The noise was somewhat normal to Thandiwe who had lived in a life of partying her whole life. She didn't mind it even now. But this would be her last day like this. After today, tonight she wouldn't be the same Thandiwe that everyone knew. She would be a different, mature and grown version of herself. She desperately wanted to be an adult and that she would be.

She didn't want constant partying to be what defined her as a person. That was why after this day she would grow herself to be a person who knew what life had to offer her.

"Tshomi!" Penny, her best friend in the whole wide world shouted over the music. "This party is the best!" She was dancing with a glass of something she wasn't supposed to be drinking inside.

"Glad you are having fun tshomi yam!" Thandiwe shouted back. She too was in the dancing mood but something in her kept her restraint more than usual. She wasn't dancing and she wasn't drinking. Her whole self just waited for something to happen.

Like a jump scare or something in the movies.

This was strange because she never really cared about her gut feeling but today it was what was preventing her from having fun with her friends.

After a while of standing on the dance floor without being one of the people who were dancing she finally chose to leave the dancing to the ones who were doing it.

A dark corner in the room was her target but she didn't make it there because before she could move away from the dance floor she felt arms wrap around her waist. And a jaw clip itself to her shoulder. "Happy birthday", her boyfriend Muzi James said in her ear. Allowing her to hear him loud and clear.

"You're late", she replied instead of thanking him. Her hands held on to his arms that were still around her.

He chuckled. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to be this late but you know how it is. The things that we plan never happen as we hope then to."

"For a minute there I thought you would miss my birthday." He turned her around. Making them to face each other.

"Listen to me." He held her tightly. "I wouldn't miss this for the world. Even if I had to do the impossible I would still be here today to celebrate you my queen. This day is very important to me as well. I do not take it lightly. It brought me you. The one I cannot live without."

Thandiwe smiled. Wrapping her arms on Muzi's neck as a song came in that she knew she would make a slow song even if the others didn't. "How many girls do you talk so sweetly to?"

Muzi made a thinking face before kissing Thandiwe's nose. "Just one. You. And don't get the facts wrong here babe. It is not sweet talking but me being real. I really can't live without you."

"I can't believe that you are the same boy who kept on running away from me when I sat next to you in class." Thandiwe's laugh made her feel some of the tension that she had not known decrease from her shoulders. The fond memories of how she and James Muzi got together being the only thing she thought about at the second.

"I wasn't running away from you. "

"Tell me then what you were doing. It looked a whole lot like running to me."

James' shoulders went down. And then up again. "You didn't know and you still don't know now how much of an effect you have on people. Babe you're Thandiwe Jones. I was surprised that you wanted to sit next to me. And then I was a little shy. I won't admit that I ran though. Let's call it me trying to figure out why the prettiest girl in school wanted to sit next to me."

Thandiwe bit her lip not believing Muzi. "You were shy? You the one who always has his cool in everything that you do. And prettiest really?"

"Pretending to be put together is something that we shy people know best to do." Muzi told her as he leaned in closer to her face. "And yes prettiest. You can say anything you want but I want to tell you now what you need to know to me you are the most beautiful girl I know. And that comes out of my hearts of hearts."

Their lips were about to unite when the music stopped and Thandiwe's name was called out by the DJ. "Thandiwe! Miss TJ your parents want to have a word with you my dear. Happy birthday!"

Thandiwe had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. "I wish they would stop babying me. I'm nineteen but they still don't trust me to be in a party alone."

Muzi kissed the back of Thandiwe's hand. "Go on and see what they want I'll wait for you here. "

She stumped her foot on the floor. "I'll go. But this really isn't fair."

"Parents will always be parents honey. Now go see what they want . Maybe they are going to tell you some wisdom stuff about age. "

Thandiwe didn't doubt that. Her parents probably would talk about what they always told her. That just because she was growing every year it did not mean that they would stop being her parents. Who would love and often still call her 'baby girl's. She had nothing against her parents' speeches or their love but sometimes they could do it way too much. Like right now. Whatever they wanted that day to her now could have been said while they ate dinner at home.

* * *

"We have to tell her now Lucus!" Seranade yelled. "She has to know now. Because this is the right age. "

"The right age for what?" Thandiwe asked getting inside of the hotel room both her parents were in.

Both her father and mother turned to look at her.

"Why did you guys call me here?" She crossed her arms against her chest. "You're not buying me another car right?" She already told them that she didn't want any cars from her parents from now on she had to learn to be independent.

"We have something to tell you." Her father spoke a little bit differently than he usually did when he talked to his daughter. This sounded like the tone of voice that he usually used when he was talking to his business associates. "Sit down" he pointed at the armchair at the middle of the room.

Thandiwe followed her parents' eyes and they weren't looking at her. Instead at the door which she had left opened. Seranade went to close it.

Thandiwe raised her arm to glance at her wrist watch. "What is this about?"

Seranade cleared her throat. "You"

Thandiwe placed her hand on her chest. "Me?" Well of course it was. She didn't think it would be about anybody else but her. It was her birthday after all.

"It doesn't give me any pleasure to say this but we've left it unsaid for a long time now. It has to be finally be said out so we all can be free from it." Lucus stated.

"Yes it doesn't." Seranade agreed. Holding her husband's hand. "This is hard. This will shock you. But everything that we say to you now is absolutely true."

"Okay?" They were scaring Thandiwe now. The parents she knew were always goofy about everything. Even when they were serious. Right now they gave her the impression that she was about to hear bad news.

Seranade started. "You are not our daughter. " And she continued shortly afterwards. "We've been raising you as such though ever since we took you in. You have been living the life of someone that was meant to live but she didn't." Seranade held stomach. "My baby was born stillborn. Just when my husband and I had given up we found you. At that moment we knew that we had to take you in. Raise you as if we were raising that baby we lost. And we did. You cannot fault in anything. We have been good parents to you so far."

Lucus grabbed ahold of Thandiwe's hand. "We have loved you as a father and mother love their daughter. We have asked nothing in return for anything that we have ever done for you my dear. But now we must. We have no choice."

"What are you saying dad? Mom? What kind of cruel joke is this? On my birthday!" Thandiwe was not having it. She shook her father's hand away from hers as she stood up. "Andifuni nokuva anything else that comes out of your mouth. The both you!"

"Sweetheart" her mom rubbed her back. "The truth hurts and that's how you know that it is the truth. Now listen to us. We need you to do something for us in return for everything we've ever done for you. We want you to finally help us as we have helped you your entire life. You said it yourself right now you have grown. We have raised you up to this point. It's your turn to be beneficial to us."

"What is going on?! I refuse to play this game that you both are playing at this moment. It is too cruel and too mean to say such things to your daughter who you love! Who put you up to this? Why the heck did you agree?" She couldn't understand why her parents would choose to do this to her. They often fooled around with her but not at this extent. Not to the level that they would actually make her cry.

"Play a game my dear?" Her mother raised her chin. "I wish we were playing a game. I really do but this is the truth. And now you must listen to us. "

"Seranade let's not drag this further than we've already done. It's enough now. Thandiwe our business has a chance to expand. A chance to grow bigger than what it is now."

"So what has that got to do with me?"

"A lot." Seranade said. "You are the key for this business venture. We'll only achieve it through you. "

"What are you two on about?"

"I did tell you to sit down." Lucus stated with his tone that Thandiwe wasn't familiar with. "In order for our ambitions to be achieved you'll have to repay us for our kindness by getting married."

Everything that was coming out of her parents' mouths sounded like nonsense. And she had a little part of herself that was starting to believe what they were saying. Because they were pretty convincing.

Maybe she could just play along so she could make sense of what her parents were on about. "Married? To whom?"

Her mother was the one to give her an answer. "Julian Dusk. He is one of the most wealthiest investors in this country. So you marrying him would mean so much to us dear girl. Not only is that alliance going to make our company flourish but it's going to make our family name to be known."

"The fuck!" Thandiwe's body vibrated. "Julian that old man is the one you want your daughter to marry?! This is too much! I can't stand here and listen to you right now. "

She had the mind to just leave the room but she just had to stay and listen to what her parents had to say. She just had to see to what extent they would go to with the whole thing.

But they didn't say anything. Just stared at her and then left the room themselves.

Thandiwe looked around the empty room she had been left in.

"What just happened?"