Simbongile Princess Ntabeni: The Called (S2)

Chapter Seventy-Four

-Simbongile Princess Ntabeni-

As we finished our meal, the waiter brought us the bill and Siya thought it best to introduce me to the guy. Now that I knew he was Ta Skara's son, I could see the resemblance. He was obviously older than both of us, very mature looking guy, a bit handsome than his dad. He must have gotten that from his mom because Ta Skara was everything BUT handsome. I smiled at my own thoughts knowing ndizotsho ku Siya xasi goduka.

Siya: Ta Nkuja, this is my twin-sister... Simbongile. Sim, ngu Ta Nkuja lo.

Nkuja: Nice to finally meet you Sim, the full name is Nkululeko.

Me: Ebefika ahlebe ngam lo apha?

They both laughed, Siya paid as he was laughing at my question.

It's the "finally meet you" part that made me ask that, and judging by their response, ebefika andihlebe nyhani la Siya.

Me: There's my answer, nice to meet you too Nkululeko.

Siya: Hayibo sisi, isima phambili!

Me: He said he is Nkululeko kum, nguwe oze noo Ta Nkuja, sundifaka torho.

Nkuja: And I am totally fine with you calling me Nkululeko, don't mind him.

Siya squinted his eyes at Nkuja and I laughed.

Nkuja: You never told me she is this beautiful though.

Siya: And she is single, how do you like that?

Nkuja: If I could afford her dowry, you know I would very much do the right thing mfethu.

Siya: I'm the man of the house, I'm sure we could reach an understanding.

Nkuja: Hayike Ngconde uyathetha kengoku... sisi, would you like dessert? On the house.

Siya: She would love it!

Me: Whoah, whoah! Are you auctioning me? Right in front of phamb'kwabantu?

They both burst into a frenzy of laughter.

I knew they were joking around... okay rephrase... I knew Siya was probably joking around. I wasn't sure about his friend. I don't know why I felt like a part of what he said was in passing a message.

Nkuja: Well, jokes aside, I would like to offer you something sweet. On my tab?

Me: I would appreciate that, thank you very much.

Nkuja: Junior?

Siya: Sparkling water please.

Nkuja: Coming right up.

He walked away, leaving a beaming Siya eyeing me.

Me: He's cute.

Siya: He's older than you.

Me: By four or five years, yeah sure.

Siya: And he's got a girlfriend.

Me: Why is that any of my business kanene?

Siya: Simbongile!

I laughed at him.

Me: I'm joking man, he's cute yena but not my type of cute.

Siya: Mmmh.

That's all he said.

Nkululeko brought my dessert and Siya's water, we spent fifteen more minutes there and then we eventually decided to go home, because it was very late. We took a taxi, because Siya felt like walking. I'm saying he felt like walking because he knew very well that aziyi ii taxi ngasendlini especially ngelaxesha. As we got off the taxi, his phone rang, judging by the excitement on his face I knew it was Shaniqua or whatever her name was. They spoke half of the walking distance before he hung up and exhaled. I looked at him, with a frown.

Me: And that? Is it a sigh?

Siya: Abakakufundisi ukuba likhutshwa njani idliso?

Me: Ubulifake njani kuqala?

Siya: I don't know... but yho ha.a. I feel like I am suffocating.

Me: Does she know that's how you feel?

He didn't respond and I nodded.

Me: A part of me feels like that's how I make Qhamani feel. Suffocated.

Siya: Maybe... you can be a little extra when you want to.

Me: You're supposed to make me feel better.

Siya: Okay sorry.

Me: I feel like for the longest time I depended on him too much, especially with the passing of utata and granddad. I may have used him for my emotional stability and stuff like that... ingathi ndivele ndamenza utata mani Siya uQhamani. I don't know how else to put this.

Siya: Do you still love him, even after yesterday?

Me: That's not what we are talking about.

Siya: I know, but I have to know where you stand with him right now. Look, I will not tell you who to love, or how much of yourself to give to whoever but what he did there was effed up.

I kept quiet.

I didn't know where I stood with Qhamani too... last time I checked, I was mad at him and then Siya bullied me into going out, and that was it. I didn't have time to think about him after we left the house. I hated how much I could tell Siya was seeing through me. I didn't know twins had that.

Me: I don't know.

Siya: Tell yourself the truth.

I sighed... rolling my eyes at him.

Yup, he could really see through me.

Me: Okay fine, I love him. I still love him.

Siya: Are you staying in the relationship? Bear in mind that he lives in a different province and you will still continue to see him once or twice in a year. You staying in the relationship will not only test how well you trust him, but how well you are in your mentality.

Me: In my mentality?

Siya: Mental space mani, like, you cannot and you will not stay in that relationship if it is going to drain you and weigh you down all the time because of trust issues and stuff. If you decide to stay then you will have to be sure that you are mentally ready for EVERYTHING that will come your way.

Me: Uthetha ngathi Qhamani is a serial cheater kengoku, like, if I want to stay in the relationship I must be ready to be cheated on every other month.

Siya: Qhamani and Buhle are in KZN. You are in the Western Cape. Do the math.

Me: He loves me though... I mean, he told me about what had happened ngokwakhe. I didn't just stumble on the proof, he confessed.

Siya: Would he have told you if Buhle had not posted the pictures? Is that what you think?

No.

He wouldn't have... that was the hardest pill to swallow. He wouldn't have told me, deep down, I knew that and I hated how Siya was becoming more like dad with each day that passed.

Siya: I can only fight for you to a certain point... from there on, uzaw'zilwela ntanga.

Me: Yeah I know... and I appreciate you for having my back. Always.

He opened I gate yakokwabo and waited for me to walk in before locking it.

We walked in silence, each in their own thoughts... I hated how I felt, in all honesty. I hated how much I still loved Qhamani even though he may have embarrassed me on social media. Me knowing that I may have used him to heal didn't change the fact that I loved him. I hated the rawness of love and emotions, I felt like I needed a "wake up" of some sort. Anything to knock me back to my senses.