FreeWrite: The Graceful Old Maid

Old Maid/Graceful

She knew all the names they called her. Old Maid was their favourite. It was the nicest name they had for her but it made them the happiest like it was the worst. They took pleasure in knowing that no man wanted her and this to them, was the ultimate.

Growing up, her parents said they had one horse in the race. She was the only child, and they did all they could to give her the best. They sent her to the best schools, tuition, music, art, and she excelled in every single one.

Many times she was sent out of the state and then the country to represent. She was even part of an exchange student programme where she was sent to Paris. She learnt French and was fluent by the time she came back. She was always Top 3 in class, and there was one exam she had the highest grade in the whole country.

Her ballet and violin classes gave her stature that exuded an aura that was mesmerizing. She was graceful when she walked and talked, as is there was music in her soul. She had an above average pretty face, but her confidence gave her an undeniable beauty.

Before she could finish University, jobs were already lined up. There were head-hunters just waiting for a yes from her. And she finally said yes to the most successful bank in the world. Her salary was never spoken of but it was the kind that everybody seemed to know.

All of that came with a price. The seniors and staff resorted to the name calling behind her back, and just loud enough for her to hear in the hopes it will frustrate her. They wanted her to be as frustrated as they were, unable to accept a young woman, climbing the corporate ladder leaving them behind. Even on girl's night out, she could be the last girl standing at the bar and no one would approach her. But the more they avoided her, the more aloof she became.

She focused on work and in her free time she would spend online in Chat Rooms. She was loved in these chat rooms. Her status, salary, certificates meant nothing. It was just conversations and she could be silly without wondering if it was going to hurt her authority among her staff and her climb up the corporate ladder.

Her parents were already regretting their mission. "When are you going to get married?", "The problem with you is you are too educated!", "We would like to see our grandchildren before we die, you know?", "Aunty So-n-So's daughter is getting married...", "If you don't find someone soon, you are going to die an old maid".

She had become very good at ignoring her parents at home, the seniors and staff at work. Sticks and Stones! She would pick her life over her friends' who found the man of their dreams and now spend their days wiping snot and nights having "headaches".

All images taken with my trusty iPhone 7 Plus, edited with my favourite app Photofox

Another day another prompt, another Free Write! And another of me mashing two prompts. But that's the beauty of the FreeWrite. You can use it to write a poem, a short story, a series. And sometimes you don't even know what you are going to write until you start. Check out the other author's for this prompt @mariannewest and then head over to the @freewritehouse for more.

’Til we meet again over text, pics, videos, maybe even coffee - Steem On!!

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