Loyalty Is Royalty - Unfortunately

Chapter 1

Catherine Samosas had recently graduated in High School. Frankly, she was not eager to go to college. Her results were satisfactory. It is not that she did not want to pursue a career in Higher Learning or was against formal education, she just needed a year's break from books. No, from the monotonous student-teacher sessions. She had too much sitting behind a desk and falling asleep in the middle of a class. Let along standing up during periods like she was the Statue of Liberty, not to mention detention, she was a regular. Detention would not commerce without her. She was that special! Late submissions, late- coming, gum chewing, hairstyle, back-chatting (when she was simply trying to voice out her opinions), language (what's wrong with the word ass, after all, I'm asking you to kiss mine). It had become a boring routine. Assembly, class, lunch, class, extra-murals, detention, homework (tonnes of it, she had to finish it using the other students ones in the morning), same people all year long.

She needed something to sparkle her life. All she wanted was a pay check to go out partying, shopping, do her nails, hair, and meet new people. Embrace self-love at the spa; "financial freedom" is what she called it "just to do anything the heart desires".

She had broken up with her high school sweetheart, Ben. The jerk could not keep his dick in his pants. It was not a terrific break up, she just moved on. Just like that. The bitch could have him, for all she cared, the bastard could not perform in bed. She would go back to her one-night-stand-friends-with- benefits lifestyle. She swore she took it from her mother, Ms Michelle Samosas. Three time divorcée. Single but never slept alone, apparently it was bad luck.

Michelle had conceived Catherine before she got in her first marriage. She had no idea who her father was, but kept the baby. Michelle loved Catherine with all her heart and she made sure she had food at the flat if she would leave for a week. Lord knows where she went. Catherine never bothered to ask. They talked about everything except that, even when most of their conversations were over the phone,

"Hey Cathy"

"Hi, Mom"

"Do you have food?" Michelle asked in concern.

"Yes, Mom"

"You sound bored"

"I'm not..."

"Call up Ted, so y'all can cuddle up or throw a party to celebrate finishing school"

"It's not Ted, its Ben, plus we broke up"

"What! Why?" Michelle asked in question

"Slept with his neighbour, pens down party" "That ugly girl with green hair?"

"Yep!"

"As for Ted..."

"Ben"

"Ben, whatever his name is, I'll cut his balls and stick them on his forehead or sell them at the black market"

"You know Mom, sometimes you say the most absurd things" Catherine giggled.

"How are you holding up, my baby?"

"I'm actually relieved, to my surprise, it doesn't hurt. Good riddance. I can focus on myself and finding a job"

Johannesburg was the right place to be if you needed work, it was not called The City of Gold for nothing. From the corporate A1 buildings to the Venda shop on the side of the road.

Catherine and her mother (not so much of her) lived in a flat at Troyville, 44 Pretoria Street. A friendly community during daylight, fierce when night walked in. Twenty minutes' walk, five minutes' drive from the Central Building District.

The mystery of life is that, you may plan as much as you can, since you happen not to live alone in this world, fate has other plans for you. Catherine had sent multiple Curriculum Vitae's to different companies - from call centre agencies to receptionists. It's either they were enjoying throwing her C.V in the trash or she was doing something wrong.

It wasn't long she would stroll around the city with her particulars on her hands. Unexpectedly, on this day, she bumped into a man wearing a tuxedo, spilled his coffee and dropped his brief case. The man was handsome, so she knew she was acting funny. All she could think of was a "oh! I'm so sorry sir".

The thought of taking out a tissue and wiping that suite that had cost an arm and a leg would be absurd but reflex action had taken Mother Nature into its own hands. Realizing the embarrassment, she instantaneously grabbed her handbag (leaving a few of her personal belongings behind) hoping to fetch them later. Just not now. She just took off like a horse that had A-Grade marijuana before a race at Riders Ranch International.

Everyone was left stunned, outside Rochelle's Cafeteria, by the bizarre site they had just witnessed. Let along the facial expression hanging over the famous businessman, Mr Richard Collins.