In the hustle and bustle of my twenties, each day dawned with the same routine - waking up to the soft hum of the morning, bathing, and preparing for the day ahead. The rhythm of life carried me through the busy streets, as I embarked on my journey to work, the echoes of routine guiding my steps.

But amidst the whirlwind of daily life, there existed a precious respite - a moment of quiet solitude that awaited me at the end of the week. As the weekend stretched before me like an open canvas, I found myself drawn to introspection, the stillness of my empty home inviting reflection. In the quiet corners of my mind, where thoughts linger like whispers on the wind, I find solace in the beauty of introspection, in the gentle embrace of solitude. For it is here, amidst the silence of my own company, that I discover the true essence of Vie - a woman of resilience, of grace, and of boundless potential of my past.

I am Vie, a woman carved from the fabric of existence, born into a world that greeted me with both joy and apprehension. My parents, a portrait of contrasting emotions, welcomed me into their lives with open arms - a father yearning for a second child, a mother silently grappling with expectations unmet.

Yet, beneath the surface of familial bliss lay the shadow of envy, cast by a sister whose world was rocked by the arrival of a new sibling. Amidst the celebration of my birth, whispers of jealousy mingled with the joy, a bittersweet melody that underscored the beginnings of my journey.

And so, in the tapestry of my life, woven with threads of love and longing, I navigate the complexities of existence, a soul adorned with the scars of experience and thepromise of possibility.

At the tender age of thirteen, as I stepped into the tumultuous world of high school, I found myself thrust into the bewildering realm of adolescence. It was a time when my emotions were as tempestuous as the stormy seas, and the arrival of my first period only served to deepen the chasm between childhood innocence and the tumultuous journey into womanhood.

In the midst of this transition, I found myself caught in a whirlwind romance with my first love - a boy whose appearance belied the depth of his character. Before my period, we had been mere acquaintances, but as hormones surged and emotions ran high, I found myself drawn to him in a way I couldn't quite understand. Blinded by the allure of companionship and the whispers of my peers, I mistook infatuation for love, and before I knew it, we were entangled in the tangled web of young romance.

But as the initial euphoria of love faded, I began to see the cracks beneath the surface. He was older than me by a year, and his penchant for smoking and alcohol cast a shadow over our budding relationship. Yet, in my naivety, I convinced myself that I could change him, that beneath his rough exterior lay a heart waiting to be redeemed.

As we spent our days wandering the school grounds and seeking solace on the nearby mountaintop, I delved deeper into his world, eager to unravel the mysteries that shrouded his past. And with each revelation, I found myself more deeply ensnared in his tumultuous existence - a world haunted by the spectre of a father's untimely demise and a mother's descent into despair.

But it was not until the first argument that I truly glimpsed the darkness lurking within him. A simple gestureof respect sparked a violent outburst, leaving me reeling in shock and disbelief. From that moment on, our relationship devolved into a twisted cycle of blood, tears, and apologies - a relentless dance of pain and forgiveness that left me shattered and broken.

And yet, despite the turmoil, I clung to him desperately, unwilling to let go of the love I believed we shared. Even as my friends turned their backs on me, and I found myself sinking to the bottom of my class, I refused to acknowledge the truth staring me in the face - that I was trapped in a toxic cycle of abuse, betrayal, and heartache.

But as the darkness threatened to consume me, a flicker of hope emerged - a glimmer of light in the depths of despair. For even in the darkest of nights, there shines a beacon of resilience, urging us to rise from the ashes and reclaim our lost innocence.

And so, with trembling hands and a heart heavy with regret, I take the first tentative steps towards redemption, knowing that the road ahead will be fraught with obstacles and pain. But as long as there is breath in my lungs and fire in my soul, I will continue to fight for the love and happiness I know I deserve.

At 14, the bloom of adolescence had barely begun to unfurl when the insidious tendrils of abuse began to creep into our relationship. What had started as stolen glances and whispered conversations had morphed into a suffocating reality. One day, an unwelcome touch on my hip, a prelude to a storm of emotions. I let it slide, fearing the tempest that would erupt if I dared to resist. The same script unfolded with a forced kiss, a violation that stole apiece of my innocence. Trapped in the social jungle of our school, whispers swirled around me like malevolent winds, branding me with the scarlet letter B. No solace, no helping hand reached out from the bystanders, content to be voyeurs in my silent tragedy.

One day, a reprieve from the oppressive atmosphere arrived in the form of a downpour. As the rain cleansed the dust and grime of the city, it washed away a layer of fear from my soul. I revelled in the downpour, a baptism of sorts, a temporary escape from the storm raging within me. The next day, however, the storm materialised in the form of him, his bloodshot eyes blazing with a possessive fury.

"Why were you out in the rain?" he snarled, his voice laced with suspicion. "Look at you, soaked through, practically transparent!"

His words ripped the fabric of my fragile peace. The question wasn't about the rain, it was about control, about laying claim to me like a possession. Disgust welled up within me, a bitter tide threatening to overflow.

Without a word, I turned to walk away, but his iron grip clamped onto my arm, dragging me back to face him. The world seemed to slow down as he raised his hand, and then, a searing pain blossomed on my cheek. It was the first day I wore braces, and the impact sent a metallic tang of blood flooding my mouth.

In that split second, a kaleidoscope of emotions flickered through me. Shame, for allowing myself to be a victim. Relief, for the dawning realisation that the boy I thought I loved was a stranger cloaked in affection. But most importantly, a spark of defiance ignited within me. Fear, the cruel silencer, was replaced by a simmering anger. I craved help, but the words wouldn't form, trappedby the invisible shackles of fear.

My only weapon, I decided, would be knowledge. I buried myself in my studies, each theorem, each historical fact a brick in the wall I was building around myself. It was a relentless pursuit, fueled by a desperate need to escape the confines of my reality. And my efforts bore fruit. I catapulted from the bottom rungs of the academic ladder, defying expectations and silencing the whispers with a resounding academic achievement.

News of my jump to the fourth class spread like wildfire through the school. Congratulations rained down on me, tinged with a hint of disbelief. Even the indifferent bystanders who had witnessed my silent struggle couldn't ignore the triumph etched on my face. It was a victory not just in the academic arena, but a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

The day he left school, a forced farewell orchestrated by his exasperated mother where realise he is not fit for school and decided to transfer him to technical teaching school, I surprised myself with a display of melodrama. Tears, straight out of a cheap romance novel, streamed down my face as I promised to miss him. It was a performance, a carefully crafted curtain call to mask the relief simmering beneath the surface. We even made a pact, a childish promise to meet once a month, a final act before the curtain fell.

Butterflies, those fluttering messengers of nascent love, fluttered back to life within me. I found myself engaging in conversations, a stark contrast to the solitary persona I had adopted. But in the euphoria of newfound freedom, I naively overlooked the true villains in this drama - Alex's friends, the silent enablers who had witnessed the abuse and remained silent.

The school holidays stretched before me, a canvas waiting tobe painted with the vibrant hues of freedom. But that, as they say, is a story for another time.

The summer holidays stretched before me, a yawning expanse of empty days. Yet, freedom felt like a foreign concept. He arrived on his motorcycle, a rumbling beast that mirrored the turmoil within me. We spoke in clipped tones, strangers reunited after a brief separation. During those stolen weeks away from school, I'd embarked on a clandestine mission - to reclaim my voice, to banish the fear that had choked me for so long. I devoured movies, channelling the strength of heroines who defied adversity. Their courage became an armour I donned, a shield against the storm yet to come.

The new school year ushered in a kaleidoscope of changes. New classes, new faces - a fresh start, or so I naively believed. But the whispers followed me, phantoms clinging to the shadows. Seeking solace, I confided in a group of girls, a fierce and loyal band. Their eyes welled with empathy as I recounted the harrowing details of my ordeal. A chorus of "no"s rose in unison, a balm to my wounded spirit. They urged me to sever ties, to finally break free from his suffocating grip. I shared my story with them. They thought i didn't ask him to free me. But I did !

Breaking up, however, proved to be a herculean task. The first attempt, on a hill shrouded in twilight, ended with a whimper. His voice, laced with a chilling possessiveness, turned a simple request into a life-or-death ultimatum. He sped down the winding road, his words echoing in my ears: "Stay or die. Break up means die." Panic clawed at my throat. In a desperate act of self-preservation, I leaped from the moving motorcycle,a testament to the primal instinct to survive.

The shock momentarily stunned him. He deposited me back home, a fragile truce in a war far from over. The harassment continued, a relentless shadow dogging my every step. He threatened to expose my secrets to my parents, the ultimate weapon in his twisted arsenal. Fear, the insidious serpent, slithered back into my heart. I remained tethered to him, a prisoner in a gilded cage of my own making.

Finally, my friends, weary of watching me wither, devised a plan. One day, he came to meet me after school. One brave soul, armed with righteous anger, confronted him. "She wants out," she declared, her voice unwavering. "Your violence has no place here. End it, or I'll report you." He, cornered and cowardly, agreed to a final meeting. After hearing to that, i thought im going be princess soon. No more pain, no more afraid. But not like that.

Hope, a flickering ember, rekindled within me. This time, however, I wasn't alone. My friend cast a wary eye on him, a silent guardian angel. He requested a private meeting , so that i have to go with him for the last time. My friend said no, but I agreed to ignore the negative image from others at the compounds. We rode the motorcycle, a familiar yet unsettling sensation. He led me to a deserted construction site, a desolate landscape mirroring the wreckage within me. Discarded steel and skeletal structures loomed overhead, a chilling metaphor for the life he sought to demolish.

Here, the facade crumbled. The beatings, devoid of the usual bloodletting, were a calculated infliction of pain. Each blow chipped away at my spirit, a relentless assault designed to break my will. He offered a twisted choice: stay with him or let him invite his friends to finish this. The unspoken threat hung heavy in the stagnant air - rape, the ultimate act of domination.

Despair threatened to consume me. Yet, a flicker of defiance, nurtured by countless prayers and a yearning for normalcy, refused to be extinguished. Tears streamed down my face, a silent plea for deliverance. But the apology that tumbled out of my lips wasn't for him. It was a desperate attempt to appease the monster he'd created, to buy enough time to escape his clutches. No choice, my virginity means alot to me at that age.

He, momentarily appeased, advised me to stay away from my friends. A twisted sense of victory flickered in his eyes. But for me, it was the final confirmation of his depravity.

The journey to healing would be long and arduous, a path paved with self-doubt and the lingering scars of trauma. But with each sunrise, a sliver of strength returned. The girl who had once been a victim would rise from the ashes, a survivor, a warrior.

Respect towards fellow humans eludes me, a sentiment I harbour with intensity. I am confused by self-definition amidst this maelstrom of hatred. How can one inflict such pain upon the object of their affection? The only solace lies in the sleeves draped upon my arms, veiling the scars that narrate tales of inner turmoil. I could have bared my wounds to my parents, albeit cloaked in silent suffering, bearing the weight alone within the confines of school walls. With each pang of agony, a fortress of resentment erects within me, nurturing a burgeoning fury for trivialities. It dawns on me that his cruelty is exclusive to me, a realisation that brands him as nothing short of contemptible. I am resolute in my decision to immerse myselfin academia, presenting a facade of indifference in the presence of his cohorts.

Thus, I sought refuge in the virtual realm, engaging in conversations with stalwart individuals within the town's community, bonded by a sisterhood forged in dialogue. As alliances flourished, my visage adorned their profiles, labelled as a cherished sister. His associates grew wary of my newfound camaraderie, a sign that instilled fear in the heart of the wretch. They, unwittingly, became my arsenal in the battle against my afflictions. I divulge my tale in its entirety, laying bare the scars that marred my spirit.

Then came the day he dared to trespass into our midst. A phalanx of brothers and sisters stood sentinel behind me as I asserted my boundaries, decreeing his absence from our presence. His compliance spoke volumes of his cowardice, a realisation that pierced through the veil of his masculinity. It marked the culmination of years spent in the confines of emotional incarceration, a journey fraught with mental anguish, eroding my affability and nurturing a veneer of callousness. I metamorphosed, a creature molded by adversity, armed with resilience forged in the crucible of suffering.

Every individual who has traversed paths akin to mine should endeavour to find solace in resolution. Not all quandaries are insurmountable; some yield to the gentle touch of time's passage. Following our parting, I immersed myself in scholarly pursuits, ascending from the depths of mediocrity to the echelons of excellence, securing a place amongst the top tier at a mere sixteen years of age. My transformation garnered astonishment and admiration alike, serving as a beacon of inspiration to the masses. Yet, amidst the accolades and commendations, I find myself yearning for companionship in moments of need, only to find scant few willing to offer succour.

In retrospect, my journey may have traversed treacherous paths, buttherein lies the crucible that has tempered my resolve. Adversity, embraced with fortitude, has fostered strength within me, moulding me into a paragon of resilience. Yet, despite the facade of fortitude I present to the world, the echoes of shattered dreams linger within, a testament to the fragility of the human spirit. At sixteen, I encountered him, ushering in a new chapter in the saga of my existence... to be continued.

As poetry for this story:

In the echoes of silence, I find my song,

A symphony of strength amidst the wrong.

Beneath the scars that mark my skin,

Lies a fierce spirit, refusing to give in.

From the depths of despair, I rise anew,

A phoenix reborn, with skies of blue.

Through tears and pain, I find my way,

In the quiet of night, where shadows sway.

I am Vie, a warrior of the soul,

Forged in the fires that make me whole.

With each step forward, I reclaim my light,

A beacon of hope in the darkest night.

Though trials may come, and storms may rage,

I stand tall, unbroken by age.

For within me lies a strength untold,

A story of resilience waiting to unfold.

So let the winds of change blow strong,

For I am Vie, and I belong.

To the journey of life, with its twists and turns,

I'll navigate the path, and let my spirit burn.