I remember vividly the day she told me.
It was a cool Sunday evening, the weather was surreal with an astringent scent of moisture and dust because of the heavy rain.
We were relaxing and chatting in my room. I was the only one at home. My parents had gone for a meeting, and my brothers were all out to meet their friends in their usual place.
Though Olaedo is not promiscuous, she is introverted and equanimous. I know for sure that there are some people, friends and so on Olaedo does not want to attract, she wants to draw to herself people who are comfortable with her values and perceptions.
We were gisting about school stuffs and happenings within and I was laughing hysterically about something she said that was very funny…
Then the silence crept in, eerie and empty. I turned and looked at her, her face was pale with this look of pain, anger, and disgust. I was a little piqued and aghast. Before I could open my mouth to ask her what the problem was…
“I was raped when I was 13,” she said with a quavering voice.
I was shocked, I felt my heart stop, my body rigid, her tears already flowing wetting the pillow she was resting on. I felt for her, I felt her pain, the pain she had been harboring and subconsciously battling with all these years. I wanted to console her, but I felt dumb, no word came out, and my throat was dry.
Yes, there had being numerous news of rape every day, children, adolescents, and even adults. But I never knew, never dreamt that someone close to me would be a victim.
Sexually abused girls feel too old to go back to their playmates and feel like a child, but too young to fit in with women. They are struck between the steps. They are executives and maids. They are black and white. They are attractive and plain. They are overweight and anorexic. They are promiscuous and frigid. The symptoms are different, but the pain is the same. They came in all colors and classes. Take your pick. THEY ARE ALL AROUND YOU!!