Well, I never knew my period would come, no, let's just say, I never knew have started my period, this was my first time, tis is my first experience of it, I just felt some warmness on the chair I was sitting on.
I don't have a school uniform yet as I just changed school, I was wearing a white skirt and a black top, I just wanted to look good, neat and you know....new student things... I was in SSS1 then, and we were having an English class, Miss. Adetunji was teaching us letter writing.
I was just there sitted down, but then, I started to feel somehow, as it seems I was sitting down on water. My mind never went there, I was like "I don't feel pressed, I couldn't have possibly pee on myself." But then someone tapped me from behind and said, "seems you've got a stain on your cloth," he said it in a tone that suggest he didn't know what it was as well, then I summoned courage to check myself, lo and behold I saw it and I froze, it was then it dawned on me.
My heartbeat increased, I don't know whether to run out or just sit there, I was still young and very much new to this. I couldn't pay attention anymore, I couldn't look around to know if all eyes were even on me. I just sat there and pressed my thighs together. I just sat there while hoping for the ground to just open and swallow me up.
I couldn't even change the position I was sitting, I just kept hoping this teacher that kept asking each student questions won't ask me to stand up to answer a question as well, just as I was thinking about that, the bell rang, I was so happy, but then again how do I go home, I didn’t stand up, I just sat there, the students also refuse to leave their seats, most of them were just busy playing around. Just then, Miss. Adetunji rushed back to class, she had forgotten to give us a homework, she entered and noticed I was still seated the same way she left me. She wrote on the board and addressed the students.
When she was done, she beckoned on me to come and follow her, but I couldn't stand up, I just sat there staring at her, then she came near and asked me what was wrong, I whispered in her ears and she looked at me surprised. She sat beside me and we talked, when she saw that the other students were still around and were staring she asked them to pick up their bags and go out to wait for the school bus arrival.
Everyone filed out, and Miss. Adetunji went out as well, closing the door behind her. I just sat there glued to my sit, I heard when the school bus arrived and I noticed the school compound was getting quiet, meaning most students are already gone.
She returned, opened the door and called my name to follow her. I stood up but didn't move.
Then she came near, looked at me from head to toe and her impression changed. Guessed she never knew it was this worse. She didn’t frown, she didn't shout, she just said removed her cardigan and tied it around my waist, she took her scarf and wiped my legs.
Then she said, *“It’s okay, you need to clean up yourself, follow me.”
She looked out to check if anyone was around and only few people were, some students and teachers, well they were to busy to notice us. We journey out, I couldn’t even look at her talk less of the few people around meet. I was ashamed.
She took me to the staff toilet, asked me to take off my cloth and have a bath, and she went to the staff room. She returned and handed me a pad from her bag, told me how to use it and went into the second toilet, I never knew how she got it, but she returned and gave me a skirt, even though it's a little big for me, it was better. She took a long with her my stained skirt and help me wash it.
When she was done, she came to me and saw me crying. She didn't ask me why, she just held my hand and said, “You’re a woman now, every woman experience this at a point, so it’s normal, it's not a shame, you are not dirty. This is you becoming.”
And that particular line stayed with me .....this is you becoming.
It was my first day in school, it was my first experience of period and that day I learned that womanhood most times comes without signal/warning. And if you’re lucky, just like I was, it will bring along a woman like Miss. Adetunji, someone who won't make you feel less of yourself when life tries to.
I returned to class the second day looking all radiant and beautiful. The lady behind me smirked, and this time, I turned to her and stared back hard. And this time, I wasn’t ashamed.
These days, I keep a pad in every bag I own, either am taking it out or not, you will definitely find a pad in it, and it's not just for me, it's for the next girl who might bleed in public, or who I might happen to stumble on, a girl who's afraid to ask for help.
Even though am hoping to start an organization that would focus on menstrual health and hygiene, one who's focus will be on visiting schools to give them awareness, enlighten them and a lot more, while also giving out sanitary pads.
This isn't just about periods and such, but also about people who are in one way or the other bleeding, and the best thing we can be to them atimes is another Miss. Adetunji.
All pictures were generated using AI.
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