IF YOU DON’T KNOW HOW IT FEELS LIKE, . . . SHUT THE HELL UP!

So, you are probably wondering where I have been the last few days. . . here, there and everywhere.

Okay, lets correct that. I have been bust with writing and reading. First, I joined Fanfiction, (yeiy! Whoop! Whoop! *doing a little dance in my head*) then I did some writing for the sequel of This My Story before I got some major writer’s block, then, finally, I discovered this new site called Wattspad. Or is it Wattpad? Ugh! Even then, it has amazing stories, and I actually got some ideas on what to write about my One Direction scenes. Thanks Wattpad!

What’s this blog post about today? You wonder, right? Good thing you asked my friend! This post is about people minding their own business, like literally!

You are probably guessing that something has pissed me off = me ranting today. You BET!

Actually, I am not really pissed. (This is me expressing my conflicted opinions :-) )

Oh, and go check out the new One Direction Video->>>>for Best Song Ever! if I knew how to post links, I would do it, but I don’t, so, just go to Google/YouTube, then type ‘Best Song Ever-One Direction’ and click on the video. Have a laugh and thank me later.

Away from one of my favorite boy bands, I have a pressing issue to address. Hence my blog post today.

I know, we are always so quick to judge someone when they make a mistake or do something that everyone reckons is a mistake because it goes against the flow. It is human tendency, nature even. But in that moment of blindness, have you ever stopped to think how it would be if you were thrown in front of the gun’s barrel?

I doubt if you did.

Everyone makes choices- to do, to not do, or to bum and try nothing. Yes, choosing to not choose is a choice.

In my twenty one years of life, I have learnt to not eliminate certain scenarios. For example, I used to have a friend who vowed to keep her hair natural till the day she’d die. One year ago, she got it all relaxed and right now, she doesn’t regret making the choice to change her hair do. Of course I ask her about it and she shrugs her shoulders and says that nothing’s permanent.

This doesn’t only go for hair.

Today, at 4.00 am, while having my meal, I went online to find out a little more about Zayn Malik. Or Zain Malik, (Oh my, I share a name with him!) one of the guys from One Direction *blush* and yes, I know he is muslim. I have since I Googled them when I was trying to find out what the hell the terms like ‘Beliebers’ ‘Directioners’ ‘Directionators’ ‘One Direction’ ‘BTR’ ‘The Wanted’ and ‘Arianators’ meant. So, I was pretty interested in finding out more about these guys called One Direction and I went a-looking. I was very surprised to find out that they had my name sake!

Well, I would start gushing about their rise to stardom right now, but this isnot my main focus today. My main focus is how some people can actually find the time and the money to talk badly about someone who is doing what he loves.

And yes, it is about Zayn.

Zayn loves music, and if he is happy, then I think people should be happy he is happy. He earns decent money, his siblings are happy, and his life is easier right now. I have a problem with the people who are cursing him and saying mean things about Zayn not being Muslim.

His background is a little mixed up- I think his mum was Christian, and when it comes to such matters, people tend to forget that it is not as easy as ABC. It is a little conflicting because, first of all, it is not a guarantee that you will go for Madrassa. Secondly, as you grow up, you will never fit in. Thirdly, you will probably get bullied. Fourthly, you will get relief from your problems by working harder on your talents so that you can forget the feeling inside.

I guess that is what Zayn did- worked on his singing. It paid off, because now he is touring with four other mates of his who together form the band (in a sing-song voice) One Direction!

Sometimes, your parents don’t want you to get confused, so instead they instill the belief in you that there is a God, and that you should always pray to Him, because He is the only one who truly understands what you go through. I say, better a believer with no religion, than a non-believer with one.

He said the shahadah. Once someone says the words, “La ilaha ilallah wa Muhammad rasooloolah”, then who are you to question his faith? It is true that some actions leave us like non-believers, but that doesn’t mean that we are not muslim. What matters most is what we believe in,. our renewal of faith and our actions.

So it does hurt when someone goes out of their way to insult the rest of us by saying that someone is not ‘Muslim enough’ or ‘Christian enough’. Just because you have been hearing rumours, it doesn’t mean that he does what the rumour says he does. I have beef with people who tend to think I am not ‘Muslim enough’ because I am a native African, or because my hair is not as soft or as smooth as an Arab’s, of that my pigment is not as light as theirs.

You don’t know how I live my life, you don’t know a thing about me. So stop judging me by the crap you hear. If you don’t know, ask.

If you have never walked a mile in my shoes, shut it! Shut up and live your life!

At least I know I have something to live for. As they say, when a door closes, a window opens. If Zayn’s life is all about music, then let him. Who knows, maybe he will change many people’s lives with it. In case you didn’t know, many musicians and singers have somehow improved the lives of many other people by being themselves. They start charities and help everyone who needs their assistance. Others become ambassadors (I’d like to be made one some day) of change, and they work to eradicate diseases and conditions that hinder growth and development.

As my tweet said, earlier today (my twitter handle is @ynabeesa), leave Zayn Malik alone! If you haven’t lived his life, or experienced his insecurities, then you have NOTHING to contribute to the flames of hate against him. And that applies to everyone else. You have no right to hate someone if you haven’t lived through their experiences.

You will never understand how much it hurts till you feel the pain.

So back off me, Zayn and everyone else who you have been spreading crap about! If you have a problem, just tell him or her personally, not going around tainting someone’s name. As is well known, Karma is a WITCH (I know everyone goes with the ‘Karma is a b*tch’ version, but I use the moderated one.)

And Zayn, for the record, I don’t dig your tattoos. I think you have great skin and you shouldn’t be covering it with dark artificial marks. #JustSaying

Have an awesome day my good people!

Much love,

Me.

oh, and for the record, i love singing too. #TeamZainZayn

Spreading the love

This My Story. . . Chapter 4

Hey everyone! i know i did a number on you last week, but i am posting this week. check out my previous post on Friendship.

i hope you like what i am posting. you know, if fanfic works out, i will be posting there as well. so, cutting the story short, here goes NOTHING.

Chapter 4

“Did you see her? She was amazing.”

“Apparently, she did her own song, and Caitlyn mixed the song.”

“Caitlyn did that? What is she? A producer?”

“Oh my God! She is so gonna be famous!”

That was what greeted us as we walked to class on Monday. The weekend had been fun and now we were still hung-over. My brother had an exam but he had promised to call-in later, when he had finished his last paper. It had been an email, short but precise. That was Eddie, always to the point. He was finishing his finals later that week, then he’d fly back home for his Christmas Holidays.

Throughout the day, people were being nice and staring at us both. Some of the basketball guys even stopped by on their way to the field to congratulate the two of us. For Caitlyn, this wasn’t new. She always got the attention. For me, however, it was my first time, and I lapped it all up. It felt divine.

Though I was awfully shy, I got through the day with Caitlyn’s help. She had joked that if I got famous and forgot about her, she would sell my secrets to the highest bidding magazine. We had laughed at it, but for some reason, I felt it was true.

That afternoon, midway through the boring Geography lesson, I was summoned to the principal’s office. I had never been there, and though I knew I had done nothing wrong, I was still freaked out. Caitlyn’s arrival made me relax a little bit. Just as I was whispering at her about how boring Geography was, the secretary ushered us in. my whispering stopped.

Mrs. Smith’s face was etched in a smile. She was the daughter of the founder of Top Hill and people were scared of her. It was shocking that she was in a good mood today. I saw her smile at my confused self, and she winked at Caitlyn, who surprisingly winked back and hugged her.

“Never been here, have you?”

“No.”

“That means you are a good student and you stay out of trouble.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I just smiled back.

“Would you like some tea?” she offered, looking at both of us.

“Sure Aunty,” Caity said, and my jaw dropped. Mrs. Smith saw my reaction and laughed.

“Sarah, you didn’t know?”

I nodded my head. Caity had conveniently left it out. I knew she had her reasons. It probably explained why she had been so relaxed.

“Aunt Kelly, you know I love tea, and if you serve it, I will surely miss my classes.” Caity said, smiling at her slim aunt who was already serving the tea and biscuits that had been at a table next to the window near her working station. I saw my friend smiling at me, urging me to dive into the festival. Unfortunately for me, I was still a little full from lunch. So I took my cup of tea and picked up a paper thin biscuit which I nibbled at timidly.

“I heard about your performance yesterday. And I watched it too.”

“It was wicked aunty! Sarah has an incredible voice.”

“Yes, and yet she is so cute, nibbling at the biscuit for two minutes. Loosen up Sarah! I won’t suspend you. You have done something amazing for our school.”

“I have?” I asked, hesistant. It was a little hard to loosen up.

“You know, Top Hill is well known for Basketball and hockey, but no one has ever bothered with the Arts. Its puzzling because we are the best at languages, yet the Arts still go unrecognized. Our drama department is missing Eddie and Mitchie. They were amazing people and they took us far. However, they left a void when they cleared. Talking about Eddie, how is he?”

“he is pretty okay, and he is flying in for the holidays. He said to say hello to you.”

“he did? Or did you just make that up?”

“I did make it up. Sorry. But I am pretty sure he’d have wanted me to tell you that.”

“well then, the greetings have been accepted.”

“I will convey them. In an email.”

At this juncture, the three of us laughed. The tension visibly reduced. I felt a little happier and finished my biscuit.

“So, Aunt, why did you call for us to come here?”

“I wanted to ask your lovely friend to help us, by singing some of the songs in the play. We are expecting a number of visitors from USA and Britain, my father included, who will be scouting for talent on that day. You are probably aware that they usually do that after a major basketball game. We are hosting the Tournament on that day. So far, they have not seen any promising talent in the play. However, perhaps having a local celebrity, or rather, two local celebrities, will motivate the cast.”

“I have never acted.” I found myself admitting. “okay, I have, but I was the baker murdered in the story of Joseph. In the bible,” I said this quickly.

“Really?” Caitlyn asked.

“Really.”

“you can sing instead. We are aware that you conquered your stage fright. Maybe a few changes are necessary in the play. You can sing, and have a few lines. Oh, and as a by the way, I am writing the play this year. Last year’s was a mess.”

I looked at Mrs. Smith. She really looked like she needed my help. And help I would. I agreed to her conditions and she toasted our tea cups to the new victory. I needed a refill.

“Caity, I am so excited that your mum is coming!” I said to her as we practiced later that week for the play. Caity had been given a few lines as well. It was funny watching her rap the words jokingly. According to the play, I was supposed to be performing in a club. I was to temporarily wow the main characters and make the main actor develop a crush on me. Caity was to dress up as a young man, my pianist brother.

Many people turned up to audition for the roles, now that we were already in the play. We had learnt the songs and I was already making half the school turn up to watch the practice sessions every evening.

My parents allowed me to come a little late after practice, and I found it a great deal. I loved the fact that I could be pulling a crowd. For once, I understood why my big brother lived for the stage. It was an amazing experience. A good thing is that I wasn’t required to practice everyday. It was quite tiring and it was affecting my sleep a little bit.

In between the practice and class sessions, I was doing a few covers with Caity. I did the cover of Amani’s Missing my Baby and Wahu Kagwi’s Sweet Love. She had created a Youtube channel for me, and her, and we uploaded any videos we made. We got a few views, but we knew that would change after the play. According to Caity, they were increasing due to the video the school had posted on their Youtube Channel of me performing at the Competition. Mrs. Smith was the one who did the posting and attached a link to our school’s website.

The comments were nice. Some people said that I was going to be the next Demi Lovato, or their Kenyan Demi Lovato. Others said that I was simply breathtaking. I got a few bad comments, especially from someone who said that I had rigged the competition. When Caitlyn and I read the comment, we looked at each other and said, “Tess.”

My parents wanted me to keep up with my classes and assignments. It was a delicate balance, but I managed. I also had exams to read for too. The exhaustion was getting to me. It wasn’t long before I got a really bad cold. Normally, I’d have the cold last up to two weeks, but this one was so bad, I had to see a doctor. I was told to stop whatever it was that I was doing, but not before he asked me for an autograph. He said, “one day soon, you will be famous, and I’d like to have an autograph for my little girl. She was at the Competition with her mum that day. The lady who gave you a hug as you stepped off the stage.”

I whispered a thanks as he congratulated me on my amazing performance. After giving me a prescription, I was taken home and wrapped up in my blankets and anything and everything warm. I was freezing. Caitlyn stopped by after school with a concoction that was supposed to make me better as soon as possible. It only made me sleepier.

It was taking too long for me to get better. As the day of the play drew closer, it seemed like the cold was not getting the hint. Everyone was freaking out, so was i. I wasn’t even allowed to talk. I was made to drink every type of green tea that could heal colds. Mrs. Smith even called my parents twice to find out how I was doing. The teas Caitlyn  kept giving me were from her aunt. It was so unfortunate that we hadn’t even thought of recording the performance.

“you have to get better. Tony is distraught, he won’t stop bugging me,” Caitlyn said two days before the play. The guy was the main actor, very talented fellow. He had instantly taken a liking to me. He had dropped by to say hello as soon as he heard I was forced to have bed-rest. He had wanted to bring me flowers but my mum told him I was allergic to them.

I am getting better, I wrote.

“You know, only two days and we have to win us some respect. We might even get into Hollywood through this. My mum will be there, working.”

Your mum is awesome. Is she coming before then? I would love to meet her.

“She said she will be flying in tomorrow. Apparently, she will be here for a week before Hollywood calls. Hahaha!”

You make it sound like Hollywood isn’t a big deal. Is it?

“Yes. Especially Hollywood Records.”

Hollywood Records? That sounds familiar. Is it coz its in Hollywood?

Caitlyn laughed. “No dummy. Its because Disney owns it.”

Oh. . . I am so sleepy. Is this tea bhang? Kama ni bhang, nitakushtaki.

“Ati bhang! We ni fala saa zingine. Its just to help you get better. My aunt has these herbs she grows that are medicinal. No bhang, I swear.”

Okay, but I like the one that smells like lemon. At least I know I am not getting high.

“We ni fala sana. That’s lemon grass. I love it too. Hibiscus is my favourite though.”

“Sarah, say bye to Caity. Its time to leave,” I heard Rehema call up the stairs.

“I wish I was the one who had this cold.”

Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it ALL. . . Muhahaha!

“Sometimes, I think that this cold has affected your thinking” Caitlyn said, pointing to her head.   

I hope you get this cold and get high on green teas. That will be my happiest day ever! Go home Caity, you are not helping me. Much love, zzzzzzzzzzz.

Caitlyn took one look at what I had written and burst into laughter. I tried to laugh but I knew I wasn’t supposed to.

“I miss your laugh, and I miss you in class. Get well soonest! Bye and sleep tight, you addict!”

FRIENDSHIP

FRIENDSHIP

I haven’t been in this world for many years. Even then, I am thankful to God for my 21 years of life here, on earth. As many of you know, life is never pleasant, and it took me a shorter time to figure that out than my sister did. Since I was a little kid, I always figured out that life was not fair. I think I was six or seven then, and all I had were frenemies. People were just acting friendly to me because my mum was a teacher at the school I went to. No she didn’t teach me, so don’t ask me how it feels to sit in my mum’s class. Till I met this girl, well, these girls who kind of changed my lower primary life.

First, one of them was my neighbor, the other was my classmate and the third was the child of a colleague. The first two were Asian (Indian) and the last one was African. In fact, she was Luo. Back then, skin colour didn’t matter to me. It still doesn’t matter that much.

Back to the story, these three girls made my life worth living. When we met, we sort of just clicked. The funniest thing is that maybe they never got to know each other when I left. Even then, it didn’t matter. My friends were my anchors. They helped me through my life and we would make mud pies from clay during ACM (Art and Craft and Music). My figures were never good enough and I remember my teacher telling me I was hopeless, and Esther (that was her name) told me when he turned that everyone was pretty hopeless anyways. She treated me like me, not like the daughter of a teacher. We used to walk to the school gate together almost every day when class ended at 3pm.

Bavisha, my neighbor, would walk home with me and my sisters and her sisters. Funny, we were all three in our families. I had two sisters, so did she. We used to have a pretty big crowd on our way home for lunch because almost every kid from our building went to my school. At that time, Eldoret had very many Asians, and most of them were in the best schools here, my school being one of them.

My other friend was also sweet. She came from the Patel Community too. I can’t remember her name right now, but believe me when I say we were pretty close. She, however, had to keep deciding between me and her other friend who used to harass me because of some reasons I will explain one of these days. Anyways, I was very fond of her, and she of me. When we moved, I didn’t keep contact with my friends, so I kind of just withdrew into a shell. Thank God we have phones and email addresses today!

Friends are the only people who can understand how it feels like to be alone. As human beings, we all are endowed with a social streak. By social, I don’t mean to say that we are all chatty and stuff. I mean that we all need to depend on someone, even when we are all grown up and independent off our parents. One of the things everyone in this world wants is someone who can understand exactly what they mean, how they feel, or what they are going through.

We meet friends in the weirdest ways. For some, it is during a challenging time, for others it is when we are just bumming around. It is not always easy to open up to someone you barely know, but it is worth it, especially if you find out that he or she is probably just as nervous as you.

I have a really good friend right now. Actually, I have like plenty of good girlfriends. However, this one is like the only Christian girl in my school whom I can trust my life with. We have done it all- had movie marathons, played guitar together (I stopped playing coz the strings hurt my fingers, so I only know how to random strum), goofed around, slept in the same bed, shared the same room, met part of her family, talked about guys, and even given each other advice on various things. We have always spent a lot of time together, but last academic year was pretty hard, and I think we are drifting apart.

Even then, she is always there for me, and I love her for that. anytime I had a problem, I would race to her place and we’d hang out. Even on the good days, we’d just bum in the kitchen, or in her room. I was so open with her, so was she. And we actually played tennis together (Well, I stopped last academic year but I do hope that I can start again this year. I kind of suck at it because I don’t always show up for practice and I hate running, which has to change too.)

We met in the weirdest way. It was during Orientation week, and I was back from a light lunch when I walked in on her sitting in the lecture hall. I was pretty shy, but I was sure she looked familiar. When she came over, she said hello and asked for my notebook. (LOL, it was from high school and it was even a part time diary) I was a little scared of her seeing the number of guys I had had crushes on during my last few weeks in school as I did my KCSE. Lucky for me, she didn’t open those pages. When we were rushed out to go to another lecture hall at a new-ish building, she took out some gum, (PK) and was like, do you want some? And I was like hell yes.

That was how our friendship began. I have a really close friend too from my high school. She was like the best desk mate ever. She was, and still is amazing. Would you like to know how we met? It was my first day at Wareng High School and I was like an entire term late. I was going to redo my last year in high school because I felt like I hadn’t done well enough in my previous results. My family was a little divided. First, they thought I was kidding when I said I wanted to go back to high school. When they wrapped the idea around it, they were undecided on whether I would go to third form or just do fourth form again.

Basically, I was a fifth form.

Third problem- I had been in a same sex school for four years. My mum was pretty worried about it, but I was like, I’ll be fine, I went to a mixed school before.

So, here I was, regretting the last thought I had expressed to my mum. I was done with my English paper, thoroughly confused, and then very uncomfortable with the tie round my neck. We never wore them in my previous school, unless you were a prefect. They had tried to introduce it in form three, and we had worn them whenever we went out, but it was optional, because our blouses were fashioned to NOT accommodate ties.

In my confusion, she came up to me and offered to walk me to the dining. When I got there, I saw all these guys looking at me and I just freaked out and ran.

The next day, I made a new friend too, and we became really close. She was just herself, so was i. when Martha and I chose to become desk mates, little did we know how close we’d get. If I could go back to any high school year, it’d be the year I spent with my new friends at Wareng. Right now, I keep in touch with Martha the most. We are like totally different yet similar, and it just feels really nice getting to know her.

Another thing you probably already know about friends is that, they don’t have to be your exact similarity. You two may have only a chromosome in common, but who said you can’t be kindred souls?

As I said before, friends come in all forms. However, the ones who matter are the ones that stay through the rising dust and are smiling at you when it all settles. They can be male or female, gay or straight, light or dark skinned, plump or skinny, scared or brave. Name it all. This variance just stands to show that we are human and that we tend to be different at certain times. These times change everything, and when we least expect it, someone reaches out to us, or smiles at us and tells us its gonna be alright.

Personally, I take time to make friends, and I am happy when I meet someone who understands the hesitation. It is sort of my thing to be a loner, but having a friend is something good. It is like a breath of fresh air. Especially if they are the cheerleaders of your dreams, (Ha-ha, that’s from a song, sorry) and they keep telling you to keep the faith.

Some friends end up becoming like family. We all have friends like that, or at least had friends like that. Others become our lovers, others we marry, others we dump, etc. it’s the cycle of life, well kind of. As one very wise girl in Small Ville said, “There are friends we grow into and friends we grow out of. . .”     

Ugh, I have run out of words. I am more of a storyteller than a fact pointer.

If you have that special friend, then text or call him up as soon as you finish reading my post. Because, friends stay together where all else fails. Doesn’t matter if you guys haven’t spoken in years. True friendship, like love, stands the test of time. So, go on, do it. You’d be surprised at how much you to have to talk about.

Here ends my story of the day, so you can get in touch with that friend or friends that you haven’t been in touch with. Ciao.

Much love,

Me.

Postponed. . . and Chapter 3 of "This My Story"

Hello everyone. i was supposed to post two stories but i could only do one. the other's images vanished. i have no idea why.

i hadn't planned anything, so, i will just post chapter 3 for you guys. you didn't tell me what you felt about the first two chapters, so it'd be lovely if you could leave me some form of feedback. okay?

well, here goes. see you guys in hmm, i don't know, but when i come back, you'll know.

 Chapter 3

That Sunday morning after early morning mass, my parents drove me to Caity’s. She had also attended it. We found ourselves having fun as she played the song and I sang.

We had lunch in town before we headed to the venue of the show, which was a high school’s football field. The school was called St. Mark’s. It was one of the biggest and most organized schools in Eldoret. As we drove in, we signed our names at the gates. We were performers.

So far, the turnout had been awesome. I looked around and saw a few girls and boys from my school who I never talked to. This Competition was the first of its type in this town to be held. I knew for a fact that I would be representing my school in the music category. There had been no disagreements whatsoever. I was the best, and Caity was the most brilliant music student in the school.

“We will be over here dear,” my mum said as she handed my dad the video camera that they had brought with them. They had decided to embrace the digital world and had eventually learnt how to use the digital camcorder that the Gellers’ had given them during their previous visit.

“I am a little nervous,” I admitted to all of them. Caity’s nanny smiled and hugged me.

“You will be awesome. I know that you can totally win this thing.” She was so sincere; I had to return the hug.

“Thanks Rehema,” I smiled as I went off with Caitlyn to meet the MC before the show started. I felt my heart skip as I saw a girl I hadn’t expected to see. Theresa, better known as Tess. She had always been a thorn on my side, though she always said I was the thorn in her side. We had not attended the same high school. She was representing Testimony School, while I was representing my school, Top Hill. As always, she sneered.

“Simple Sarah here? That’s a lame joke,” she said.

“Who is she?” Caity asked me, clearly sneering in her wake. I sighed.

“Hello Theresa.”

“The name, I believe, is Tess,” said one of her sidekicks. I knew her too, from Lawn Tennis Tournaments. Her name was Elaine, but it had been adequately shortened to Ella.

“Shut up Ella,” Tess said. She was so mean. I wonder why Ella stayed. With Tess, one only stayed for the fame. Her mum was an actress in Nairobi and had gotten Tess a few roles in music videos. She was famous merely because her mum was famous.

“So you are here to volunteer?” Tess asked.

“She is here to sing, “Caitlyn spoke up. Tess looked her over. For once, she looked a little unsure of talking, but you know Tess. She never gives up. She can be so irritating.

“So, what are you? Her mouthpiece?”

“Shut up bitch!”

Ouch! I had never heard anyone use that word in public. Except in the movies. Clearly, neither had Tess. She gulped as she looked at us both.

“See you on stage, Kadesa,” she said, moving along. Caity relaxed and I hugged her.

“That is if you can even sing, Theresa,” Caity retorted. Ouch! That has to hurt. Like really hurt. She was so gonna hate me. Tess threw both of us a dirty look. That could only mean one thing. WAR.

“Please put your hands together to welcome Sarah Kadesa and Caitlyn Geller from Top Hill doing an original song.” The MC announced us as our turn came up. I had stopped freaking out as the performances had gone on. Tess had done a cover of one of the local musicians, Amani, and had gotten a standing ovation. I was a little worried but I swallowed the nervousness and started to head up the stage.

I almost tripped as I got on it. There were close to 500 people, if not more. How did that happen? As I looked at them, I felt my heartbeat speed up. Could I manage this? Or was I just lying to myself? I saw Tess laughing and calling out “loser” to me. The music started and I felt my throat dry. Completely. I saw my mum smile and give a little wave. My dad put down the camcorder and smiled at me.

The crowd started to murmur. “Throw her out!” Tess smirked. I licked my lips nervously and looked to Caitlyn who gave me a “thumbs-up” sign.

At that moment, I saw the MC coming over. It was there and then that I knew I had to do this. If it wasn’t for me, then it was to prove Tess wrong. I smiled back at Caity who started the music again.

“This song is called Firework. I hope you guys like it”

I started to tap my foot to the beats as I waited to start. This was to all those who had ever doubted who I was, the people like Tess who thought to judge people by the amount of wealth their parents had accumulated. This was for my parents, who despite everything, had stood by me. This was for my sister and brother out there who had been with me, through thick and thin. Finally, it was for Caity, who was the bestest friend anyone could ever ask for.

As I sang, I saw people start to clap and shake their heads along with the beats. Thank you Caity, I smiled as I looked her way. She was watching every little thing I did as she did the background vocals for me. She had done an amazing job mixing everything for me. This song was the bomb.

As I went over the chorus one last time, I saw a few people try to sing along. A number of people were clapping along, standing and smiling like crazy. I returned the smile, feeling the rush of adrenaline making me this excited. I knew I wanted this, for as long as I lived. At the end of the song, I curtsied and thanked them all, smiling over at the judges.

“Wow! Wasn’t she amazing?” the MC said into the mic as he smiled at me and held my hand. I smiled back at him as he stretched to get Caity’s hand. This was amazing. I didn’t care if I didn’t win. I knew that I loved every moment of the performance. The crowd had gone wild.

“How old are you two?” he asked.

“Sixteen.” We replied with huge grins on our faces.

“Wow, sixteen. That was an intense song.” He laughed. “And to think I was going to postpone it. Everyone, Sarah and Caitlyn Geller!”

Ha-ha! He had got our names wrong. He was way too excited. Caity and I laughed as we walked off the stage.

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“Okay, ladies and gentlemen, the results for the Music Category are in. I will now invite one of the judges to come and change the life of one of the contestants.”

As the mic changed hands, I watched Tess stare at me and laugh. “I guess I should start preparing my acceptance speech.” The people around started to laugh, and I joined too. Whoever won, won. I didn’t care that much because there had already been a lot of fun in it for me. I had made Tess eat her words, and that was better than anything.

“The competition was very hard to judge, “the judge began, and we were amazed by the talent shown today. All of you were amazing. Some of you were so good; you got people on their feet. We had a tough time choosing between two people. One was a boy, the other a girl.”

I heard a few people murmur. I knew the guy, or at least I had a feeling I did. He was from Wareng, and had done a cover for a Ne-yo song, which had been awesome. He had gone around singing, Go on Girl. I loved his rendition. His background vocals had not done him much justice but he had been entertaining. I saw him smile my way, and I smiled back. For once, I wasn’t being judged according to my size, and that meant a lot to me.

“After a lot of discussion, we came up with the clear winner. This envelope contains the name of the winner who is a girl.” I could see Tess moving closer to the front. She had started to blow kisses at the audience. This was amusing to most people, but others just started to tell her to sit the hell down.

“And, so, this year’s Eldoret Town’s Talent Competition winner in the music category is, ladies and gentlemen . . . drum roll please . . . Sarah Kadesa and Caitlyn Geller.”

“Thank you judge,” the MC said as he took back the mic. “That came out wrong. The winners. Where are these amazing girls?”

I stared in shock. So did Tess. She had so far made her way to the podium, and had already scooted to the MC. As she recovered, she looked over in my family’s direction and glared. My parents had the camera on and they had caught my priceless look on tape. Caitlyn was busy laughing at the top of her voice. “Sarah, it’s us! It’s us!”

“Go! Go!’’ my mum urged, slightly pushing me to my feet.

“Sarah and Caitlyn, where are you . . . hey, you are not Caitlyn, right? Get off the stage,” the MC said to a very livid looking Tess. “Sarah and Caitlyn. . . oh, there you are. I was getting worried.”

I had made my way to the front with Caity practically pulling me. It was amazing. This was my dream? I watched as the judge who had announced our names came up and handed our gift packs to the MC. We shook hands with him and got congratulated. As we left the stage, I was surprised. I really was.

The rest of the awarding went on, till they decided to award the overall winner. Again, Caity and I were called to the front and we were given a dummy cheque of fifty thousand shillings along with a fully paid trip to the Coast with our parents. I couldn’t believe it. I stared up at the sky that was starting to darken and watched the confetti fall. This was the beginning. The start of a new me, a new life. A new passion.

It was dusk, but for me, a new day had just began.