Scarlett Ngcobo

Chapter 18

“Babe? Khanyi! Wake Up sunshine.”
I pulled the blanket up and covered my head. After the stunt she pulled yesterday, I don't want to see her ugly face. “Come on babe.” she lightly pulled the blankets off me. “Don't test me Jas. Please don't.”
Get up it's late. I even made you breakfast.
“Did I ask you to make me that breakfast? Last time I checked, I can make my own breakfast.”
“Don't be that person Khanyi. I know I messed up but give me a chance to explain.”
“I'm too hungry and have a banging headache to listen to your lies. Maybe after breakfast I'll give you a chance to lie to me.”
“That's not fair Khanyi! You already assuming that...” I didn't bother listening to her any further. I went to the bathroom. I took a quick hot shower hoping it would to the trick because right now I felt like shit. I wonder how does Kele manage to focus at work every Monday with a hangover.
After the shower I just put on a robe and went to have breakfast. I thought I could eat my breakfast in peace but Jas’ eyes were digging holes in my soul. I put my fork down and looked at her. “The stage is yours Jasmin Wood. Please amaze me.”
She took a deep breath.“Listen to me babe I'm really sorry for snatching the phone like that. I truly am. And I'm also sorry for disappearing like that, without any explanation.” I just looked at her with a blank face.
“Babe are you listening to me?” Jas asked while holding my hand.
“Is that all Jasmin?”
“Another client called me. Apparently she needed  someone to decorate her garden for her wedding reception. She saw what services I'm offering and called me.”
“Okay.” I stood up and washed the dishes I used and went back to the room to sleep.
I thought sleep would help but it didn't. I wore my yellow summer dress, with a pair of gold sandals and finished off the look with a yellow doek. I looked around to see if I didn't leave anything behind before leaving. It was pointless staying here at Jasmin’s apartment when things are this tense. She was sitting at the balcony. Deep in thoughts. I made my way to her. “Uhm Jas. I'm leaving now.” She turned and looked at me. “What do you mean you're leaving? Weren't you supposed to leave around 17h00?”
“Jas I said I'm leaving.”
“Babe please don't go.”
“Bye Jas. I'll call you when I get home.”
I really want to believe Jas but something is telling me that she's lying. I hope I'm wrong. I really like what I have with Jas. Ohh Lord have mercy on me. Angelique is going to nag the truth out of me.

Looks like my plea vanished into the air because when I got home my brother and his family were also at home. Everyone was having fun all smiles and loudness. “Hawu MaKhanyis nguwe lomuntu?” Bonginkosi.
“Aunty Khanyi. Aunty Khanyi.” the twins said running to me. “Hey you two.”
I put the twins down and greeted everyone.
“Why you back so early baby?” my mom asked.
“Hawu Mfazi kaBaba was I kicked out of the house?”
“You always looking for a fight neh Scarlett? But unfortunately for you I'm from church. I won't fight you.”
Everyone turned and looked at her. “Mom the only person who is always looking for a fight is you.” Bonginkosi said.
“I'm going to my room I'm tired.”
“Haibo cupcake too much information. TMI.” Olwethu.
“Yini manje iTMI wena makoti?”
I just left them there laughing at my dad and went to my room. I sent Jas a text instead of calling like I had said I would. A text is better than nothing right? Just when I took of my sandals and laid on the couch. I heard someone knocking on my door. “Come in!”
“Cupcake you good?”
Olwethu always sees everything. “Yeah I'm good. Why wouldn't I be?”
“Haibo. Don't be so defensive. I'm just asking.”
“I'm not being defe..” she stopped me before I could finish.
“Khanyisile I know you like I know my own body. When you not okay I can see it. Even your brother can see that something is wrong. He wanted to ask you but I stopped him.”
“I think Jasmin is cheating.” I blurted it out.
She just looked at me. So much for “tell me what's bothering you”.
“Are you going to say something?”
“Haibo I was waiting for you to continue. Tell me the entire story. How did you get to that conclusion that she's cheating?”
I elaborated the entire weekend to her. Even the sex part. Olwethu is like a best friend/sister. She always listens and does so with an open mind. What annoyed me, is when she said I must follow my heart. Come on! My heart is a betrayer, I'm not trusting it this time around. What type of shitty advice is that?!

This is how cheating starts. The long calls that are answered on the sly. The disappearing without any explanation. The apologies. I've been through that. Not happening again.
I honestly tried sleeping but I just couldn't. I drank the remaining vodka and still no sleep. Just when I started to doze off, my phone rang. Come on! I answered without looking at the caller ID.
“Hello.” I said in my sleepy voice.
“Baby!”
I quickly got up. I couldn't believe my ears.
“Indigo? Is it really you?”
I heard her laughing in the background. Her voice sounded as if she just woke up as well.
“Guess who is in South Africa?” Indigo.
I removed the phone from my ear to look at the numbers. It was definitely a local number and not an international number.
“Tell me you pulling my tits? Are you really here. Holy fuck! Should I come fetch you at the airport?”
“Calm your tits down. It's late. I'll spend the night at the hotel. I'll see you and the family tomorrow. I just wanted to let you know that I'm home. We have to paint the town red before I go back to Germany.”
“I can't believe that you here. Listen we'll talk tomorrow. I love you.”
“I love you too. Sleep well.” she cut the call.

I can't remember the last time I saw Indigo. One of my favourite cousins from Angelique’s side. Me and her have always been tight. Might be because we are only months apart. We just communicated less when she went abroad. She's into modelling. At only eighteen she took the decision to go to New York to further her modelling career and they loved her. She met her soulmate there. I've been following her on Instagram and the girl is doing great! Wow. I laid in bed thinking about my crazy night outs with Indigo. That girl is a party animal. I remembered how at sixteen, we once snuck out to go to a friend's house party. The best time of our lives. We thought we could smoothly snuck back into the house...

Nine years ago...

“Shhh Indigo. If you continue with this noise we going to get caught.” I pleaded with a drunk Indigo. We were still sitting in her boyfriend's car, a few streets from her parents house.
“Stop being a party pooper, Scarlett. I'm telling you everyone is asleep.”
As much as the party was lit. I wish I didn't let, Indigo to convince me to sneak out with her. I looked at her, as she sat on her boyfriend's lap and kissed him. Disgusting! I kept on looking through the window. Thinking that someone might spot us.
“Okay I've had enough. Come let's go.” I pulled her out of the car, and slammed the door.
“Really Scar?”
“Yes I know I'm a party pooper. But let's go. I'm not spending what's left of the night, staring at you sticking your tongue in Damien's throat.”
We both laughed. We stood a good five minutes standing at the door. Only now was she realising that it might have been a bad idea to sneak out.
“You know what Scar. I think we should find another alternative to enter the house.” she said looking at me. She looked sober than she did minutes ago.
“There's no other alternative. You said your parents won't hear us. So let's sneak back in before they start realising that we didn't sleep at home.”
“Fine!”
We slowly opened the door and slowly closed it. Just when we thought we good, and tiptoed to Indigo’s room. The lights went on. We both screamed out of shock. Both her parents were sitting on the couch looking at us. “We definitely in big shit right now Indigo mumbled.”
“Where do you two come from at... he looked at the time on his phone. At 01h00 in the morning?” Indigo’s dad asked getting up.
We were both just frozen on the spot. Indigo looked like she saw a ghost. She was so pale.
“Indigo your dad is asking a question.” that was her mom.
“Dad. Dad uhm. Uhm...” she looked at me. Why is she looking at me? If she thinks I can come up with a lie. She's mistaken.
Veronica, my aunt also looked at me. “Scarlett where are you and Indigo coming from this time?”
“Aunty Uhm... Uhmm...”

Present time

I laughed in the dark thinking about that night. We got the beating of our lives. You would assume that, Indigo’s parents would be chilled like other white parents. They showed us flames that night. When I went back home. I got another beating. Plus being grounded. After all that reminiscing I went back to sleep.