Simbongile Princess Ntabeni: The Called (S2)

Chapter Twenty-Two

- Siyambonga Ntabeni -

I skipped interval, I had work to catch up on in class because we were playing that week so that meant we had to work harder as we would skip some classes. I preferred working ahead, instead of being behind. Sim came looking for me, she had apparently bought lunch for both of us, which she seldom did. Yes, we were close. But each spent interval with their own friends...

Sim: You busy?
Me: Yup, trying to work ahead. Siyadlala this week so that means I will miss some classes.

She nodded, I frowned.
Something was bothering her.

Me: What's up?
Sim: Nothing... I thought we'd share this.
Me: Ziphi ii friends zakho?
Sim: Ndibashiye pha.

I smiled at her and took what she came with ndatya.
She also ate in silence while finished what I was writing and then gave her my full attention.

Me: Okay, tell me what's bothering you. And be honest.
Sim: Haibo Junior, I am not bothered by anything, yintoni caba I can't share my lunch with you? Yho ha.a ke nyana ka Ta Bhora.
Me: Try again, smart-pants.

She sighed, and fiddled with her hands.

Sim: Remember lamcimbi ndandiye kuwo kwa Mam'Sonto?
Me: Yes.
Sim: Kuthwe phayana we should not engage in any sexual activities, six weeks before sibuyele phaya and six weeks after simkile phaya. That instruction was for mna ke nabanye abafundayo, because abanye aba bashiyekileyo inoba sebezogoduka ngoku.
Me: That should be fine though, umntu wakho use Durban and anyway awukho sexually active. Why are you stressing?

She didn't respond.

Me: Wait, are you two sexually active Princess?
Sim: Gosh, don't call me that.
Me: Haibo, uyi Princess ka tata nje. Or umntu xa ekhula uyatshintsha?
Sim: Can we go back to what we were talking about?
Me: Okay, that. Are you sexually active?
Sim: Not yet...
Me: But you are planning to be?

She heaved.

Me: Wow!
Sim: Qhamani and I were planning to be... don't ask.
Me: I won't.
Sim: Now the thing is that akabuyi ngo June, which is fine with me and with the program itself. iStress sam ngoku is that how do I communicate these restrictions ku Qhamani going forth? What if I am not allowed sele elapha and nathi sesiplanile to do our things like normal couples Siya? Like... this life is so complicated and exhausting.

I nodded.
First things first, I was shocked that they were not sexually active yet. Qhamani was a strong and better man... Secondly, I felt sorry for her. I didn't know how it felt like being in her shoes. Yes I had always tried to make her life better, I had always defended her and fought for her, but I knew I will never know how she really felt.

Me: I think you're asking me because I'm a guy, right? Not because I ought to understand what you're going through?
Sim: Yes, and maybe communicate with Qhamani on my behalf.
Me: I will talk to him, but you will have to explain to him that awufani nabanye abantwana. Awufani nam yet I am your twin. If he cannot take the heat, or if he doesn't understand that there will be times where you cannot see each other, even senibadala if le relationship yenu gets to such stages, then he will have to let you go.
Sim: Let me go? Haibo, kutheni sesi break-up'a ngoku?
Me: Kaloku Sim you cannot sacrifice your calling for indoda, noba umntu umthanda kangaka nani. You know better than that.

She didn't respond...

Me: Let's say he decides to come back ngo June ube wena uyophehla, will you come back ngenxa yakhe? Will you drop everything, just because he decided to come spend the holidays this side? Do you think he will do the same for you? Do you actually understand that uQhamani uzoyokwaluka akushiye apha? He will not compromise on that, I don't get why wena you feel like you should.

She didn't respond... but I felt like she would compromise.

Me: Awukhuliswanga elohlobo ke, don't even think about compromising.
Sim: I won't, I don't think he would even expect me to.
Me: Mmh.
Sim: Thank you for listening, but I have to leave you now.
Me: I love you.
Sim: I love you too, now bye bye. Yho!

She kissed my cheek and walked out.
My friends walked in, and there was no more working. We spent the interval laughing and browsing through social media.

****

After school I went to my practice, bumping onto Musa on her way to our pickup spot. She was old enough to walk herself now, and she had walking buddies too.

Musa: Uyaphi Niya?
Me: Ebaleni, ukhumbuze umama ba angandilindi.
Musa: Okay, nd'cela undiphi imali ye ice cream ke.

I gave her R20 note, she was pleased.
As we walked away from her and her buddies, we heard screams from inside the school and I don't know why but my instinct went straight to Simbongile. I dropped my bags and ran back to the school, when I got to the crowd... I saw Sim fighting. Not only was that shocking but who she was fighting with was even a shocker. I cut through the crowd and grabbed Sim, swaying her to the other side.

Kamva: Nantso ke into enithembele ngayo, kukupakanyela, ndibethe Siyambonga! Ndibethe!
Thuli: Hayi Kamva, hayi!

I didn't even bother myself with her, I grabbed Sim's bag and dragged her out of the yard by the belt of her tunic. She was crying, hysterically and I didn't even utter a word. Kamva was busy swearing at us, both of us. Her friends who knew that we were family came to us and checked on Sim. One of them, Thulisile, just started explaining what happened even before I could ask her what happened or how the fight started.

Thuli: I know she will blame Sim on this but we all know that she was wrong. uKamva ufuna u Qhamani Siya and she vowed that she will get him. Kudala ke simnqanda because we know Qhamani is Sim's boyfriend and you guys are family. I don't know what her intentions are, but ke, she started this fight because of some conversation that transpired between her and Qhamani. Akangeni ndawo tu u Sim qha u Kamva ufuna into azom'bamba ngayo ndikuxelele Siya.

My friends brought my bags to us, luckily for u Kamva they were going to be fetched by her dad instead of mom. I helped Sim in the car, her bag in the trunk and mine too but I kept my sports bag because I was still going to the field.

Bhut'Masi: Haibo, utheni u Sim?

I didn't respond.

Bhut'Masi: Junior? What happened?
Musa: She was fighting with KG.
Bhut'Masi: What? Uphi u Kamva?
Me: Ndiya ebaleni bhuti, I'll call xandiphuma for someone to come and fetch me.

Then I looked at Sim, she was shaking.
It was only that moment that her anger was kicking in. I wiped her tears with my hand and walked away before ubhuti could ask me more questions that I wasn't going to answer.