A snippet from a "novel" I wrote for my sister.I hope it finds a publisher so i'm putting it out there for someone to see

The birthday cake

Sometimes it's not easy having a friend like Seele B.Don't get me wrong, Seele is awesome. He is the kind of person who is always caring,he loves to share and he is super smart.He literally gets along with everybody.I suppose every person has that virtue that makes the individual lovable, for some people it’s a comedian streak, for others its being a great listener.  Seele is all in one.He makes people laugh all the time and he listens,one other thing he loves to do too is be a peace maker.He can sniff a fight two planets away and he will do all he can until harmony prevails.I'm sure the chief magistrate has Seele's number on speed dial for peace advice from time to time.By the way,I'm Fifi Meyer.Everyone calls me Fifi even though my real name is Refilwe.Its short and catchy.I'm not as smart as my name suggests but who needs brains when I have Seele for a best friend.

Anyway,where was I? Oh,right.Seele.He has been my best friend for seven years now.I admit,things have not always been rosy between Seele and I.When he is on a peace keeping mission he gets soo involved that I sometimes feel left out.I think sometimes he concentrates on being fair that he forgets I'm his best friend and he doesn't even bend rules for me :(.It doesn't matter if I made him his favorite cheese cake just the other week.That's just who he is.

I was pondering this last point swinging my legs up and down in Selepa Park,taking in the afternoon breeze the Monday before independence holiday,when Seele called to say he would be running late.The park looked deserted.Most people were busy packing luggage preparing to travel to their villages for the upcoming holiday festivities,explaining why this place was soo empty.It was just me,Veronica and a couple of gossiping maids right across the fish pond,who had taken young kids for a walk.

Veronica was lying on the park bench directly opposite me,paging through a Forever 21 Magazine for the millionth time since we had been here.We were waiting for Seele and Neo.Neo was late as usual.She was probably chatting the hour away with a new "stranger friend".Seele is always on time.Today he had gone to help Mrs Kgosi at the bus rank to identify her grandchildren as they arrived from Gaborone for the holiday.Mrs Kgosi had failing eye sight lately.Her diabetes was making her eyesight bad day by day.

Veronica is Seele's cousin,though you would never guess they are are related.She is probably the prettiest girl I know.She likes girlish stuff,from nail polish,glitter,lip gloss,blush,mascara,eye shadow,flowery head scarves,ribbons to whatever is pretty much pink and adorable.She says when she is twenty one she is going to own a Forever 21 Franchise and a walk in closet.I on the other hand do not care much for a walk in closet.I am a tom boy.I love khakhi pants,simple plain t-shirts and studs,and I love short hair,especially in this hot weather.I own a pair of reading glasses and Vero says I have a nerdish look.She is partly right.I love to read.Sometimes I read right through Math and any science class.I think those are just booooorrrrriiiiiing.I'm not very good with numbers.I have dyslexia.Its a learning problem.Seele helps me out a lot though.Sometimes he let's me copy his assignment.Nonetheless I'm pretty good at practical stuff like art,cooking and gardening which really comes in handy for our Young Chef's Club.

Yep,you guessed right. Myself,Fifi,Vero,Neo and Seele we have a catering club.I'm the chef,Vero is the decorator and sales person.Seele is the treasurer and Neo is the public relations officer.The public relations officer is the person who does all the talking for us and Neo is pretty good at that.She loves meeting new people and she has millions of friends.She literally knows everybody in our neighbourhood and everybody knows Neo.Mom gave us the titles.She is actually the reason why we formed the club in the first place.

It was a sunny day,about a week before Wandy and Wendy's 8th birthday party when mom unintentionally planted the idea in my brain.Wandy and Wendy are my younger twin siblings.They are fraternal twins and that's a lot of biology I can't explain.Just know it means they don't look alike.They don't even like the same things.Anyway mom had her hands full that week.She had a workshop at school to attend to.Dad was flying home tthat weekend from Kasane for the twins' birthday and a few of our cousins were coming down too.When mom arrived she had a bucket of Chicken Licken wings in one hand and a two liter coke in the other.My brother and I sat in the living room,taking in the rich aroma of chicken wings.Salivating our hearts out.I looked at Karabo,my immediate brother and raised my eyebrows,elbowed him and whispered,"what's up with Mom,what does she want me to do for her?"
Karabo giggled,and raised his eyebrows twice,signalling he was clueless.By now I knew a bucket of chicken licken with Mom meant she needs a favor from me,a huge favor.She knows Chicken wings are my favorite.So I cut my curiosity short.

"Mom,what do you want me to do for you?" I asked.

Mom chuckled."Am I that easy to read Fifi?" She asked.

"I can see right through you mom,you are soo transparent you even beat filter paper!"

For a moment I grinned an I'm proud of me grin.I had learnt something I could apply in real life in science class that day.

Mom laughed again,more heartily this time."You remember Mr Duiker,the baker guy at choppies darling?" Mom asked.
"Yes mom,I do,how can I forget him,he is the best baker in town after dad afterall" I said.BTW I love chefs.Cooking is my second favorite hobby of all time.I even plan to go to a cooking school when I'm 18.I cannot go now because mom and dad say I have to get a proper education first.The market is not very stable for chefs,so they say.I'm just killing time till I turn 18 then I can make my own decisions.

"Well,Mr Duiker has been transferred to Choppies in Maun,you know Maun has many tourists and they love to taste our traditional food.He will be leaving at the end of the week and he can't bake the twins cake," mom sighed heavily.

"What,Mr Duiker is leaving this soon? He was supposed to teach me how to make the flowery icing topping for Vero's chocolate birthday cake!" I sighed too.
Just then I looked at mom,with a but Mom,I told you to book early for the twins cake look.She looked back,puppy eyed and pleading,"I know honey,you did say so."
"I did try to find someone to bake their cake but Mrs Kgosi has her grandchildren over for the holidays and these days she is a bit forgetful,Lala has gone for the home economics competiton in University of Botswana,and well Thabang has the cold,so babe,can you please  whip up some magic for your siblings pretty please," She begged.
I took the biggest chicken wing from the bucket,and took a satisfying bite.Mom knew already that was a yes.

"Fifi?"
"Yes mom"
"Do you think you could ask Seele,Vero and Neo to help you set up balloons,chairs and a jumping castle for the kids,and organise a few board games ?"

I thought about it for a second.Vero would be thrilled at the thought of decorating,Seele never declines an offer to have him help and Neo would be looking forward to meeting my cousins and making new friends,so I said," okay cool mom.I will talk to them."That's how the Young Chef's Club was born!

I needed to call them ASAY ( as soon as yesterday). We were already behind schedule.Organising a party was no child's play.Would we manage?