The Scars Of My Past

The shrill voice of her mother shattered the delicate veil of sleep wrapped around Tolu. She groaned, burying her face deeper into her pillow, willing the morning away. But her mother had no patience for her daughter's reluctance.

"Tolu, wake up! Do you want to be late on your first day?" The irritation in her mother's voice was unmistakable, and Tolu knew better than to test her mood so early in the morning.

With a resigned sigh, she pushed herself up, the remnants of her dream slipping away like sand between her fingers. Today was the beginning of a new chapter-SS1 at a new school. Her stomach tightened at the thought. The ghosts of her past lingered at the edge of her mind, whispering reminders of why she had to leave her old school in the first place. A bitter taste coated her tongue as she recalled the shame, the betrayal, the way familiar faces had turned cold overnight.

"Are you still lying down? Tolu!" her mother's voice snapped her back to the present.

"I'm up, I'm up!" she called, swinging her legs over the bed. Her feet met the cold tiles, sending a shiver up her spine. She moved mechanically-brushing her teeth, showering, dressing in the stiff new uniform that felt foreign on her skin. The mirror reflected a girl with deep brown eyes clouded with unease, her neatly plaited hair barely disguising the storm of emotions within.

By the time she trudged into the sitting room, her mother was already by the door, arms folded, eyes narrowed. Tolu knew what was coming-a speech. Her mother never missed an opportunity for one.

"Tolu," she started, her voice softer now. "This is a new beginning for you. You have to be smart. Focus on your studies, choose your friends wisely, and-" her mother's gaze hardened-"no distractions. I don't want a repeat of what happened before."

Tolu clenched her fingers around the straps of her backpack, nodding even though her mother's words stung. The past would never let her go, would it?