Mango

Chapter Five.

Mango.

Khaya just sat there still holding onto my shoulders as I tried to digest the events that had just happened. Had I been screaming out loud? Did Khaya hear me? I hope not, because I can't explain anything to him. I just can't. It'll be like reliving the nightmare over and over again, just so someone can know what they are not supposed to know. But he sat there wide-eyed and speechless. I decided to clear my throat and sit upright.

"What was that?" He asked as he stood up slowly. I don't even know what to tell him. Do I tell him that I dreamt of dogs chasing me? Or that it was a nightmare about a movie I watched. I can't tell him that I was once mercilessly raped in an alleyway between one of those flats in Hillbrow. I don't want him thinking any less than what he's thinking already. What am I? A girl who got picked up on the side of the road, one who can't even keep food in, and one who has sleepless nights. I can't add the fact that I'm worthless.

I took a deep breath, "It's nothing, really. Go back to sleep, I'm okay." I slightly smiled before tucking myself under the blankets. Khaya got angrier as seconds passed by and I eyed him cautiously as he stood up and headed for the door. I was relieved that he hadn't asked anything as of now, and he was going back to sleep without pestering me. Oh boy, I couldn't have been more wrong. Khaya did a 180-degree turn and stomped his way to the feet of my bed, literally yanking the blankets off me. To say I was confused would be an understatement right now. "What are you doing?" I asked as my brow skyrocketed in question.

I received no answer, but action nonetheless. Khaya literally picked me up like I weighed nothing, threw me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and took long and heavy strides out of 'my' room. All I could see was his boxers and his back. Thoughts plummeted through my head, causing the redness of my cheeks to darken. Before I could even return to my normal state I was thrown onto a bed so big and covered in fluffy covers that made me so giddy inside. Khaya's bed, I initially thought. "You are going to sleep here until you tell me what just happened in your room." His voice boomed in the deadly silence.

Guys, I guess it was my room after all.

Khaya's words caused my hysterical eye roll. "Listen here tiger, I was sleeping just fine before you barged in. Now I'd like to go back." I shifted off the bed, making my way to the door before Khaya pulled my forearm just like he had done earlier near the lifts. And again, his touch made me flinch away from him. I looked at his hand on my arm then back at his face, and boy was he serious about this nightmare thing. It was evident on his face that he wouldn't let me walk out that door without explaining anything. It's not like I wanted to go back, but my pride just had to take over like always. "Yaz' uyang'dina." (You know you annoy me.)

He seemed a little shocked by my reaction but recovered soon enough. He gestured for me to sit on his bed and my inner conflict was through the roof right now. But it couldn't be that hard to obey someone for once, right? So I made my way to his King size bed and sat, waiting for him to voice his curiosity. "Let me tell you how this is going to go down. You're going to explain why you are so... I don't know, not normal." He thought I was abnormal. Now that made me livid, so I stood up and was ready to storm out the door. "I don't want you angry at me. I just don't understand what happened, and I'd like some enlightenment."

I owed him that much, I guess. I decided it would be better to tell him while I stood, so I'd get a clean getaway. I took the longest and deepest breath, surely one that could qualify for Guinness'. Before I could even speech my explanations, I looked at Khaya's calm face which calmed me down too. Surprised? I'm beyond surprised. Nonetheless, Khaya gave me a small nodule as a gesture for me to start.

"It was in Hillbrow when I was 14. I was roaming the streets not knowing where to go. At times like those, I wished I had aboMakhe to help me around and stuff. It got dark and I stood near the BP garage so I could get food somehow. Seeing that I had sat there for such a long time, I decided to go look for a friend of mine named Jabulani who was also from the streets." I smiled at the thought of Jabu. He was the best guide around town, and he kept me safe at all times. But then my half-smile faded as I remembered what happened to him. They killed him.

"Jabulani and I had agreed to meet in one of the alleyways near the little park, not too far from Spar. When I had arrived, I found his body dead on the floor near the big black plastic bags that consisted of other people's trash. I ran to him to check if what I'd been seeing was really true, and it was. While I was mourning my friend's death that night, a few men appeared out of nowhere. All three were older and dirtier. All three were there to do one more evil deed before they could call it a night." This proved to be more difficult than singing in front of a panel of judges in Idols. I slightly laughed at my own joke before pulling a straight face.

"One by one, they took my innocence away. Leaving me worthless and soulless - careless. And there you have it." I was quite vague in the end because I knew if I had gone into detail then I'd be crawling on this floor like one of those old ladies in those old Nigerian movies, the ones who cried like they saw no end to their misery. But I wasn't going to broadcast my sorrow in front of Khaya more than I just had. He knew enough already.

I looked up from my feet to find an angry Khaya literally huffing and puffing, being the underlying cause of my confusion. Why had he been angry? "So they gang-raped you?" His voice came out strained as if those words were poison to his tongue. Nonetheless, as much as I didn't want to admit it, I gave a nod and looked at my hands. Little did I know I started crying, only witnessing the tears fall onto my fingers as I studied them. "Why would they do that to a 14-year-old?" He seemed to question himself rather than me. Even if he asked me instead, I wouldn't have given him an answer because I had none.

"Look, don't fuss about it," I said as I looked up and wiped my tears, plastering the fakest and smallest smile on my face. "I'm 17 now, almost 18. I left that in the past." I blatantly lied to convince myself, but it wasn't working. Before I could make matters worse I headed for the door this time, so I wouldn't have to face Khaya until tomorrow morning or afternoon, hopefully.

"I'm 21 and I would have cried like a baby had I had the chance to undergo what you experienced." Khaya amusingly stated, trying to lighten up the mood. "You're a strong, young woman. And I must say that strength is one of the sexiest traits a woman can have." I slightly turned to see his face when he said that. What was Khaya implying? Did he find me attractive? Oh, Lord.

So chapters will be updated as much as possible. You know I had this all planned out... But school is a mission at the moment. I'll try to update sooner. :-)

Enjoy the next few chapters. Vote, share, and comment.
Thank you.
-RS