Chapter 3

MAFUNGWASE

After school ,I went back home and took a shower then started cooking dinner. While I was cooking dinner ,dad came back from work and simphiwe is preparing to go to his night shift .

"Have you seen my pepper spray?"

He say zipping his police jacket and I close the pot then face him.

"Nope ,ask Aphelele "

He nods and goes to ask Aphelele. Mom walks in the kitchen and take water from the fridge.

"Aren't you going to work mom?"

"I am but I will go around half past 6 "

I nod and she goes back to their room .simphiwe takes his lunch box and kisses my cheek then goes out . Aphelele opens the gate for him and he drives out .

After cooking dinner ,mom dishes their lunch boxes then prepares to go to work .

"Your dad will eat amasi ,don't dish for him "

I nod and she says her goodbyes and kisses to us as she goes to the garage .dad opens the gate for her then she drives out .since I ate when I came back from school ,I dish for Aphelele and Qiniso.

This place is boring ,it's too quiet and I honestly miss the Umlazi loudness and since we have no electricity here , I used the gas stove to cook .I don't usually do that but I had no other choice . Life was easy at Umlazi, even though it was sometimes hard but atleast we had electricity and proper water.

I never thought I would say this but i think I prefer Umlazi than the burbs .I cover myself with the blanket and try to close my eyes but that doesn't help ,I can't even fall asleep .so I decide to sneak out and go to take a walk .

My parents are strict, so dad won't allow me to take a walk at 19:00 but I have no choice .i want to feel peace and silence all the loud thoughts in my mind ,like what if my parents find out that i beated the shit out of that girl or find out that i once dated because trust me ,aphelele is not afraid on telling on me .

I open the gate and walk out then close it .I start playing power trip by Jay Cole on my phone and i put on my earpods .my hands are in my hoodie as I take a walk around the area.

My mind isn't even around here ,the air is hitting my skin and the peace that I'm feeling is amazing. There's no dogs barking and it's like I'm in my own world where there's no one .

As I'm taking a corner ,I hear a car hoot behind me and when I turn around ,it's coming on my way in a speed mode .I end up falling because of fear and I think I twisted my ankle.

The car stops and its owner climbs out of it and walks to me .he is not that old ,he is a teenager like me .so why is he driving at that speed this late?.

"I'm so sorry "

He says kneeling to me and touches my ankle as I wince. He is not bad, he is handsome but stupid ,a very stupid lightskin indeed .

"Of course you have to be sorry ,you nearly killed me .yazi ngingakubophisa "

He chuckles, showing those perfect pearly teeth with those charming dimples. I wish I had dimples maybe i would've been more prettier but people say my chubby cheeks suit me ,which is a confidence booster.

"Awu intokazi enhle kanje singaze ibophise uswahla lensizwa elinjengami "

I giggle, because who the fuck told him that he is handsome?.
Well he is but still ,he shouldn't be that sure hle ,some of us will bruise his ego .

"Who told you that uswahla lensizwa wena?"

"Ngiyazi ,let me help you .your ankle looks bad "

He helps me to stand up and we walk to his car . He makes me sit on the front and closes the door after helping me to climb in .he walks to his side of the car and get in .aibo what if he kidnaps me ,what if he works with certain people and does this every night, these days we can't trust people. Thousands of girls goes missing like this and I'm so not ready to be part of that percentage.

"Wangithumba my brother will find you ,he is a police man "

I quickly say and he looks at me weirdly then laugh.
"What ,did i say a joke or something?"?

No because why is he laughing, I never said something funny .boys will forever be crazy .ngl I'm acting strong right now kodwa ngiyaqaqazela because if he kidnaps me ,ngizobhosha nkosiyami hawe mah ,ngizokaka!.

"I won't kidnap you ,i don't do that plus I wanted to help you since I'm responsible for your ankle being hurt "

I nod and he starts the engine .I still don't trust him ,light skins are evil .

"My name is menzi mthethwa and yours?"

"Mafungwase ngcobo "

"Are you the only girl at your home ?"

I nod and he smile ,his dimples being visible. They are so charming .

"I meant it when I said you are beautiful "

"Thank you swahla lensizwa "

He smirks .

"Is that a compliment or what ?"

"Nah just being sarcastic, I don't compliment boys"

"Yhoo "

He asks for directions and I give him .I ask him to park few houses away from my home since I don't want dad to see me getting out of some random car .this was unexpected and weird.

"So you won't need help on getting out of the car or something?"

"No i will be fine, thank you for almost killing me "

He chuckles.

"It was a mistake nkosiyami, vele where were you going ?"

"I don't know yazi but I was going to clear my mind "

He nods and takes out his wallet ,a whole teenager with a wallet at this day and age?

"A teenager with a wallet ?"

"Who told you that I'm a teenager?"

"It's evident nkosiyami, plus your face looks like a baby face or something "

"I don't know whether that's an insult or compliment but thank you "

He gives me some cash .

"Please go buy yourself some medication and sweet things ,also don't go to school tomorrow please "

Ehh a whole handsome stranger worried about a fatty stranger ,that's new.

"Okay "

I climb out of the car .

"Maybe we will meet again "

He says before I close the gate .

"I don't think so lush "

I close the door as I feel the rain drops and limp to the gate .I open it and lock it then limp to the house. When I get in the house, I find dad sitting at the sitting room with aphelele. They both look at me and I stand there stuck as fuck .

"Ubufunani emnyango and why are you limping?"

"I went to close the gate and twisted my ankle "

He gets up and helps me to sit down.

"Sorry mntanami "

"Ngiyabonga baba"

He examines my ankle and aphelele comes with a rubbing cream and he starts rubbing me with it ,which hurts so bad .

MENZI

I place the car key on the kitchen counter and grab some water from the fridge .while I'm drinking water ,sabelo hits my shoulder and I turn around to look at him.

"Ungishayelani manje?"

"Hawu yini manje ulaka?"

I shake my head and close the fridge then fully face him .

"I always hit your shoulder when I see you ,what's wrong?"

I sigh .

"Lihle dumped me "

"Ehh when?"

"Tonight, when I went to see her "

"So that's why you are so down ?"

I nod and he sighs.

"Yhoo sorry bafo "

"I thought she was the one but atleast i got to see the chubby cheeks that I was telling you about "

I say smiling and he smirks.

"The new girl that recently moved in, when did you see her ?"

"When I came back from lihle ,yazi i almost hurt her and I wonder if she is okay right now "

"What happened kanti ?"

"I almost ran her over ,so she fell and twisted her ankle and I gave her a lift "

"Yena what was she doing at the road during night?"

"Apparently she was taking a walk to refresh her mind. "

"Mmmmm "

He says looking at me up and down .

"Hawu yini?"

"Ayi lutho "

He says leaving me at the kitchen and I chuckle, he definitely wants to say something.