of this ugly incident now dawn on me. Saddled with a grown-up boy, no man is ready to marry me and my father died three years ago without forgiving me just I also find it difficult to forgive Susan and Jennifer despite their efforts to seek my forgiveness. I now go about with a heavy conscience with the fear that this may ruin my Christian life. But I learn a lesson that it is not good to trust anyone. I had to learn that lesson in a very hard way. Indeed, it was the biggest lesson of my life.