Shrivelled Roses 1 (Intro)

Chapter 18

-𝑺𝒊𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒉𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝑩𝒊𝒚𝒂𝒔𝒆-

Claire woke up in East London... ukuba njani, naye akazazi.

One thing she knew without a doubt though was that her friends were going to kill her. She woke up in a room with peach walls, and very soft bed linen... it was clear that someone had shared the bed with her, the other side of the bed as messed up. She sighed, gathering courage to wake up and face whoever she spent the night with. A phone vibrated next to her... she turned towards the left and saw her phone charging. The person was considerate too...

Claire: Nele?

Onele: Where the faaaaarrr- where are you Sihle?

Claire: I don't know bruh... I .... I just woke up.

Onele: You don't know? You don't know? Claire you walked out phezolo usithi ufuna umoya, and then what happened? THINK FAST!

She squinted her eyes also trying to remember what happened the previous night.

Onele: Claire?

Claire: Chomi... my head is throbbing please don't shout. Niphi kanti nina?

Onele: Sikulo Chu apha e Bhayi mfondini silinde wena. Send location sizokuthatha ke xakucaba awuzazi ba uphi.

Claire: Okay... I'll send just now.

Onele: Don't make me call you again, vuka.

She hung up...

"Good morning..." that voice sounded too familiar, she thought without facing him. Her worst fear was having had sex with a stranger and not remember anything.

"You can look at me, I don't bite" he said that with a chuckle as he walked closer to the bed carrying a breakfast tray. She did a mental prayer before facing him...

"Luzuko... hi," she managed and he just shook his head as he joined her in bed.

That moment, she realized that she had been undressed. She was just in her underwear and someone's oversized t-shirt.

Bhazuka: Yitya uvase, your friends must be looking for you.

Claire: Siphi?

Bhazuka: We're in East London. You don't remember anything from last night do you?

Claire: No... did we..?

Bhazuka: I don't take advantage of women Siphesihle.

Claire: It wouldn't necessarily be taking advantage if I agreed to come all the way here with you.

Bhazuka: Well, seeing that we had our tongues down each other's throats in PE... when we got here I initiated, and you said no. So I stopped.

She shut her legs, blind mindedly but he noticed.

Bhazuka: If we had sex, surely you would know... you'd feel it. Andikho sure ke if you'll eat first or uzovasa... better yet, suvasa, go and get tested. If you bath, uzovasa i-evidence.

Then he got up to leave... she wanted to call him back and apologize, but her voice wouldn't allow her to so she watched him leave. Deep down, she knew and believed him. She knew they didn't have sex, but she just had to ask. With a sigh, she took the coffee first and took two sips before getting out of bed... walking to the window. She opened the curtains, with the cup of coffee in one hand and just watched the beautiful trees with droplets of morning dew covering the leaves. It was a beautiful sight, one that reminded her of home and not the concrete jungle she had accustomed her mind to. The door opened, and she turned around to see him walk back inside. He was fully dressed in jogger pants, socks and a vest. No shoes.

Bhazuka: Have you decided what you're going to do?

Claire: I will bathe and go home.

Bhazuka: You don't want to pass by the police station and maybe ask for a rape kit or something?

Claire: No... uhm, thank you for uhm... making sure I'm safe.

He didn't respond, but his face softened up.

Claire: I am usually the one who is in order, I am still not sure what happened last night but enkosi for bringing me into safety and for not taking advantage of me. And... I am sorry for earlier.

Bhazuka: I can only accept that apology if you agree to have lunch with me.

Claire: When?

Bhazuka: Whenever you're free.

Claire: Okay...

Bhazuka: I'm going out for a few minutes, the shower is on your left and your bag and clothes are in the closet on your right. I'll come back and take you home.

Claire: I can take a cab... but thank you.

Bhazuka: I will take you home obuya kwam.

She nodded almost smiling at how he wasn't taking "no" for an answer. He nodded back at her and then walked out leaving her to have her breakfast and freshen up. She heard the car as it left and then she called Onele.

Onele: Hey, you okay?

Claire: I'm fine chomi... ndise East London.

Onele: WHA-

Claire: Sungxola... and please don't tell the twins what I'm about to tell you.

Onele: Holy crap Siphesihle what have you done? Okay okay... yhima ndiphume phandle coz basalele aba.

Claire just listened until Onele indicated that she was outside.

Claire: Ndise Monti... and the guy endize naye apha ngu tamnci wo Chu.

Onele: Omphi? uTa Siya?

Claire: Wazi noo Ta Siya wena? I've only met one, Luzuko I think.

Onele: Oh, he's single.

Claire: Sies Onele, we didn't have sex.

Onele: That's okay kaloku, no need to get defensive... you will have sex qha noba kunini. He's a nice guy... bonke phofa qha igirlfriend ka Ta Siya inee chomi ezi weird.

Claire: Wawudibanaphi nazo?

Onele: Ndandikhaphe u Ginger eye kwenye iparty, they were there... bayakhweleta, bayalwa and they have big mouths. Yhu ha.a...

Claire laughed at Onele... they concluded that the twins won't be told about what happened until Claire felt they "needed" to know. After that call she bathed, cleaned his room, took the tray to the kitchen and got ready to be taken home. After an hour, he came back and found her waiting in the lounge. He left her there, took a shower and then drove her home.

When they got to her front yard, she looked at him and said "Thank you" in a very soft tone and he just laughed.

Claire: Did I say anything funny?

Bhazuka: Here's my number, I'll be expecting your call for the lunch date.

Claire: Oh wow... what your name again?

Bhazuka: It's on that card.

She clenched her teeth, nodded and got out of his car. He watched her until she was inside the yard, then he drove off.