Beckoned Through The Dark

01 // Lesego// Gatekeepers

"Lesego, come down, we are running late for school!" My mom shouted from downstairs. I was currently in my room, doing my hair. "LESEGO!" She yelled.

"I'M COMING!" I yelled back. My classes started at 8a.m. and it was currently six, so I had about another fifteen minutes to tide up my room. I scanned the room and frowned. The room had pale pink walls, one window that only showed a huge dark wall at the back of our house. My room was attached to a bathroom, my own bathroom, and it only had a double bed, a wardrobe, a study table, a bookshelf, a large mirror and a large lamp. Most of the things were either pink or baby blue.

"LESEGO, DON'T MAKE ME COME AND DRAG YOU OUT OF THAT ROOM!" My mom threatened; knowing her, she would probably do it.

"SORRY, MOM! I'M COMING!" I yelled and picked up the clothes scattered across the room, throwing them into the washing basket. I took my bag from my study table and looked at myself in the mirror one last time before I ran out of my room and hurried downstairs. My mom was waiting at the door with her hands on her hips, and on her side stood my 6 year old sister, Dineo, who was busy reading a novel, and my 15 year old brother, Duncan, who was busy typing on his phone.

"That was quick." My sister retorted sarcastically. For a six-year-old, she was quite tough, and by that, I mean SMART with capital letters. I don't know when or where she learnt how to read, but somehow, she read. She reads novels, mostly written by Nicholas Sparks, Meg Cabot, and she had the likes for Bessy Head. Her favourite book is 'The Fault in Our Stars' by John Green, she can read that book repeatedly without getting tired or losing interest. You want to be my sister's bestie? Buy her a book.

"Good morning to you too, Dineo." I smiled at her. "Morning, mom. Morning, Duncan." I greeted them while busy adjusting my bag.

"Come on! We are already late; we still have to drop Dineo and Duncan." My mom said and walked out of the door with Dineo following her. I was now left with my brother.

"Sure, Will." Duncan smirked at me while staring at his phone. I glared at him. Duncan is fifteen and is doing his grade eight or something. He was the only person in the house who knew about my relationships. Well, at least the ones my mother is not supposed to know of. So basically, he has leverage over me, and once he says Will, he wants something. "What do you want?" I gritted. He smirked, knowing exactly that I had no other choice but to agree with whatever it is that he said.

If only mom was not such a threat, I wouldn't be going through this. For an ordinary woman with an ordinary income, which she got from God knows where, she was well connected. She knew a lot of people, from police officers, doctors and businessmen. Would it shock you to know that she knew my dean? Well, apparently, she does, and trust me, that's not the worst part. The worst part is, I am being watched, and treated like 'Beyonce: The President's Daughter.' I'm doing my fourth year, which is my final year, in psychology, so I've taken this treatment for almost all my life.

"Today I'm on dish duty, but I can't because I have to meet up with my friends, we have soccer practice." Duncan said. I pressed my lips into a thin line as I felt my temper rise. "Soccer practice my ass!" I snapped. Duncan knew that I had a lot of assignments and I come home late due to back-to-back practicals. And you know what's worse about all this? My mom had a roaster, Duncan and I took turns to wash dishes, do the laundry and clean the house. But Duncan was starting to take advantage of the situation; he made me do his work most of the time. Believe it or not, he doesn't even play soccer, but he has soccer practice. "Thanks, Sis. I knew you would come through." Obviously!

I pushed him out of the way and walked out of the house, slamming the door before he could slip out. Mom had already parked the car outside the gate. I marched towards the sliding gate and pushed it with so much force that it banged against the wall, earning me a cold glare from my mother, to which I gave a forced apologetic smile.

I walked to the car and placed my bags at the back. I carried two bags every day, my laptop bag and school bag. I walked back to the gate and stood on the side, keeping myself busy with my phone. It was routine that Duncan must lock the gate, and I must double check. I don't know why, but my mother insisted that I double check everything every time we lock, from the car doors, the gates, the burglar, the door and the windows, and she would freak out whenever she would find a window opened at night, or the door left unlocked.

It scared me sometimes how overprotective my mother could get, she literally locks the gate at 6p.m., and she expects us to be home by half past five, especially myself. "Good morning, white girl!" I was taken out of my thoughts by my neighbour’s, Claudia's shrilling voice. Claudia was a fair African girl in her mid-twenties, she was two years my senior. Claudia is obsessed with white people because of apartheid. Her obsession goes as far as her becoming a politician, promoting racism at school.

She hates white people, and she hates me with all her life. And you know what's funny about this situation? I am coloured, not white. But to her, if you got some colour, you are white. "Morning, Claudia!" I greeted her back. "It is Claudia, not Clawdia!" She said as she stepped into her car, she closed the door, more like slammed, and sped off. Watching her car fade in the distance, I shook my head and looked at my watch. "Duncan!" I shouted. We were running late, and he was still in the house, doing only God knows what!

He ran out of the house and closed the door, locking it. I huffed and marched into the yard to make sure that he locked the door and burglar properly. "The last one out locks the gate!" He shouted and ran out of the yard and climbed into the car. I slid my phone into my jean pocket and closed the gate, locking it. "Lesego! Hurry up, we are running late!" My mom shouted, hooting for me in the process.

I hurried to the car, and jumped in, slamming the door. My mom drove off immediately. During the drive to Duncan and Dineo's conjoined school, I remained quiet, while mom, Duncan and Dineo were mingling, or rather, mom telling them the rules.

They tried to get me to engage a few times, but I blew their attempts each time. I was pissed with the fact that my mom held me responsible for every little thing. Duncan spends thirty minutes in the house while we wait for him outside and she doesn't say anything, and then when he finally decides to come out, she blames ME for us running late.

She just ruined my Monday. I was looking forward to this day. I was excited that I would finally get to see Sihle after spending a weekend away from him, but right now, not even thoughts of him could soothe my nerves.

This is going to be a long day! I thought as I closed my eyes.