LUYOLO MADLINGOZI
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"We are trying to make this a safer place for
all the females in this school, which is why Ms Jones and Mrs Radebe will be hosting a Women's conference for women who have experienced GBV, women who would like to educate themselves on GBV, how to protect yourself and many more interesting topics you wouldn't want to miss.
We will be having famous guest speakers who have been sexually harassed, abused and raped. As well as performances from tiktoker and musicians.
Tickets will be outside the staff room starting from today. R100 for one ticket.
I kindly ask the girls to come join us for this educational and empowering event. More details about the conference will be on the notice board and the schools website."
I swallow my spit and I swap my cue cards.
"Lastly, Mr Murphy and Mr Anderson have started a workshop for the boys who are willing to make the school a safer environment for our ladies. This workshop will take place every Friday evening from 5pm til 8pm. Snacks and drinks will be provided. If you willing to be apart of this workshop, please meet Mr Murphy in the library so he can write your name down and give you a tag. Thank you." Everyone claps their hands as I walk off stage.
That was the longest I've ever talked, my mouth is super dry.
I return to my seat and now Mr Anderson is standing on the pulpit.
"Thank you Luyolo for this week's notices. Now as we know it's time for our prefect and head girl elections. Since we've already found our head boy, it's time to look for a new head girl that will assist our headboy with a few of his duties." I think of the text Cuma sent to me earlier. She definitely would make a FANTASTIC headgirl.
"If you are interested in running for headgirl, during break go to Miss Swanepoel and sign up.
Now what's different about these elections is...not all students will be able to vote. This time around, we going hold a debate with all the candidates for headgirl and the last two girls standing will be voted for, by the grade 8's and Matrics only.
The debate will be held this Thursday, for the whole day." he pauses and looks around the hall.
"Which is why everyone, except for this years headgirl and next years headboy, won't be coming to school."
The hall cheers and is filled with joy.
"HOWEVER. Friday everyone is back at school." the cheers fade and the hall is silent.
"Dismissed." he says and everyone stands up, walking out in their lines, grade by grade.
********
It's break time. I have been moving up and down these corridors since the morning assembly.
The last time I saw my Acuma was during the digital quiz, the first class we had together, but we weren't allowed to talk because it was "formal task".
And it's a good thing because I need a break from her or else I'm gonna fall deeper.
After that quiz, I had to rush to the staff room to sell tickets with Siya. Today's lessons are shortened so that means break will be longer and sports will be shorter.
I put the previous learners money in the small, blue safe that is full of cash.
"The R100 ticket and the meal combo for Saturday and Sunday." a short girl says giving me R180. Lol short.
I put the money in the safe then I give her a entrance ticket, 2 pink neon wrist tags and a meal card.
"Thank you." she says and walks away.
The next person walks up to me and gives me R300. I give her the picnic basket meal card and a entrance ticket with 2 pink neon wrist tags.
The next come one comes, and the next, and the next, and the next until everything is finally sold out for today.
"Eish boy, I think I pulled a muscle." Siya says stretching his arm.
"Khawu yek'uku tefa and help me out before break ends." I say sounding a bit frustrated.
-stop wining
Siya takes the 2 money safes and put them inside the staff room.
He comes back, we fold the table and we take it back to the storage room.
As we walk out of the room in silence, not laughing or chatting, I see Acuma and Mpumi sitting on the steps of the corridor eating their lunch.
"Mpumi," I point with my thumb at Siya who is still fiddling with his painful arm. "Your man needs you." I say pushing my bottom lip out.
"Me?"
I nod.
"Is he okay?" she says looking at him with sad eyes.
"No, he's not okay actually. I think he-" I say in a fake emotional voice. Making it sound as if, Siya is dying.
"Aww my poor baby." she says as if she is about to cry.
"I think you should go check on him, he probably needs some comfort yeah. Comfort. Go. Now." her face turn cold. "Any minute now. Bye?"
"You could've just told me you want to talk to Acuma. Not create some horrible act." she get up and walks to Siya.
Weirdo.
I sit where Mpumi was sitting.
Cuma looks at me with her big beautiful eyes that I found myself day dreaming in most of the time.
I take her hands into mine.
"Hey," I say keeping eye contact with her.
"Hi," she says sounding a bit shy.
"I missed you."
I lie.
"I missed you too."
I analyze her from head to toe, she gives me a little goofy smile awakening the butterflies in my stomach.
You sound like Shakespeare bro. Cut it out!
"Okayyy, I think that's enough staring for today." she says and rests her head on my shoulder.
I chuckle and I lock my finger in hers.
"How are youu?" I kiss her forehead and a small smile appears on her face.
We making progress! Lover boy in the fucken building.
"I'm okay, I just really, really missed you. What about you? How are you doing?"
"I feel like, I need, 7 fucken cans of red bull. This headboy shit is stressing me out."
"Jeez, kubi kangako." she says.
-is it that bad?
"You don't want to know."
We sit in silence just relaxing in each other's company, taking a weird videos and pictures of each other.
She wraps her arm around my arm. Her scent is very intoxicating. That vanilla and raspberry scent is my newest addiction.
"You did your hair." I say only realizing it now.
"Mmhmm, do you like it?" she looks up at me.
"I think I prefer the natural hair, this hairpiece stuff is giving fak-." I say.
She gives me a punch in the stomach that had no effect on me.
"Ouch! She just punched me with her strong fist." I say in a dramatic masculine tone.
"Nah I'm joking," I pull her into a tight hug and I wiggle her around. "I LUUUUUV IT."
We both laugh at how weird I'm acting.
She smiles.
I've never been this comfortable with a girl that I met like a week ago.
It's low-key scaring me. Could I be falling I love with her. ALREADY.
I mean it's too soon, right?
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YOU ARE READING
Into Yam
Teen FictionA 16 year old girl is swept off her feet by the son of a legend who battles with depression and thinks its better to try take his life than to live in a world where he's constantly criticized for almost every he does. He's constantly trying fufill h...
