Clueless

It's my birthday

"Hey, wait sister Grace, you forgot your Sunday school manual, i had already guessed you are quite in a hurry" a light skinned girl who sat directly beside me in church came, rushing, as she handed me the book I cherished so much.

"Happy birthday sister Grace" she said as soon as gave me the book. I wonder how she knew my name, because I wasn't really active in church.

" Thanks so much, I really do appreciate" I said politely walking towards the entrance of the big auditorium in my red floral velvet gown, which I wore specially for service that day. This is my best colour, red.Getting anything red, including my panties and accessories was looking like an obessession i had for it.It's usually cool on my brown skinned body.In my hand was a parcel by my pastor as a birthday gift, immediately after we finished the service.

"Sister Grace, how are you and happy birthday, hurray!!!!! I wish you the very best, he said, handing over the gift to me. A lot of people who were unaware of this came rushing, birthday wishes all the way! I walked through the quiet path of the wide tarred road, leading to our street, as I hummed the special number rendered by the choir in their majestical robe. I moved briskly, minding the fact that I was walking alone.

I entered the room, seeing set of balloons, photo frames, cake pink decoration and sorts of fanciful things of which I could ever imagin e. I havent been this surprised and happy in my life, ever!

"Hurray, Hurray, Hurray, Happy birthday to my dearest friend like a sister and everything" Jane said smiling as she moved closer to hug me. I embraced her, feeling her soothing warmth.

" I wondered how hard you saved for all this and how you were able to get it done within the time I went to church for service" I said, with an expression on my face trying to find the truth- how she got the money. She was sleeping, even to the point of snoring, when I left for church, she isn't church girl, like she had always said. It was indeed a big surprise and I felt elated.

I wasn't a party freak though, cause I felt it was a great deal to invite friends and make preparation.... total turn off for me.

I remember sleeping all through on my eighteenth birthday. Jane poured not just cold, but iced water on me, asking if I wanted to sleep my way to heaven. Usually, I had always wanted to celebrate birthdays with my family members, but I had none.Having Jane as a bosom friend really filled the space that would have been empty, as she supports me more than I ever did to her.

"Thanks Jane, but I hope you didn't take out of my savings in the closet" I said trying to pull her legs. She is a lavish spender and I know she would have spent billions.

"Oh, so you think I would take your money to plan a surprise birthday for you, she smirked at me harshly, pouting her out pink soft lips in a funny way.I moved to change my church gown, into something I was more comfortable in_ a pink gown with Lily flowers and a thin belt, complementing it.

She helped me parked my long black hair in a ponytail style, leaving some part of which she added hair edges to, to make it stylish and firm. Jane's friends started to troop into our room, people I merely knew brought expensive gifts, which I appreciated alot, thanks to my sister from another mother. I only detested the fact that a mini party was held in our room, slangs, trendy stuffs I wasn't interested in.

I heard a knock on our brown door, Edward, our landlord's son opened the door, even before he was asked to enter.

"Ta da... Happy birthday Princess, More fulfulling years to come darling" he said, rubbing my cheeks and also winking his eyes at me. My cheeks were turning red already and I didn't like that fact, I mean I wouldn't want him to feel so important. Stretching his hands at me, with a checkers-parcel

"Here, I got you something nice for your birthday " you'd like it, he said smiling sheepishly. Edward was never in mygood books for once. I didn't like the fact that he used expensive gifts to make girls cluster round him, I'm obviously not one of them though.

" Jane, why did you have to broadcast my birthday without my permission, or how else did he get to know? I asked her, putting my hand on my hips.

"He probably heard the songs and non stop movements ever since, she said trying to justify herself

" You are obviously lying, aren't you? I asked still showing the annoyance on my face.

"Okay, fine, he asked me and I told him, we are here to celebrate you, nothing more. Moreover, Edward here means no harm, she said trying to make a facial confirmation with him, which he instantly responded to, smiling bashfully.

"Okay, thanks for the gifts and your felicitation, you can leave now, I said, collecting the gifts from him, dropped it on our center table and literary pushed him.I turned back to see five pairs of eyes on me, as some looked away and continued dancing.

"What ! did I do anything wrong? i asked defensely trying to justify myself.

"Just accept what you did just now isn't right at all, Grace.Today is your day, you should tolerate every single one that is ready to celebrate with you, we all love you trust me. You shouldn't be that harsh, she said admist the defening noise emerging from our room slightly, with a tone of anger.Then I already knew I went a bit far.

" It's not like I'm that saucy or something, I don't just want anything to do with Edward, I said as if there was a grudge I had for him, which wasn't the case at all.

"It's fine Grace, come let's dance, she said dragging me to where her other friends were. I really felt uncomfortable, because I wasn't used to that kind of thing. Jane would party all night and still wake up the next morning to plan on another party she will attend.

The winds clapped their hands, giving me the soothing sensation I wanted badly. I felt choked already in the mist of offensive odour and all, so I decided to plug into the free gift of nature, staring at the bright star, as it was night. I felt a tap on my shoulder as I turned back to find out it was Edward

" Not again, I thought. Why do I have to be disturbed always, I said staring wildly at him.

" I know you might want to freak out, but isn't what you think, I'm just being nice, okay?he said forming a pitiful eyes which made me pardon him for some minutes

" Lest I forget, he continued, I also want to thank you for the therapy you gave my father the other day to use for his cough, it was very effective and he felt relief immediately, thanks. Really, I didn't remember, showing that it's been a while now, I wondered why he was just bringing up the issue now, when it's even almost six months.

I knew self medication wasn't ideal, let alone extending it to others, but it wasn't the case for me. I hardly visited the hospital, because I knew what to use most times, it always came as a disernment, which never for once failed.

" You should even should have even studied pharmacy or better still medicine and surgery, instead of being a kitchen assistant, he said. I frowned at him and he got it

" Sorry, I didn't mean to belittle your work, he said raising his hands up.

" Well, it's fine, thank you anyways, I will take that as a compliment, I said hiding the blush on my face. I thought of what he said.

" Well, I guess I'm inclined to health related courses, because I used to have As and Bs in science subjects. It was at this point I realized that was my calling, so I needed to work hard and pull through. I went back inside, after I was sure of total decorum and tranquility. Just like Jane, she couldn't curtail her friends and the room was literally messy.

I felt like i was going to get mad at her soon, so I kept quiet instead and cleared the room silently, disposing bottle cans, studs and unwanted stuffs. The next day was on a Monday and we had to prepare for work, I felt weak thinking of that alone. I coarsed her to tell her friends to go home, as it was already late. I helped them order a ride back home, thanking them genuinely.