insert 55

iFAIRYTALE KaMAGEZA

𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭 55

NOLIFA

It feels like déjà vu. She's in that room again. It's dark even though there's a candle lit on the floor.

She's laying on a sponge sobbing after what he did to her. He went out to eat but she knows he's coming back for round two.

She tries to get up and drink the water to down the lump in her throat. She feels like screaming but she has done that a lot of times before and no one comes to rescue her. She will die in here and her remains will never be found. Her mother will never care to look for her because she's been warning her about Tshepo.

The door opens making that scretching sound deafening her ears. She starts crying before he can even touch her "Nana, thula... I just want to play, you said you love me akere? This is what lovers do" He says squatting down on the sponge unbutling his belt "I can't get enough of you. You're intoxicating" he says kissing her neck. Shivers cover her skin as his hand make its way in between her legs. She cries.

"Nolifa"

"Baby"

Her eyes shoot open. She scans the room panting. When she sees Smiso next to her she quickly grabs him "It's okay" he says rubbing her back "it was just a nightmare" he says. Tears fill her eyes. She can only wish it was just a nightmare. She remembers each and everyday of the months she spent in that room being violated over and over again by the man she thought loved her. She was only 18, her life was never the same after that. She distance herself from everyone and everything. She lived in a shell and hoped for the pain to go away. She couldn't look at a man the same way no matter how much she tried. She pledged she was never going to fall in the trap of love again.

Smiso came in different. He was wrapped with a different package from the one she's used to. She's used to man who view woman as sex objects. He didn't even for once showed sexual interest in her. They would chill together just talking and getting to know each other. She connected with him in a deep level. She fell in love. Even after knowing about his condition, she never cared.

"Feeling better?" he asks looking at her. She smiles faintly and nods, he kisses her and cuddles her.

They lie there in silence. She wants to talk about it but she doesn't know where to start. She's scared he will not look at her the same way. She doesn't want him to start feeling sorry for her and treating her differently. She's not her past, she tries to move on from it each and everyday.

"I went to the men's clinic" he says breaking the silence.

"You did?" she asks looking at him.

"Yes, I want to make you happy. I know you said sex is not what makes you happy but I want to be able to please you" Nolifa smiles.

"You did all of that for me?" he nods.

"I've fallen in love with you Nolifa. I've never felt this way about any woman before. After what happened I thought I was never going to be in a relationship again but you came along and changed all of that"

"I love you too" she says and kisses him.

*
*
*

CELIWE

"What upsets me the most is that he gave me hope. I believed he was done being his parents puppet. He didn't even think twice or talk to me about it. Now he's expecting me to drop my life here and go to England. How am I going to survive in a country where they speek shakespeare English, a country where I know no one" she wipes her tears and drink the wine. Connie and Nokwanda are looking at her with sad faces.

"I'm sorry dade. I really trusted Donovan. The guy has been doing great on his own. He has very controlling and toxic parents and he doesn't see" -Nokwanda

"Now I see even if they can tell him to take another woman as his wife he will do it and expect me to understand"

"He just proved to his parents that he lacks a backbone, they will forever use him. You have to fight to separate him from those people while you still have a chance or you will lose him" -Connie

"I thought I hated his parents, now I hate them even more. Nx!" She says finishing what's left in her glass "uBhebhizwe is staying at my RDP" she says to Nokwanda who snorts.

"I want life to show him flames, maybe uzoqaqeka laykhanda. Ngasithanda islima kanti sidlala ngami. Nx!"

"Connie should give us the love portion she's feeding Bhutiza because wow" Connie smiles

"Don't lose hope. Just work on things you will get there. Donovan loves you" Connie says with an assuring smile.

"As for me, I shall continue searching" -Nokwanda

"You won't even search, the right one will find you"

The front door opens and Donovan walks in. Connie and Nokwanda excuse themselves.
He sits down next to Celiwe. She shift to the end of the couch. He looks at her. He has bags under his eyes.

Celiwe left night. She called Nokwanda to pick her up as soon as his parents left.

"I'm here to fetch you"

"Ungisaphi?"

"English, please"

"iHeeeh!"

"Why are you being like this?"

"I'm being like what?*

"You're not being supportive or understanding"

"What am I understanding? that you want to be your parents puppet, again?"

"I'm not being anyone's puppet, this is my dream, I've always wanted to take on the family business"

"Then I don't fit in your dream. You can go back to England, it's fine." He moves closer and tries to hold her but she's resisting.

"Please. I cannot leave without you"

"Oh, so you're really leaving?" She looks at him tears looming in her eyes.

"I love you Celiwe. I need you, I cannot do this without you. Please"

"What lies did your parents feed you? Have you forgotten how they dropped you? Those people don't care about you, they never have and it's sad that you can't see all of that. I'm not going to support this. You may not see them for what they are but I do. When they dump you don't come back to me. In fact, forget about me the moment you get on that plane" she says and stands up leaving him alone.

*
*
*

MAHLATHINI

It's the photoshoot for their wedding invitation letters. He's not photogenic in anyway, well, according to him. The audience in the studio is going crazy "Why are all these people here?" he whispers to Connie who is just smiling.

"We're celebrities, are you forgetting? these are our fans"

"Don't they have lives? it's just pictures, why are they making it a big deal?"

"Can you chill? Please"

"I can't chill, they are invading our privacy"

"This photographer is sponsoring our wedding. He has rights to do whatever he wants, the point of all this is for him to gain momentum and grow his business, it's a win win situation"

"I don't understand the win win situation"

"You're so stubborn Ngamela"

After an hour the shoot is over. Now they have to take pictures with the fans. Mahlathini is not enjoying any second of it.

"Ngicela ukushutha noMageza nami!" one of the girls says in excitement.

"uMageza unyoko" Mahlathini clicks his tounge and walks out leaving mouths gaping.
Connie follows him out to the car.

"What was that?" she asks getting in the car.

"Did you hear what she called me?"

"I'm sure she didn't mean it as an insult"

"Tell Celiwe to delete this Facebook page
thing. I don't want people in my business-"

"You're overacting, we'll lose the sponsors"

"I don't give a fùck, I can pay for my wedding"

"Okay. Okay" Connie says and takes his hand "I'll tell Celiwe. Now calm down soka lami" he looks at her and ends up smiling "I enjoyed making people jealous on Facebook, but it's okay" she says with a sad pout. Mahlathini leans in to kiss her.

"I'm going to give you the wedding of your dreams Cinderella" he says and they both laugh.