Surviving High School.

chap.26

"Stay away from that boy Ntombiyam." Those were the first words Baba said to me since the car ride. "Daddy what do you mean?"

"Ntando Majola. Stay away from him." His tone left no room for arguments.

"Yebo Baba." I walk to the small bookshelf on the far end of the office. Baba's office is identical to a
Bhut'Ntsika and Sandils's offices. Bland and cold. Basically void of emotion. The clear white walls that make your eyes hurt if you stare for too long, the long office desk situated in the left side of the room, the black office chair. The small white couch set and coffee table that's situated on top of the white fluffy rug and lastly, the small bookcase in the far left, adjacent to the floor to ceiling wide window that shows the Johannesburg sky light.

"Baba, do we do any business with any one of The Big Five?" I trail my eyes on the covers of the business books that stacked and filled the bookcase. "Yes. Si sebenza no mndeni wakwaXherho, we've also partnered with the Groen family. Ofcourse that is not on certain for sure, partly because of their delay... Speaking of which, you reminded me. We have a Valentines day ball next Friday." He said, not bothering to look up from his laptop screen.

"Enjoy." My eyes remain on the books, "You are coming too. " I turn around.

"Baba? What happened to, it's not for fun? It's a business opportunity."

"It's exactly that. Nothing has changed. It's high time you learn the family business."

"But Baba,"

"No. I've already sent for my assistant to get you a couple of dresses."

"There was no need Baba. I could go with uMa nje."

"It's already been done." Just then, someone knocked on the door. :
"Enter"

The door opened and Bhut'Ntsika walked in. "Ntsikayomuzi?"

"Baba, what happened with Marshmellow? I came as soon as I saw the news."

"News? What news??" I ask Ntsika, advancing towards him.

"Don't worry about that Yandi." I freeze in my footsteps, "Yini?" He asks me.

"Aii, lutho bhuti. (Oh, it's nothing brother.)" I turn and walk back to the couch I was previously seated at. I throw my self with a huff. Ntsika looked at me but I ignore his stare. He sighs and focuses on Baba. I zone out whilst looking out the window.
Slowly, my eyes begin to tire and eventually they shut. I allow myself to sleep.

I woke up to my stomach grumbling painfully. My neck aches but I paid no mind to it. I slowly rose from my sleeping position. When I looked around the office, Baba and Ntsika were no where to be found. I search myself, looking for my phone only to later realize that I no longer have a phone.

I walk to the door while stretching my neck and rubbing on the sore part. I pull the door open and step out into the cool atmosphere. My eyes wonder around as I search for Amy form of human life. "Oh, Miss Mthethwa, you are awake."

I am startled by the sound and turn abruptly, forgetting that my father chose carpeted floors and it just happened that my foot got caught in the carpet. I stumble forward and fling my arms infromt of my body in an attempt to catch myself and hopefully get stability.

"Yhoo nkosi yam! Are you okay?" She gives me her hand which I use to push myself off the ground. "Yebo sisi. Thanks...uh...Where's my dad?" I ask

"He has a meeting." I turn to the direction of his boardroom. "It's...no there, this is an external meeting. He'll be back at three o'clock " She yells quietly.

"Oh. Okay. What time is it?" I ask and look at the clock on the wall.

"It's nearly one pm."

"Right, thanks." I turn back to the office. "Uh, he said to give you this." I face her, "Yes?"

"Here," She hands me a doggy bag. "Thanks." I walk back to Baba's office. "You have food, right?" I ask her before closing the door. "Yeah. I have my own , thanks." I nod and shut the door behind me. I sat at Baba's table and opened the doggy bag. Inside was a pie and a can of sprite.

It had been about two hours since I woke up and I was bored to death. The door opened and I didn't bother stopping my spinning chair. Someone came and stopped me, "Yesss?" I shut my eyes to slow down the spinning room.

"What on earth are you doing?"

"Mama?"

"Yes child." I moved my head to her lap. "You smell nice" my eyes were tightly shut because I know that if I open them, I am most likely going to vomit. "Why are you here? Where's dad?"

"Dad asked me to fetch you. He said his meeting will run longer than he thought."

"Okay." I stood up but quickly fell back into the chair. "That's what you get for making yourself Michael Schumaker! Let's go." She shouted.

"See you next time Minenhle."

"You too Mrs Mthethwa."

"Lets go Yandise-okuhle!"

"Coming" I ran to the door. "Has the delivery arrived?" Mama asks Miss Nkosi before we leave for the lift. "Yes ma'am,  as per your request."

"Thank you dear." Mama says before pulling my arm. "Ahh MaZulu. Uyangilimaza. (You are hurting me.)"

"Aii uyatefa wena marn! (Argh you are such a crybaby!)" She says before letting my wrist go. "Buka MaZulu, ngiyavumbuka. I could get you arrested for assault you know. (Look at this Mama, I'm swelling...)" I say jokingly.

"Dare me. I'll curse you for the rest of your life." She says with all seriousness on her face. "Yho!" I clap my hands in disbelief.  "So why are you not at school?" She asks me as we step into the elevator.

"Drama drama drama!" I lean on the railing. "That's called being a Mthethwa my dhiye." We are silent for the rest of the ride. We exit the elevator on the ground floor and we see Baba approaching.

"Sthandwa Sami." He kisses mom and I look away. He comes to me and kisses my forehead. "I've got to fetch some files then I'm off again. See you at home." He hurries to the  losing elevator. I shake my shock off and walk with Mazulu to the private parking.

"Ntsikayomuzi nawe ukhona?" MaZulu states as we come across my brother standing besides the car. "Yebo Ma,  uBaba ungicelile kuwo lo mhlangano. (Dad asked me to attention meeting.)"

"Ohh aii ayikho inkinga.  Sizabonana ekhaya. (Ohh okay well there's no problem. See you at home.)"

She unlocks her white jeep and steps in. I follow to the passenger seat. The drive home is quiet. As soon as we get home, I grab my things and rush to my room. I quickly log into social media. There are comments on comments on what happened at school. Someone even came up with a rumor saying that the reason why Buhlebendalo got me falsely arrested is because I 'stole' Ntando from her.

I just roll my eyes and shut my tablet off. I changed out of my uniform and decided to just chill. MaZulu came to my room as soon as I was done wearing my shorts. "Yebo ma?"

"Woza. (Come.)" I follow behind her. We walk downstairs and I am met with a lot of clothes. "Wow, uBaba wasn't joking when he said I'm attending this ball."

"No. Choose a dress or dresses you like and try them on before your other siblings get back and this house turns into a circus." I know that by my other siblings she means the twins. Those two are relentless when it comes to annoying you. I chose a lavender ball gown, a blue silk dress and a lilac long gown with a thigh high slit. I asses these dresses and decide on the lilac dress. I matched it with white open toe heels and some silver earrings and a simple silver necklace.

"Thank you MaZulu, if you do not mind, I'd love to prepare for school. I have a lot to catch up on." I grab the clothes and walk upstairs. I placed the outfit in my closet and walked to my study table. I spent the rest of the evening studying.

Along came dinner time. I hopped down the stairs to the livingroom. "Family!" I shouted.

"Haai voetsek wena! Come sit down and stop making a noise!" Mama says. "Yoo okay MaZulu. Calm down."

"Ngizakushaya wena uyangiphaphela!" I raise my hands in surrender. We ate dinner in silence. I helped wash the dishes. "Goodnight everyone." I walked up to my room and fell asleep as soon as my head made contact with the pillow.