The Girl With Daddy Issues

Many young women today are said to be pushed into compromising situations due to the absence of father figures in their lives. I'd like to introduce you to one with a slightly different situation. I'd like to introduce you to "Bontle". She's a beautiful, young woman who seems to have everything going for her: she's part of a well-off family, educated and empowered. She's strong-willed, has an attractive personality and moderately independent. In situations designed to break her, like an eagle she rises and soars over it; showing off how amazing the God she serves is. From the outside, never would you think that she was anything different from imperfectly perfect (since there are no perfect people). Ever since she was born, things went her way. Her family was perfect since everyone got along. Growing up with her father as her best friend made her life all the more worth living. He'd bend backwards for her, always had time to play with her when she wanted to (she has the scars to prove it. Lol) and he loved her unconditionally. It's when she needed him the most that her life began to change. From sunny days with chirping birds to stormy nights with no shelter in sight... See, what had happened was she grew up. Yeah, she GREW UP. Her father didn't have to play games with her anymore because she grew up. Her life revolved around school and church so no story she could have told him would be of interest to him. His main concern for her became her academic progress. With all her academic, extra-mural and leadership achievements, not ever did she hear the words, " I'm proud of you " from him. The harder she tried, the harder it became to impress him. You know how hormones tend to introduce the concept of Self-Esteem Issues to a teenager's life? Well, let's just say Bontle had that. Under normal circumstances, a father would always assure his daughter that she was beautiful and guide her with regards to how she takes care of herself. Bontle never got that. Whenever she decided to waer a dress after a long time, her father would say something like, "Oh, you're wearing a dress today. How much did it cost?" The words, "You're beautiful" came from the lips of boys who wanted to take advantage of her, hence she fell into their arms hoping she'd stay there forever. One relationship after the other, Bontle went about searching for a love she'd never been given but so desperately wanted. Every time a guy held his hand out, she reached out to touch it but fell down with every attempt. She's had multiple heart transplants with all the boys she's met ripping it out every time she put it back after mending it. One guy came along in the form of a friend. He seemed to tick every box off Bontle's checklist. His voice made her heart leap with each word. His way with words stirred up the pot of butterflies in her stomach. The touch of his hands sent the synapses between her nerves to go on overdrive... She fell in love. As we all know, love comes with sacrifice. She didn't have much to give but her battered heart, which she gave away without contemplation. One day, while spending time with her prince charming, he forcefully took away from her the only thing she prized the most: her virginity. With that he took her dignity and her soul. She lay there asking herself how he could do such a thing. The walls of insecurity and "numbness" was built and kept getting higher and higher by the day. The fact that she had no heart to give and no soul to share pushed her towards exchanging sex for the affection she never had. One relationship after the other, bits of the remnants of her battered soul were taken. She eventually felt nothing... You could lay a brutally murdered puppy in front of her and she wouldn't move. She no longer cared about anyone but herself. All she had achieved no longer mattered because no one would want her anyway. She tried to take her life, and even failed at that! To her, fairytales are but a lie, commitment is a fear and love is a scam. Even today, she picks up the pieces of her life, trying to make sense of it all while keeping her guard up. She is the girl who had it all, the girl who wasn't good enough, the rape victim, a failure... She is the girl with daddy issues...