Happily Ever After?

(5)

Narrator

Naledi spent the remainder of the day sulking in her room. She couldn't understand why her parents always singled her out. Whenever her older sister wanted to go out, she didn't have to ask for permission because their parents always said yes. It bothered her so much when she though back to all those times her twin brother stumbled into the house at 3 am drunk like a skunk and their mother would simply cover him with a blanket as he slept and tend to his hangovers. 

Why couldn't she get tended to like that too? If she ever bought short clothes, her mother would make her return them to the stores or make sure that she, herself delivers them back to the shops. She couldn't understand why she wasn't allowed to sleep over at her friend's homes or have her friends over. And whenever she asked, the answer was always, 'Ma is just protecting you.' That pissed her off ka di last number. 

"Knock-knock. Is it safe to come in?" Great, they called her twin brother, the only person who would convince her of anything besides herself. "No its not. Go away Kwena." She pulled the continental pillows from the top of her head to create more space for her to sleep. The doorknob twisted a few times before the door opened. "I should've never taught you how to open locked doors. I'm regretting it now." He laughed out loud and approached her bed. Throwing himself over her body, he peppered kisses on her face. 

"Aii marn Kwena! Get off dude! You're old now." He knew that he was dissolving her anger. If she shouted it meant she was releasing her negative emotions. He ignored her protests and began tickling her as he kissed her cheek repeatedly. "Ma!" She cried for help as she lay under the mercy of her twin brother. "If you say you're no longer mad, I'll take you out for ice cream right now." She pried his strong arms off of her waist and sat upright. 

"Magnum?" He nodded, pursing his lips, looking freakishly identical to her that she thought she was looking right at herself. "You're so annoying man!" He flipped her off and got off the bed, fixing his dress shirt to look more presentable. "Take off those strange clothes and wear a dress please." She involuntarily sniffed the hoodie, closing her eyes shut as images of Ntsika filled her mind. "I can feel your ovaries vibrating, sies!" It was her turn to flip him off. 

"Whatever!" She pushed him out of her way and walked to her closet. Since Kwena is literally her other half, she didn't mind undressing in front of him because they spent over 28 years together, what being the same ova and whatnot. She wore a baby blue dress and some brown-ish nude heels. She grabbed her phone and lipstick then walked behind her brother. Their parents were sitting in the living room watching the evening news. 

Something about wanting to keep up with the world's problems or something. "We'll be back." They received a mere 'mm' as a response. That's another thing that bothered her. How their parents were so uninterested in them leaving together but if she dared to leave the house by herself, it's a million and one questions. "I can't wait to live in my own apartment." She spoke as she entered her brother's car who didn't respond to her statement. "Why would you want to move out sis? I want to move back home and you wanna leave? That's crazy." 

"Nxa! There's nothing crazy about that Kwena. You get to live your life while I am stuck at home like a child." He briefly looks at her then turns his eyes back on the road. "Naledi ya papa, you must understand, we all want what's best for you." If he wasn't driving the car, Naledi would've slapped the living lights out of him. "Nxa. Just shut up and drive. You wouldn't know what's best for me if it slapped you in the face! And what the hell do you mean 'what's best for me?' I'm the older one so if anything, I should be the one to say I want what's best for you." 

Kwena knew not to respond to his sister's rant. He didn't envy the man who would marry his twin. The twins got to Naledi mall and Naledi rushed out of the car. Kwena knew that she was going to Woolworths so he let her leave him behind. 'I'm going to kill him one day!' Naledi was screaming in her mind as she furiously pushed the trolley around the shop. She went for the snacks and ice cream also as a form of punishment for her brother who was very serious about what either one of them consumed.