Mnakwethu

Prologue

Zasembo: Zolani sila sobabili manje usihlalise izinsuku ezinhlanu sobabili la endlini yakho Wake wezwaphi kuthiwa iyenziwa lento oyenzile? Asikwazi ukuhlala kanje nawe uthuli khuluma kuzowenzekani

Zolani: yazi bengihlala ngazi ukuthi noma kungenzekani kuyohlala kukhona uZasembo engiyobuyela kuye

He looked at me.

Zolani: kodwa manje angiboni ukuthi usakhona uZasembo engizokwazi ukubuyela kuye

Silence.

Zolani: Ngiyaxolisa kunina nobabili ngokunizwisa ubuhlungu

Bendalo: Zolani esifuna ukukwazi thina ukuthi ukhetha bani phakathi kwethu ngoba sikuthanda sobabili kodwa ngeke sikwazi ukuba nawe sobabili

Silence.

Zolani: My choice has always been the same, and it will always be the same regardless of the feelings I have had for someone else.

Present day

It all started with me sitting in Zolani's apartment alone, waiting for him to come back from work. I have already cleaned the apartment and took a shower now. I'm just waiting for him. He works night shifts, I know he will come back hungry, so I prepared soft porridge for him. At exactly 11, the door opens, but instead of him coming in, a woman comes in. Confused, I looked at her. She looked rather relaxed than confused.

Woman: sawbona

Zasembo: yebo sawbona

Woman: unjani?

Zasembo: ngiyaphila wena unjani?

Woman: nami ngyaphila

Silence fell in the room, I was still confused as to why a woman just knocked once in my boyfriends apartment and opened the door as if she came here regularly.

Woman: ngisaya egumbini lokuzikhulula

She said and walked out, leaving her huge bag. I felt rage grow from the pit of my stomach, so I resorted to what usually helped me. I texted my cousin and told her about the situation.

Zasembo: A girl just came in here and said she is here for Zolani

Thandolwethu: DONT FIGHT HER PLEASE! Just breathe

In most situations, she is usually right as I am known to be the violent one between us. She is calm and collected, and she speaks when she is spoken to, unlike me. I'm very loud and outspoken. I can be ghetto at times, and I'm not the one to be messed with. I knew better than to not listen to her she has gotten me out of trouble a lot of times, so I know when to draw the line.

The door opened again while I was contemplating on what to do right now. The woman walked in and sat on the bed next to my feet.

In order not to have an outburst, I just continued being on my phone.

Woman: igama lakho nguZasembo?

Oh, so she knows me, I thought to myself but kept my cool.

Zasembo: yebo ngingu Zasembo wena ungubani?

Woman: mina ngingu Bendalo

Zasembo: kulungile ke

Bendalo: uze kuZolani?

Zasembo: yebo ngize kuye

Bendalo: Oh

Zasembo: engabe nawe uze kuye yini?

Bendalo: yebo ngize kuye

Zasembo: Okay

I couldn't believe that she was actually here for my boyfriend, it was impossible.