Midnight Thrill

Part 3

We can see the mountains in the distance, a hazy black formation perfectly structured in the distance. God's creations never cease to amaze me. In between lies a view of the whole city. The air is crisp and all you can see is a glimmering sea of the night lights twinkling in the distance.

"Wow this is gorgeous Zayn. I honestly have no words for this." She says and envelops me in a tight embrace. I'm glad she loves it. I help her get into the back of the pickup like a true gentleman and offer her extra blankets in case she gets cold.

"No I'm fine thank you."

Tonight is a clear night sky with the stars shining complimented by a crescent moon. It's only now that l realise the perfection of the night sky and its power of creating a serene atmosphere.

"It's a beautiful night tonight." She says trying to break the ice.

"Yeah it is." Why am I so quiet around her tonight?

I offer her juice and she asks me where I got this idea.

"Well I followed Mr Theron's advice and I just went for it. I've always wanted to have a picnic under the stars at this spot and tonight was the perfect evening. I'm glad you came, thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, I should be the one thanking you for allowing me to share this with you."

It's the perfect night for romance. There's a slight breeze carrying the scent of Daisies, I could recognize that scent anywhere. My mom makes sure that her garden is well taken care of, especially her Daisies. Nandi and I share a few jokes and talk for awhile as we get to know each other better.

"So how is Hillcrest High? I know you've been there for a year now but what do you think about it?" I ask.

"It's great, I moved here after much needed change and it was worth it."

"Sounds like you're enjoying it so far. This is a random question but have you always played netball?"

"No, I played basketball in my previous school and I was also on the swimming team, the best team in the province." She says playfully followed by a smirk.

"Am I talking to myself?" She adds

"What? No, I was listening. You said something about swimming and province."

"You seem zoned out."

"No I'm okay, just thinking." Thinking about how I'll make my move or how I'll ask her to be my girlfriend. Both of which seem terrifying at this moment. Nandi gives me a sceptical look but says okay to keep the conversation moving.

I didn't want an awkward moment of silence so I asked her if she had anyone special in her life. A silent moment passes and we lock eyes for a few seconds. It feels as if time stopped moving.

I lean in to kiss her. She stops me.

"Is there something wrong?" I ask. A couple of seconds pass and I watch as her facial expression drastically changes. It suddenly becomes blank but still reflects a slight feeling of anxiety and nervousness. I could see she was struggling to hide it.

I watch as she takes a deep breath and slowly parts her lips to say, "I'm gay Zayn. I'm into girls."

My heart drops. I thought we had a connection.

"It's okay, I understand."

A true gentleman doesn't act up when things don't go his way. We're done eating either way and I check the time.

"Wow, it's already midnight. Time flies hey." I say whilst packing everything up.

"Yeah it does, I'm sorry Zayn. I can see that you wanted us to be more than friends."

"It's fine, you don't have to apologize. I'd be happy to be your friend." I say a little disappointed but genuinely content.

The following Monday, Mr Theron asked to see me after class.

"So how did it go?" He said

"Not well sir.”

“You don’t have to call me sir when it’s just the two of us son.  What happened?”

“It turns out she's into girls."

"So me assigning that task didn't help?”

“Yeah, pretty much” I sigh.

”I'm sorry to hear about that. You can ask your mom to come over tonight so we can have a boys’ night. We can get all of your favourite food to help you get over Zenande if you want.”

"It's okay dad, it happens."

“You're right, but don't worry about it. In life you don't always get what you want and that's okay. Sometimes life closes certain doors to prevent you from getting hurt or wasting your time on the wrong people. Zenande being gay is a sign that there is someone out there who is perfect for you. Don't rush the process though, your perfect person will come into your life at the right time. Each relationship that you get into has the potential to build you or hold you back, enjoy the process of filtering between the two.”