I Dared To Be Different.

Let me take you back in time to my University days. I was quite young and naive, though young, I was the head of the class in my department, which made many people come around me. I got noticed by a lot of people and came into contact with this course-mate named Ucee, who told me that she loved how approachable and focused I was and that she would love to be my friend and also support me the best way she could, which I didn't decline.

After classes sometimes, I would visit a thrift store in front of our school that sells fancy outfits for affordable prices. I would go there to pick the ones I could afford, and then Ucee always felt embarrassed. "Amie, why do you buy bend-and-select?"(That's what we call thrift wear in my country). See from my head to toe, I am worth..." She always told me how much her clothes, hair, shoes, bag, and even phone were worth.

Ucee was a big babe. I mean, she wears the latest hair and outfits, she uses the latest phones, and I thought she came from a very rich home, so I didn't mind. I wasn't born with a silver spoon, however, I made do with what I had, since I wasn't walking around with tattered clothes, I always looked neat and smart from head to toe, even though they weren't expensive, I was very okay with my simple lifestyle.

Ucee would call me sometimes to make up for her in class, by writing down her name in the daily class attendance, which was like a test for that course, she knew I wouldn't decline because I was her friend and the class rep.

Whenever she comes to see me in my hostel after missing each class, she sometimes tips me and she shows me a lot of gifts, not for me but for herself, fancy shoes or sandals, clothes, bags, and the likes.

She kept telling me about the dudes that gifted her those things and how I too could be a benefactor if I was willing to play the game. "What game are you talking about, Ucee?" The naive me kept asking.

"You too can live largely, eat what you want, wear fancy and expensive clothes, and change your phone. Amie, you don't have to bother your parent all the time for your upkeep, and you'll even have extra money, aren't you seeing other girls on campus and how expensive and hot they look? Don't you know people measure you by these things? They know whether to regard you or discard you."

Honestly, those words were deep because I too wanted to feel among others, I wanted to be independent like some of the girls on campus and I wanted to chill "with the big girls" on campus as people accord them some sort of respect, and those fancy things were enticing no doubt, but I knew where I came from and what I wanted for myself. I come from a very cultured background, and I was taught to be content with whatever I owned so long as I owned it in a dignified manner.

One beautiful evening, Ucee called me to inform me that she had given my number to one of her friends who saw my picture on her phone and wanted us to "Roll as they do", The irritating thing about it was that this "dude" was old enough to be my "Father", Yuck!

I got pissed and told her I would never stoop so low for material gains, but she wouldn't give up on me, she felt it was because the dude was old. " Is it because he is old? I know what you want, don't worry, I'll find you a cute young guy." She teased, Hehe, would you believe that she gave out my number to another young, cute dude? Without my consent, of course.

I was at home when he called on the phone and pretended to be a coursemate who needed to submit an assignment. I hurriedly got dressed to meet up with him at the ETF hall in school, but when I saw his face, I knew he wasn't a member of our class, as I was familiar with most of the faces in class.

However, I gave him the benefit of the doubt, I stood patiently to hear the words he would utter, "I am sorry I brought you down here by this time of the day. I am Timmy, I got your number from Ucee, and I would love to..." I didn't even let him finish his damn statement because I know how Ucee can be. To her, she wanted me to up my game and meet her at her level. I guess she felt she was doing me a favor, but to me, it was disgusting to walk down that path of promiscuity just for temporal enjoyment and material things. "Save the rest, I am so not interested," I replied and gracefully walked out on him.

"What is your problem? Amie, why are you acting like a saint? It's not like it's something serious, just for the fun and to have some dough (money), if you won't up your game then we wouldn't remain friends". Ucee told me to my very face, "Worse is, you'll stop making up for me, but let me tell you, I roll with the big boys in school too, even some of the lecturers, so I have nothing to lose." She concluded.

Ucee got upset and expected me to choose that "wayward lifestyle" over "my chaste lifestyle", but I declined eventually because I knew what was ahead of that path was pain, regret, and failure, so I stuck to my path.

She stopped talking to me and started making fun of me in school, but as time went by I began to develop a thick skin to her jest and unruly behavior until I became stronger and bolder to meet with those who matched up with my standard morally and academically and who led a simple lifestyle until it seems as though Ucee never existed.

---

_{Image source}

Thank you for stopping by, till we meet again, this is Amie Geoffrey.