Simbongile Princess Ntabeni: The Called (S2)

Chapter Twenty-Six

-Simbongile Princess Ntabeni-

I lay on my back and breathed.
For some reason I didn't want to cry anymore, maybe it was the assurance I got from Qhamani... I don't know. I hated that I was right though... like, even going over everything that she said, word for word... there's no consistency man. Akhonto inye ndiyivayo ayithethayo... it only made sense that nyhani ke ufuna u Qhamani or kwamna I was just jealous of their friendship but I didn't want to say that to him. Or I didn't want to admit that to myself kuqala.

I got up, charged my phone and went back to bed... I was left with sorting out the bathroom. iiTowels zomntu kwi shelf yakhe, soaps and detergents. I promised myself that I would do that later, then I went to take a short nap. I basically spent my whole day in my room, then Siya came to check on me at about 3 pm and said ndiyabizwa ngu mamakhe. I dragged my feet thinking her new daughter imxelele about our altercation... I wasn't even in the mood to defend myself.

Me: Molweni bhuti, didn't see you earlier.
Bhut'Masi: Hey Sim, bendivasa iimoto. Slept well?

I nodded and he smiled, he was playing with Undi on the floor.

Me: Ma, kuthwa uyandibiza?
Mom: Siyokwenza iintloko, are you coming along?
Me: Si?
Mom: Me, KG and Musa.
Me: Ooh, ha.a ndi right mna.

Bhuti looked at me from the floor, Undi was on his knees emane emnyusa. I think kuthi sonke oyena mntu who was really happy ngalendlu was Undi. He got to see his Pumpkin EVERY DAY... I was happy for him, and for my airtime abangayibhataliyo.

Mom: But intloko yakho imbi... even if you don't do braids, you can wash and perm or wash and treat ke?
Me: I am going to that place next weekend, ukwenza intloko izoba yi waste mama. Ndizobuya ingathi khange ndiyenze... let's rather wait ndibuye ke.
Mom: Yho, uyayaz'ba I forgot about that. Okay ke... so awuzohamba nathi anyway? We'll get ice cream on our way back.
Me: No thank you... some other time. I haven't bathed yet and I have tons of homework to do. Hambani, nindiphathele ii wings torho.
Musa: Unemali?
Me: Ndinomama onemali chap, chill out.

She rolled her eyes and mom laughed, their beloved daughter was focused on her phone. I walked back to my room and lay on my bed, glad that I didn't have to torture myself ngokuhamba nabo. Yhu! I didn't mind borrowing uKamva umamam, she seemed like she needed her more futhi. Maybe when she sees that uyathandwa nanguye she will cool down a bit because the Kamva she has been giving us is not someone I would like to indefinitely live with. I don't like toxic environments, at all.

****

SIX DAYS LATER...

I packed my weekend bag on before I left for school on Friday morning because I was going to the initiation school for that weekend. Qhamani was aware that he's not allowed to call me la weekend yonke. Now, the problem with knowing and accepting is that zizinto ezi different ezo. I told him, he just looked at me akandiphendula. When I reminded him Thursday night wasuke wandibuza ba ndiyokwendiswa na lento kuzozovumeleka ndithethe nomntu wam xandiphaya and I just laughed at him because I did explain why, qha akafuni ukundiva.

We got in the car, bhuti drove us to school. His wife had already left.
She had a flight to catch to East London, but she promised she'd be back in time to drive me to the ceremony I needed to attend.

During the interval I saw one of Kamva's friends coming towards where I was waiting for my own friends who were still in cue at the tuck-shop.

Thuli: Sim, hi.
Me: Hi.
Thuli: I uhm... I know asizo friends, but I have always liked you noba ke ndingazange ndithethe nto nawe. I guess I liked how you and your mom handled Mr. Moodley and changed izinto for the rest of us bantwana bedlozi kwesisikolo... I just never had the guts to come and thank you, but ke enkosi.

My heart leaped!
Haibo, why was I getting excited yi Tshomi ka Kamva of all people... I contained my excitement but smiled at her, she was passing compliments mos, the kindest response would be to appreciate ii compliments ezo.

Me: I didn't even know ukuba nawe ungakuthi.

She laughed, and showed me her wrists.
She had iintsimbi ezimhlophe and one around her neck. She must have gone through the whole initiation process wagqiba mos... I was so intrigued, but at the same time afraid to ask her questions.

Thuli: I uhm, I understand you're sisters with Kamva?
Me: Your friend, yes.
Thuli: Unjani endlini u Kamva Sim?
Me: What do you mean unjani endlini?
Thuli: She seems nice, yet she gets triggered quickly nazizinto ezimuncu. I tried talking to her about this but she shut me out... my only problem is that akaziboni yena xa erongo and now that is causing a strain kwi friendship yethu nabanye abantwana.

I sighed... I didn't want to get involved yet at the same time I didn't want her to be exposed.

Me: She's generally a nice person kanti Thuli, maybe ikhona lento imphazamisileyo. Khanibe patient naye kancinci... mhlawumbi she's still adjusting, andiyazi.
Thuli: Come on Sim, you know ayikho lento undixelela yona.

I laughed at her.

Me: I don't want to get involved mntase, mandivele nditsho ke. Yi tshomi yenu, find a way to deal with her.
Thuli: So unjena nase ndlini. Okay.

I smiled and didn't even attempt to drag the conversation any longer.
My friends joined us, we excused ourselves and left her standing there. I saw her, playing netball on the school field, but ndazihambela eyam indlela...

After school they were all fetched by ubhuti, and I waited for mom to bring my weekend bag and changing clothes in her own car. She came ten minutes late, I changed my school uniform as she drove. When we got to the massive gate, I could already here intsholo yengoma, and we could see umsi coming from the back of the house apho sibasa khona for amanzi wovasa.

Mom: Ndikungenise?
Me: That won't be necessary, nankuya umkhwetha ezondivulela.

The same young girl that once welcomed us was walking towards the gate with a bowl so I could wash my feet. She opened the gate and waited for me to get off the car.

Me: That's my cue ke nantsika.
Mom: Call me when you get uncomfortable or when you want to go home.
Me: That's won't happen, but noted.
Mom: Eshe, hay thokoza gogo!
Me: Asithokozisi ke thina apha, yhithi camagu.

She rolled her eyes, we hugged and then I got off her car.
She waited until I was inside and the gate was closed before she drove off. I went to "my hut" and went to change into the required clothing, ndaqaba imbola and then joined the younger initiates at the back. uMama was with them, I greeted her and got in line. Bekukho nenkomo ewileyo, how I wished we would be allowed to take it home... but I knew that was a longshot. There was no way...

That evening after the introductions were done, we were sent to bed kwashiyeka the older initiates. All of us were expected to join them the following morning at 4 am. I got to my hut and immediately got in bed. My phone vibrated, I looked at the screen and my heart stopped for a second.

"Sim, mom was involved in a car accident after she dropped you off... I am not supposed to tell you this ke, nawe pretend like you don't know... but she collided with umama ka Kamva. She's fine though, I mean, she's not dead so don't worry much about it. Good night"

I read the message three times, and called him.
His phone was on voicemail, so I called mom, hers was on voicemail too. I took a deep breath and called bhut'Masi. His phone rang once, and then it was cut.