all aboard on this love train

chapter 10

SATURDAY, 27 APRIL

Today, Didi is playing her first netball game and she is so excited. She has been speaking about it since last week. She has this widely spread smile plastered on her face when she speaks about her first netball game.

The boys and I are currently seated on the grandstand. Well, I am scrolling on my phone because Didi is not playing yet. I mean she is the person that we are here to support in any case, am I wrong?

I also have no idea what is going on here.

Kay: hey, what are you doing here?
Me: I am good thanks and how are you?
Kay: hey Nkomo, I am good thanks.

There is some silence followed by...

Kay: are you going to answer me?
Me: no, I do not think I can.
Kay: can not or will not?
Me: both.
Kay: why are you being so mean?
Me: why were you being so nasty towards Didi?
Kay: makes sense, you are here for Didi?
Me: yes.
Kay: I do not like that girl for you.
Me: and I do not like you for her but yet you were chosen to be her tour guide. Kayla, do you not have something else to do with your life besides being a mean girl?
Kay: mean girl?
Me: yes. besides everything else that you have done, she told me that you pushed her in the corridor.
Kay: it was a mistake.
Me: and you expect me to believe that? Kayla, keep this up and I will report. let me not have this conversation with you again.

She turns around and leaves. I could not care less. She has no right to treat Didintle like that.

My boys walk towards the grandstand and they take their seats next to me.

Kanyo: what is making you so upset?
Me: Kayla has been mean to Didi.
Mpho: that is not nice.
Me: it really is not nice.
Enzo: she is only doing that because she likes you.
Mpho: and what does Didi have to do with that?
Enzo: Didi has had your undivided attention for the past few weeks and at first, you shared duties and stuff with her so do you blame her?
Me: a few weeks ago, I was in a relationship.
Enzo: and that relationship ended.
Me: shut up because you are just trying to justify nonsense. Kayla has no right to treat her like that, fullstop.
Mpho: so what were you telling her just now?
Me: that if she carries on, I will report her.
Kanyo: deep.
Enzo: here is Didi.

Enzo says as her team walks on to the netball court.

Kanyo: GO, DIDI!

He yells with his deep, hoarse voice and I mimic him before we all burst out laughing.

I look back at the netball court and see Didi looking our way so I give her a thumbs up and she nods. They then play their game and their team loses but it was worth it because we were here for Didi anyway.

After her game, she feels drained and she can barely carry her bags so the boys and I help her. We walk by the tuckshop as well and I buy her an energy drink, water and gummy bears.

Didi: thank you.
Me: are you hungry?
Didi: if I eat now, I will throw up.
Me: okay.
Kanyo: Enzo, here is Coach.
Enzo: let us run to him real quick, we need to ask him about the forms he gave us on Tuesday.

They all run to Coach and leave us together so we just take our seats on one of the lunch tables near the field.

As she eats her gummy bears, I notice a scratch on her elbow which is bleeding so I leave everything on the table and run to the first aid room where I get some Dettol and bandaids.

I run back and find her on the phone and not just any phone but my phone and she looks confused but mostly, concerned.

Me: who is that?
Didi: your sister.

I quickly take the phone and speak to her and she is crying.

Me: Hle, what is going on?
Hlelo: mom and dad are fighting again.
Me: what is it about this time?
Hlelo: I have no idea.
Me: listen to me, go to your home and close your door. watch 'Charlie and Lola' and also get some rest, okay?
Hlelo: yeah.
Me: yes, just get in your blankets and do as I have told you to. I love you.
Hlelo: I love you too.
Me: do not let it get to you and remember that it is not your fault, okay?
Hlelo: okay.
Me: I left you some ice-cream, your favourite so get that too and ignore their existence.
Hlelo: okay.
Me: bye. I will call you just now.
Hlelo: bye.

I text my grandmother and ask her to go to my house.

Gogo: are they fighting in her presence again?
Me: yes.

I release a deep sigh before going back to my seat next to Didi and she is also crying.

Me: hey, what is wrong?
Didi: your sister sounded so upset over the phone and she was crying, it made me so sad. no girl deserves to cry like that.
Me: she spoke to you?
Didi: yes, she thought it was you answering the phone so she then spoke about her parents fighting.
Me: okay, let us not cry about this anymore.

I say as I rub her back and she lies her head on my shoulder. At that moment, the boys return and take their seats across from us.

Kanyo: what did you do to her now, Nkomo?
Me: I did not do anything.
Mpho: then why is she crying?
Me: Hlelo called and she was crying hysterically because my parents were fighting and she spoke to Didi first because Didi answered my phone while I went to get bandaids.
Enzo: oh, sorry Didi.
Me: let me help you with your scratch.

She lifts her head up and sits up straight. Her cut is still bleeding so I pat it with cotton wool and dettol. I then cover it with a bandaid, I also hand her a few bandaids.

Didi: there is blood on your hoodie.
Me: it is just blood, do not worry about it.

I say as I take off my hoodie because it is hot anyway.

Kanyo: why were you wearing a hoodie in the first place?
Me: boy, I was up at 5 and it was cold so when I wore my t-shirt, I thought why not wear a hoodie.
Mpho: okay, let us go shoot some hoops.
Enzo: Didi, do you know how to play basketball?
Didi: no.
Kanyo: we will give you free tries.
Mpho: penalties.
Enzo: yep.