True To Life

18. Children of the sun

Exams didn't wait for me to feel ready, but I am studying very hard so I can get good marks. Vusi has been studying with me as well, however Phindulo said she will have to be at home and look after her father. Us visiting the graveyard really made a difference, she told me she wants to spend as much time with her father as possible, regardless of how his health is deteriorating, she wants to remind him that the same way he looked after her, she will keep watch over him now.

Today was Mathematics day, I feel relieved that I will no longer be anxious about how the paper will be like because I am done with it. I am not one to dwell much on how the paper was, one this I can't take well though is the suspense.
"Hi" She smiles at me as she walks out of her class
"Hi, how did you write?" I ask her
She picks her bag and walk to me.
"I should be the one asking you, but if you really want to know it was okay." She answers
We walk a block to where Vusi is writing.
"How do you feel, with your last paper?" Phindulo asks
"I feel relieved, I was going crazy last night and this morning before getting in class" I answer
She laughs and hand me a hand sized box. I look at her but she just smiles at me.
"Open it" She says
I open the box and inside is a watch, a beautiful watch.
"I got it on our vacation before we broke up, I was so nervous about giving it to you that I ended up holding on to it until we broke up. Then I couldn't give it to you, I really don't know if you like or wear..."
"It's beautiful and I love it. Thank you Phindu" I answer
"What are you two love birds on about?" Vusi asks standing beside me
I don't know why he keeps calling us that, I can tell how it makes Phindulo uncomfortable.
"Oh wow, presents. Do I get one two?" Vusi asks
Phindulo laughs.
"I am sorry, at the time I didn't think..." she stops then looks at me
"No, Vusi. You don't get anything from her" I intervene
Vusi throws his hands up in surrender and doesn't say anything. We walk to the que and stand there. I will miss this, I think for the three of us it is now just a habit, this was a time when we can laugh and catch up. Then we would eat, and go back to class. But for me initially it was a place i despiced at first, the humiliation and the judgments. Until one day in class a guy i admired walked in and sat beside me, i always sat alone because people looked at me like i am dirty. So i was surprised when he sat next to me, not only that but he started talking to me, when i tried ignoring him he didn't stop talking to me. He followed me around the whole day that day, talking about music, video games and cars. Then after school, he waited for me and i had to walk with his sister. That happened everyday and in the morning they would wait for me at the 4 way stop.
"Damn man, this is the last day for us Phindulo, won't you miss me? I say me because I know for a fact you will miss Ndavhe" Vusi trying to mess with Phindulo, but shrugs.
"Do you enjoy being yourself?" I ask annoyed
He looks at me briefly, then back at phindulo "Obviously, Ndavhe wrote a song for you. Did he tell you?" He asks her
She looks shocked, I don't know how Vusi does it or maybe it comes naturally...but he can be so annoying when he wants to be, i mean it.
"You are lying " She says to Vusi, trying to convince herself.
"Well, he's right here. Ask him." Vusi answers, then both of them face me.
"He is lying right?" She asks me, I don't want to lie to her, i have already put her through a lot.
"No, I did but it was more about me than you. How you changed me and your impact in my life" I answer
She swallow then look at Vusi.
"Did you record it?" She asks Vusi
He shakes his head.
"He asked me not to." Vusi answers
"Can he record it?" She asks now looking at me, I don't know but I don't want to say no to her, but i can't. I really have a soft spot for her.
"Yes, he can" I answer
She smiles at me then Vusi who has a smirk on his face. He did this on purpose.
"I have to get back to class, I will see you guys at home. Since you are going home now." She says
We say our goodbye and she walks to class.
"I love how you can't say no to her" Vusi says as we walk to the gate
"You tricked me" I push him away but he laughs
"Think of it as the last thing you can do for her, if not other things" Vusi adds
"What are you talking about?" I am too tired to deal with him
"She is no longer giving her attention to the Polo guy, maybe she is waiting for you to make a move" Vusi answers
"What is wrong with you? She is dealing with a lot and you want me to take advantage of her" I stop
"No, I am not asking you to take advantage of her. I know you love her, like whatever. Maybe that is why you picked her over Taki after all" he walks past me
What? I don't love her, or do I? I walk fast to catch up with him.
"I don't want to make the same mistake again, I am leaving her here. I  will be selfish to give her false hope that we will be together again..."
Vusi looks at me then shows me his phone, my legs stops moving and i feel my whole body weighing on me as i try to catch up with him. Instead he walks back to me and stands in front of me.
"I had to show you this..." He says
"Fuck you Vusi" i utter slowly as my body lightens up and i start walking, away from him, away from whatever he just showed me. I want to hit something or crush something so much that i can squeeze the life out of it. When i get home, no one is around, on yes i am early. I walk to my room, take off my shoes and lie on the bed.