SAVED FROM GANG RAPE

They were the popular ones.  The ones with all the latest designer clothing and buzz, the ones you’d find in every notable party on campus and the ones Ella wanted to belong with so desperately. Ella was a first year student of the University of lagos, Nigeria. You would think she would be more focused on getting her grades right especially as her parents were really struggling to put her through college. All she wanted for now was to be good friends with those popular girls. Everything else would fix itself later.

   It was the second semester. Ella had made sure to get herself clothes worthy enough to get her noticed by Benita and the other popular girls. This was despite protests from her mother about the cost. The party of the year was coming soon and Ella would not rest until she got an invite. Soon enough she got noticed, got herself closer to Benita’s clique and started doing almost everything with them. She got an invite to the party of the year and all was well in the world.

   Her friendship with the popular clique was blossoming. They would go to all sorts of parties and events together, get drunk and sleep with various men, usually of relevant status in society. Ella usually did everything with them except sleep with these men. She was from a religious home and her desire to belong with these girls hadn’t totally clouded her judgment from seeing that Benita and her friends were in all sense of the word, wayward. They had noticed Ella was a bit different and had started pressuring her to join in, adding that sleeping with the men was fun and it was the only way they could afford all the expensive clothing and reckless spending they got involved in. Ella was at the verge of losing her friendship with these girls and she did not want that. Day after day passed and the pressure only increased. Despite it all, Ella did not give in. This secretly angered Benita and the other girls because they had been spending money on her with the hopes of getting it back when Ella starts sleeping with relevant men too. They were not going to let it go and were thinking of ways to get their money back.

   The big party night Ella was so eager to attend was drawing closer. It was the birthday party of the richest and most influential student in school. All sorts of celebrity guests were going to be in attendance. Important dignitaries from all over the country were also going to be gracing the event, and of course, she was going to be seen with the best girls in school. Nothing could be better. Ella had been preparing for this party since school resumed the second semester and she was ready.  Meanwhile, Benita and her girls were plotting against Ella. They knew how bad Ella wanted to go to this party and they were going to use that against her. They planned to set her up to be raped and the party was the easiest place to get it done.

     The party night was here. As planned according to Ella’s knowledge, they were all supposed to go together so it came as a little shock to her when Benita called her and asked her to meet them halfway.  Unknown to her, the hoodlums that were to do the nasty act had been positioned close to the party venue just waiting for her. She didn’t have a car of her own unlike the other girls so she had to take public transport.  The cab she took broke down on the way and they all had to come down while the driver tried fixing it. By this time, Ella knew she was going to be really late for the party. She decided to get another cab. After succeeding in getting one, she reached for her purse to pay, only to find out it had been picked. The purse contained all her money and her phone. She was stranded and confused. By this time, the guys had grown too impatient and left. Ella, after standing for hours in the dark, was lucky enough to get a free lift back home.

   Ella missed the party and was very sad about it but, unknown to her, she was saved from a disastrous act. She was thinking about ways to explain to Benita and the other girls why she couldn’t make it but the girls were nowhere to be found. After several inquiries, she found out that they had gotten arrested on the night of the party for the possession of hard drugs. This was when Ella realized how lucky she was for not being able to go with them to the party, also just how lucky she was to have been robbed of her money and phone. Reflecting on everything that had happened, she could only come to a conclusion which was that; everything happens for a reason


Not everyone would have such opportunity which is why you have to abject from emulation and your wannabe attitude, save yourself , save your pride