The Two Of Us

Chapter 4: The Party!

UKHONA MTHEMBU

Today's periods passed by so quickly like a blow of a summer wind since it's a Friday while I really wanted it to last forever. In no time, I was already climbing out of the school bus. Even the rice I cooked with chakalaka and boerwors was done in done in few minutes. Or is me who has been dreading this hour of going to that damn party?

I really don't want to disappoint my new friends and not show up. That would totally rude and I might as well lose them of which is what I am not ready for. Imagine the whole school against me and I don't even have a single person to shout "Stop" in my defense. I would die.

I stand in front of my wide open two doors wadrobe. All of my clothes  looks like mealie-mealie sacs right now. I don't see anything worth being worn out. It's not just 'out' but Ntokozo's house party, full of some rich snobs. I have to look presentable and decent. I can't go all the way from Musgrave to Morningside just to embarrass myself and my new friends in front of their rich friends.

I heave a sigh.

I really hate how I can't help it but to care about what these people think and say about me.

I finally opt for a blue jeans, a black solid mock neck tank top, a denim jacket and some white sneakers. It's the least I can do to save myself from the gossips and embarrassments. Baggy clothes makes me look even more skinny while revealing clothes are not an option either. Like who would to look at my slim dark thighs all night?

This Nathi guy will better come before my mother comes back from work. She called and said she will come back a little late. She has a lot of work to do and said something about her boss returning from his leave on Monday. As much as she's okay with everything, she will not allow me to party with the March tests approaching in few weeks.

When he finally calls and say he's outside. I grab my cross-body bag and leave making sure to lock the door and take the key with me. I will need it to sneak back in, in the middle of the night or whatever time I will come back at.

What do I do then? It's not like we're friends or anything. I don't want to overstep my boundaries. Do I sit on the front seat or what? Gosh! I'm totally bad at these things. When I touch the locked backseat door handle, he opens the passenger one from the inside.
I wonder when I will stop embarrassing myself. I awkwardly climbs in.

"This is my personal car...",he says before I can even greet him. It's not like his jerk-self deserves my hello after all. He broke my cell phone and I haven't forgotten that but I am sure he has even the Zulu saying states that, "Umenzi uyakhohlwa". But then why is telling me about his Polo being his personal car? Like duh, I can see that.

"So it's not registered under Bolt or Uber or anything."

"Huh?", is what I manage to say. I'm so in