Scattered Stars

Chapter 34

#AmInext

With all these gender-based violnce occurring many of us females are afraid to be one of the ten women killed daily in South Africa.

Ladies stay safe.

#stopXenophobia

Crime can never be used as an excuse to address issues facing South Africa.

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Scattered Stars fact: Buhle and Glen aren't blood related.

Naledi

Johan said he would be at the mall in thirty minutes so after Dian's mom dropped us off at the mall I convinced Olivia to go window shopping with me.

She had her hands deep into the hoodie she was wearing and had kept her head low, avoiding my eyes at all cost.

Her tranquil demeanour reminded me a lot of Jessica when I first met her but after a while I realised that she wasn't naturally quiet or reserved the trauma she had suffered running away from her dad and being in witness protection for so long and having to adapt to many incognito persona's she lost her true self.

I met her in ninth grade, the headmaster had ordered me to show her around the school and after she presented a pry like behaviour by being overly quiet and failing to respond to jokes I knew for sure that the kids of Hoerskool Hawe would eat her alive. I invited her to come hang out with Johan and myself and Johan being overzealous made her cry by asking her if she was a mute or was being abused back home. He instantly felt guilty and apologised and bought her earnings to try to make her feel better.

Right through the first three months of meeting her, she was skittish, she barely ate or spoke and her eyes were always roaming about, looking out for something.

After her first panic attack that is when I knew something was up. Johan and I refrained from asking her any questions and over time she opened herself up to us.

We went over to her house for a sleepover because her mother wouldn't let her go to Johan's house-his father wasn't home- at her house, she was more comfortable, we danced until the sun rose and since then things were better.  

Of course, until her father kidnapped her and its been weeks with no word from Detective Miller.

I passed by a cute silver bracelet displayed in a store the bracelet brought back the memory of the bracelet Dian bought for me, I rarely took it off.

"That is a beautiful bracelet," Olivia whispered.

I was looking at my wrist with a small smile splayed across my face." Yes, yes it is." After all this time the little silver bracelet with small sapphire stones was in mint condition.

"So..." She seemed hesitant to ask."ho-how-how did you guys me-meet? Dian and yourself I mean."

"It's a long story that deserves to be told over milkshakes." I checked my watch to see that Johan should be here in five minutes.

"Come on, let's wait for him at the entrance."

"You think he won't have a problem with me being here?" Olivia asked. She was tugging at her one sleeve and looking at her sneakers.

"Who?"

"Johan." She answered softly.

"I invited him to Join us he shouldn't have a problem. I have to warn you though, he can be a bit forward. Why do you think Johan would have a problem with you being here?"