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Chapter Twenty One.

Chapter Twenty One.

"Kindness is free stop being so stingy with it."

••

"As a school we'd like to congratulate one of our own teachers on her engagement. I'm sure we've all heard. Miss Dlamini, congratulations." Principal Phakade says before the school kids start cheering.

I smile, awkwardly at that before waving. I'm actually as exhausted as can be. My days prior to this one have been hectic. With more worry than sleep. I thought having someone doing most of the planning would be less work for Bangi and I but, that proved to be incorrect.

And then there's the prepping of our house so that it looks as presentable as possible.

"If you see her, or go to her class do congratulate her." Phakade continues before paging her notes. "Another thing we can thoroughly celebrate is how well our school performed last year. That is why we're challenging this year's matrics to deliver a full 100% compared to the 92%..."

I'm busy handing out brand new scripts to my new grade nine class. Honestly I miss my previous class, cause now I have to learn new names and new faces. "Please pass out these books." I clear my throat.

After all of them receive books I go sit on my desk, pulling my diary and place it on my lap. I quickly scan the classroom. Okay. I smell new uniform. I clear my throat again. "Morning everybody. I'm Miss Dlamini and I'll be your Life Orientations teacher...for as long as I'm here and I hope we can get to know and respect each other until then. Also I will probably mess up your names so bare with me."

They laugh a little before I allow them to tell me their names and a little something about themselves as well.

Break time came and the kids have left my class. I was still collecting a few of my things when a knock on my door causes me to look up.

"Michael?"
"Hey stranger." He leans on the doorframe.
"Hi." I force a smile on my lips as he looked at me. I squirm at the gaze, almost wishing he'd stop looking at me. "You good?"
"Would've been better if I knew where I went wrong."
"Went wrong?" I ask right before he walked in and closed the door behind him. I stood there watching him take steady steps to where I was.

"Between us Zanokuhle."
"Us? I thought we were over this Mr Jones. Why are you acting weird now?" I ask. He stands in front of me almost enclosing the space between the two of us. His hands go onto my forearms before I removed them from me. "You don't have to touch me in order for me to talk to you."

"Zano you never gave us a chance."
"What do you want me to do now then? Leave my man for you for this so called chance?"

He keeps quiet.

"Look, Michael I'm sorry if I gave you some hope for something bigger than this friendship between us but honestly you have to move on." I grab my things from my desk again and move past him heading for the door.

"Is it his money?" He asks.

Yoh yoh yoh! I swear if someone says that one more time I'm going to lose it. Why does everything have to be about money. Can't I love someone purely because of what I feel inside? Because of personality? Security? The peace of mind he gives me when I'm with him? I won't even mention the respect he gives me with no questions asked. Why should it just be because of money?

I chuckle before turning to him.

"It is." I shrug. "So what now?" He just looks at me. I suck my teeth before leaving.