My day goes well and thank god Mr Ncube doesn’t make me carry his books again. From the looks of it, he is on my case. I don’t understand what is going on with him and I know I am not seeing things. He is on my case and I don’t understand why. I haven’t been rude to him or given attitude to his subject for him to treat me as he does. Not forgetting how he keeps calling me Isheanesu and picking me even when my hand is not up. I repeat, teachers need counseling.
“The award for the most beautiful girl in the world goes to Anesu Gwenzi!”
“Tawana what do you want?” I push his arm off my shoulders. I haven’t forgotten how he always says I look like a boy. By the way, I don’t look like a boy, my brothers just love ganging on me. If there’s anyone who looks ugly it is them. One would swear they have a criminal record.
“I am just greeting you. And have you seen how beautiful you look? You could be the next Mrs Masiyephambili.”
I roll my eyes, “Does that work on your girlfriend because it is very lame? And, tell me what you want while I am still asking nicely.”
“Okay… I need to take my satchel home with you. I need to go somewhere."
“Are you going to see that girl of yours that stutters?” I ask. My brothers also have horrible taste in girls.
“She doesn’t stutter, she is just scared of you. Your resting bitch face is kind of scary.”
“I will carry your satchel only if you help me with my Science notes. I need to catch up, I am a little behind,” I say.
“Deal but I will only do four pages, back to back. Nothing more.”
I smile taking his satchel, “Deal!”
“And go straight home. Send me a text message when you get home.”
“You and Wandile are very weird at times. What happened to not knowing each other within school grounds?” I question. Man his satchel is so heavy.
“You talk too much that’s why. Go home and stop asking too many questions. Come let me buy you an ice pop before I go,” he takes my hand and leads me to the tuck shop.
He buys me an ice-pop, orange flavor cascade juice with a pack of lemon creams biscuits. It’s nice being a little sister. On our way out we bump into Mr Ncube. This man is everywhere. I greet him and he mumbles his afternoon. He can go to hell for all I care.
Tawana and I part ways by the gate. I don’t know why he would want to go visit his girlfriend wearing a school uniform. I get a taxi home. Today there wasn’t a free ride. I don’t have any homework so I copy History notes from Sharon’s book. Mr Ncube made it clear that he wants his notes, not another teacher’s. I swear one day I will get expelled for talking back at him. He is such a pain in the stomach. May I say Sharon has terrible handwriting. I had to call her and ask a few things because I cannot see anything. She writes like a doctor. This is the handwriting Mr Ncube should struggle with not mine. Despite not being able to see some things, I solder on. When Wandile gets back home from school, I trick him to write my notes for me. He complains about Sharon’s handwriting but complains writing. In return, I wash his uniform for him. It is an eye for an eye in this house.
***
“What was the name given to Germany and her allies during the First World War?” Mr Ncube asks and no one answers. Can the lesson end already so he can go? “Isheanesu!”
“The Central Powers.”
“Good!” he passes by my desk taking my sketchbook with.
Are we allowed to beat up teachers? I swear Mr Ncube is asking for it. I could never win but one of these days I will give him the middle finger. This man is always on my case. My hand wasn’t even up when he picked me. The bell puts us out of our misery and he leaves the class, thank God.
