Memorable Nights

Memorable Nights (14)

Zama’s POV

I just had to choose Psychology as an elective. I could have gone with a different module honestly, maybe Philosophy. Okay maybe not Philosophy because I saw Hannah’s notes on it, and I was confused beyond comprehension.

It was finally the dreaded time period of finals and all you could see around campus were students who definitely did not get any proper sleep, walking around half assed like zombies. No one would bat an eye because they knew what it was like.

I also was one of them, of course. I needed to be able to sustain my marks in order to keep my funding. At least if I pass then I will only have to do this for one more year then I am done. Being a student has its own downside. A lot of downsides even.

The can of the Mofaya energy drink clasped in my hand was almost half empty. I was living because of the energy drinks at this point. Everything else was just in shambles. Crushing it with my shoe, I picked the crushed up can and put it in the recyclables bin. Hannah’s scent filled the air around me as she proceeded to loop her arm around my shoulders.

“Thank you for waiting bestie! This week is hectic for all of us.”

“You’re welcome, at least now we can go get something to eat and then go back and study. I did not think Psychology would have this much work to cover for the final. Even the scope is too much, on top of the scope for the bonus questions.”

“Girl, I always told you that the Psychology lecturer hates us, and you said I was being dramatic. See our lives now? By the end of this exam month, we will be complete and transformed walking zombies.”

“Yeah yeah, you did say. But still, how much can you hate us for you to make an exam that covers so many things?”

“Now that won’t help child, we are writing tomorrow. There’s no going back.”

We reached the canteen, and Hannah bought some pies for us, and of course energy drinks as well.

We would definitely need them because we had a long night ahead of us. We had started a long time ago to study for these exams, but we still panic like this during exams time. And by panic, I mean pulling all-nighters almost every time before the day of the exam.

She set the pies and the drinks on top of the table, and I thanked her while reaching over to grab my pie. Enjoying the meal silently, the only sounds that could be heard were of the people leaving and entering the canteen along with the occasional chime of the cash register and the bell hanging at the top of the door of the canteen.

Halfway through my pie, the bell chimed, and I knew who had entered the canteen without even having to turn and confirm that it was the person I thought it was. My appetite vanished. I wrapped my pie up, setting it aside and proceeding to open the black Mofaya energy drink. It was written “XXXTRA STRONG” in bold red letters on the outside of the can. That is exactly what I needed. Hannah noticed but did not say anything. Her gaze shifted between me and Zimele.

She still did not know what had happened when we went to Zimele’s childhood home and now here we were, Zimele being distant and not even acknowledging that I exist. The bell chimed once more, and I figured she had left. Hannah’s eyes fixated on the door behind me confirmed my suspicion.

“And then?”

“Indaba ende. (It is a long story.)”

“We have about 25 minutes, summarize as best as you can.”

“We went back to the palace, the land accepted me as her true wife, her parents were a bit off, but the King seemed like he was welcoming of me. The Queen was not happy cause you know I guess she was rooting for the girl she had chosen for Zimele and also that I was disguised as a friend when we had arrived. But suddenly on the morning when we were leaving, she had a change of heart and even gave us food for the road. She also gave Zimele a box of homemade chocolates, I guess she loved them when she was a kid. When we got back here, I was packing away the Tupperwares, putting them in the fridge. I picked up the Tupperware with the chocolates and I started glowing. I had a vision that the royals had possibly put something in the chocolates that would cause harm to either Zimele’s physical health or our relationship. She saw me glowing and asked what was wrong, I told her about my vision, and she seemed devastated.”