MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

THE JOURNEY OF ZAMA DLALA

CHAPTER SIX

I shamefully locked myself in my bedroom. I've been anticipating with myself. I should be out of this bedroom preparing for school, but I'm still curled in bed.
A soft knock ranks on my door, making me nervous. I'm still undercovers, and I don't dare respond. The door slowly opens.
"Zama." My fathers voice makes me shake. I can't breathe. Footsteps approaching.
"Wake up. You will be late for school." He says, shaking me gently. I slowly remove the blankets off me.
"What time is it?" I pretend to yawn and fall back to sleep.
"Ten to ten." I jump out of the bed and run out of the bedroom. I will just take a quick shower. Meaning I'll be passing through. Just the important parts, and I'm done. I'll bathe later on. I rush back to my room, and my father is still standing like a statue.
"That was a quick one." He says and chucks. He still has his hands buried deep in his pockets. I don’t know why I'm suddenly shaking again. It must be the nerves or the cold water.
"Where were you last night?" I don't like his polite tone he is using. I want him to shout. Scream at me. I take a deep breath, trying to bury my nerves.
"I went to fetch my diary from Luisa, and her brother walked me back home since it was late." I say. I'm impressed. I did not stutter. But this is not the time to applaud myself. I am late!
"Next time, tell me before leaving this house, especially late at night. I don't want anything happening to you." He says. The concern in his voice. He looks at his wristwatch.
"It's before six. Can I have a cup of coffee."
"What?" I'm confused. Was he not the one waking me up saying I'm late? How did the time reverse back?
"Gets dressed and come make me a cup of coffee. I'll be leaving in a few." Just like that. He wakes me up just for me to make him a cup of coffee! This was intentional. He did this on purpose! I feel like screaming. He knew that by doing this, I would go crazy around the house. My paper only starts at ten. So, I still have a few minutes to spare to myself. And I owe myself that proper shower.
After making my father tea, I went back to bed. I just need another hour and a half of my sleep. I can't sleep. I'm just laying in bed thinking about last night. I find myself smiling. Just then, my phone rings. I look at the screen, and it's him. I feel my heart skip a beat. A wide smile is plastered on my face. I clear my throat and answer.
"Hai." I'm sleeping on my back looking at the ceiling.
"KFC girl. How are you."
I laugh. He is crazy.
"This girl is doing all fine. Just prepared for the paper." I'm writing English paper two today. And I just hope what I've mastered stay in my twisted head until the exam is over.
"I like hearing that. That means you are ready to ace that paper."
We talk for some more passing time. He promised to pick me up after school.

Ready and all set. I look at myself one last time in the mirror and say a little prayer within me. I plead with this nigger above to grant my brains some good today. I check the house to see if it's set. Appliances all disconnected. I lock the house and hide the key under the stone. Now what’s left is for myself to walk up the road. I sigh looking at it. I have a long way to go.
"Zama!" Can Luisa stop shouting my name like some piece of gum. I hate it when people call my name out loud. I just stare at her irritated.
"You look ugly."
I find myself smiling. I know she doesn't mean it.
"Ready for the paper?" I ask. I feel so confident. I don't know where I take the courage from. But I'm loving the sudden energy I'm attracting.
"What's wrong with you?" Luisa being nosy.
"With what?"
"You all smiles. I hope that smile doesn't involve any man. "
I stop walking.
"Can't a woman be happy with a man being involved in one sentence?" I ask.
"Let's go." She completely ignores me. Arriving at school I thought that everything would change. But I'm still the same. We enter the classroom and I freeze when a sudden cold breeze passes through me.
"Are you okay?" Luisa asks.
"Yeah." I decide to sit down trying to understand what the hell just happened. Whatever I felt was not normal. I swear it wasn't. I glance at the back. Her chair is there. But she's not there. A few tears drop. As much as it hurts, I need to keep moving. I hope she will be proud of me.