Be Loved

Chapter 4

Birthday mornings are one of the few occasions that Keeya will wake up before anyone else. She wakes up to hundreds of happy birthday notifications on her phone. Birthdays are a reminder about your value and importance to people around you. Keeya loves reading the different posts from people and she responds to every single message and video posted. Keeya logs into her Instagram account and posts an Instastory video

"Hey guys, look who just turned 16! Its a pizza party today! Thank you in advance to everyone who will wish me a happy birthday. God is good!"

Keeya walks into the tv room and finds a gift on the table and a special note. She sits down and reads the note. It was from her grandparents - "Dear Keeya. You are 16 today. Life with you is amazing. You are the light in our lives. You make us proud and we will always love you". The note leaves a lump in Keeya's throat. Her mind takes her back to how things went wrong the previous day and realises that her grandparents love her unconditionally. She opens her gift. She has no idea what the gift could be. It was Airforce 1s mids, limited edition, with her name etched on the sides. Inside the sole of the right shoe, a small note was placed in there. Keeya reads it "Sneakers for your birthday party". Keeya is so excited that she posts a WhatsApp story about her gift. "This birthday is going to be special. I can feel it" she says to herself.

Hours pass and preparations are complete for the birthday to begin. Keeya is in her room with her best friend Sharon, who is helping Keeya with her make-up.

"Friend, you are 16. A whole 16. How do you feel" asks Sharon.

"I don't know. You were 16 before me. How does one feel when you get to this age" replies Keeya.

"Honestly, I'm still waiting my friend.... Friend are you even listening? Why are you on your phone" says Sharon, as she tries to get her friend's attention.

"Eish, Sharon, I'm busy replying to people" replies Keeya.

"People or Mpho, the mystery guy you can't stop chatting with? Is he even coming today" asks Sharon, as she tries to get the phone off Keeya.

"Why would I invite a person I met in the DMs? I'm not irresponsible like that. But I enjoy our conversations. He asks such deep questions and wants to know about me. What guy do you know who takes a real interest in you" asks Keeya, as she hands her phone over to Sharon.

"Well, if you are not going to make your move, I will. Anyways, I'll keep your phone during the formal ceremony. The last thing we need is Ntate Phiri shouting at you on your birthday". The two friends laugh hysterically at the idea.

Birthday celebrations in black families always have two parts. There is a formal ceremony, where there is a program, with speeches, even a sermon if it's a Christian family, and everyone sits through the service, waiting for the second part. The second part of the birthday involves music, dancing, cliques of people spending time together, alcohol outside the fence of the Christian home, and things ending late into the night. Keeya's 16th birthday follows that same pattern. A deacon from their church was chosen as the MC for her birthday. He doesn't know Keeya well, but he was chosen to avoid any church politics it would create. The pastor's wife was asked to make the opening prayer, despite her often believing that Keeya wore inappropriate clothes to church. Nkgono Tshidi believes in Michelle Obama's statement "when they go low, we go high", so she always encourages Keeya to be the bigger person. After her prayer, the pastor was given his chance to give his sermon. He was asked to preach for 5 minutes. It turned into half an hour, with him spending half that time claiming that he is not going to talk a lot because he only has five minutes.

It is Sharon's turn to make the best friend speech. She sings Keeya's favourite church song before she makes her speech.

"Keeya my friend, I have known you now for 10 years. We started Grade 1 together and I remember how pushy you were to be my friend. I didn't have a choice but to be your friend. I don't regret the choice you did not give me. I have watched you grow my friend, and you would make your mother proud. I wanted to say this in front of everyone. I love you with all my heart. My life would be meaningless if you did not exist in it. Never forget that you were made with a purpose my friend. Even if you feel down or like you don't belong, remember that you belong with us. Happy birthday and welcome to 16!"