Until you’ve gone through what I’ve been through, you have no right to judge me!

I grew up in the dusty streets of Standerton. My family? Well, we hardly managed. I always envied the lives of other girls out there, wondering what I had done wrong to ever be born poor.

I was smart and beautiful too at school, I just didn’t have flashy stylish clothes like my friends to enhance my beauty. I always looked older than my age. I had meat in all the right places, for a 16-year-old I sure looked like a varsity student. I attracted men twice my age and sometimes three times my age.

I always felt left out whenever I was with my friends. They would giggle over memes on their phones, wear the same clothes to symbolise their friendship. I didn’t have that: the phone, the stylish clothes. I knew they didn’t want to hang out with me any more. I was the ‘stain’ on a white shirt, spoiling things for them. They just didn’t say it to my face but I made their job easy and distanced myself from them.

A few months later, I was used to being alone. Of course, no one wanted to hang around with the poor kid. On this particular day, it was raining heavily. It was after school and I had to walk home in the rain. I had no choice so I covered my schoolbag with my school jacket and half ran home. A car was slowly following behind me as I ran home. I paid no attention, it was pouring hard! The car beeped. I turned to look back and the driver signalled me to come in. I fought with my inner thoughts, deciding if I should go in or walk away. He was a stranger after all, but the rain made me decide, so I went in. The moment I stepped into that car, that’s when things changed for me. My life had taken a turn.

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Tell us: What do you think happened to the narrator after meeting the mysterious man?