chapter 16: miracle

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by mirabelivie1

by mirabelivie1

I was a beautiful teenage girl, tall and slim, with a radiant complexion and a charming gap in my teeth. Being the firstborn, I was often called the "miraculous baby," but I sometimes questioned that title. Was I really miraculous? There was always so much expected of me—too much, it seemed. Yet, I wasn’t the strong, perfect girl everyone wanted me to be.

In my teenage years, I already looked much older than my age, with dreams as big as my heart. I wanted to sing, write, and become an author. At 15, I was in JSS3, preparing to write my Junior WAEC when life took another turn. My mom’s elder sister, who had been living in Kano, finally relocated back to the south with her four daughters. Among them was Kyla, her youngest, who also happened to be my age mate. She was born in January, while I came along in February.

Kyla wasn’t just my cousin; she became my first real friend and my best friend. When she arrived, I was thrilled. Kyla was everything I wasn’t—confident, worldly, and daring. She was incredibly smart and seemed to know so much about life, things I had never even thought about. She had already dated, kissed her first boyfriend, and vowed to remain a virgin until she was 22. That kind of boldness fascinated me. She practically raised herself in Kano, and tho her family was present, her independence became both her strength and her weakness.

Kyla opened a new world to me. She introduced me to Justin Bieber, whom she adored, and talked endlessly about American celebrities. Before Kyla, I had only cared about Nigerian and Filipino stars. She shared stories of her first boyfriend at 14 and how her first kiss gave her butterflies. I was stunned and curious. I wanted to feel those same butterflies she described, but I also feared repeating my mom’s mistakes. My curiosity and caution were constantly at war.

Despite my admiration for Kyla, I promised myself one thing—I wouldn’t do anything that would hurt my mom. But deep down, I couldn’t ignore the pull of curiosity and the desire to experience everything Kyla had.