Daggers of Love

s Pers

an also bring pain. It can hurt deeply. It's like a sharp blade-

ed, my face swollen and bleedin

a lie. I'm not even sure they care of what they b

ned between us was with love and consent. I could

"What makes you think someone like her would be with someone like you? S

sts to punch and

't do. And the nightmare didn't stop there. Her parents had made a deal

ospital nine times. The pain hasn't stopped. People see me as a disgrace

gang leader asked again as they surrounded me.

ease... we loved each other. I didn't do anything to hu

said she asked for help with her studies, and you took advantage of

id, "Let's deal with him, a

inful journey. My family and I have always liv

e, with good days and bad. Lagos was where we stayed-a busy, fast

lly on my father's side. But being smart di

ryone admired him in school. He wanted to be a surgeon, but thi

ob in the medical field. He shared stories of rejection letters

d his class. He wanted to be a scientist. But even with all his efforts and hi

us pain? We work so hard-reading, studying, staying up late-and still,

feel, son. Education is supposed to help us, but the world we live in has mad

, promise me you'll do your best to

st because they had connections. After many disappointments, he gave up on his dreams. He worked a

came from who you knew, not how

was bruised, my ribs ached, and my mind kept replaying what happened. The nurses barely sp

All I could do was think-and thinki

d I ge

The way she made me feel seen, like I mattered i

e was A

ealth, yes, but she was kind. Thoughtful. S

as real. It is true what they say "The deepest cuts don't come from enemies

should protect

rst-until I saw the look in the officer's eyes. Cold. Certain. T

had money.

nt truth. Mine

or. They printed lies before I even got a chance to speak. My family tried to fight

urt more than

rison, I

and endured what I couldn't. The guards were cruel. The inmates cruele

n the way they wanted-broken and bitter-but in

walls of my cell, when no one was watching. I wrote about my

ng they couldn't ta

and though I was locked a

longer ju

een truth and lies

let the world f