IS IT DESPERATION OR LOVE Novel Chapter 7

“OH! Wine!” My mind says to me. Wine? Did my mom come with wine yesterday? How come I didn’t notice when she got home last night? Oh well, I’ll have a glass. A glass ended up being two and two, three. My transport booted outside and I knew that I might be late. I took my bag and quickly ran out, leaving my bowl of noodles on the counter along with the mayonnaise and glass of wine. When I saw Nothando rushing out of her house too… We both busted into laughter. What a nice way to start your day, with laughter. We got in our transport and off it went.

Nothando : baby

Naomi : sweetheart

Nothando : you good?

Naomi : I’m good and you?

Nothando : you look weird today, you’re smiling a lot and your eyes are a little bit red.

Naomi : I saw wine in the fridge and decided to taste in. It ended up in 3 glasses.

Nothando : what?!! You’re going to school bro!!

Naomi : I know bro!!

Nothando : why would you do that?

I giggle and she sighed.

Nothando : you’re wasted!

Naomi : whatever sis. Do you have some snacks for us today?

Nothando : it’s your turn to bring us snacks.

Naomi : oh

I took out Simba chips from my bag and we shared while chatting. When I got to school gave her the pack of Simba chips and went inside the school premises. I went straight to class, at least I did all my homeworks yesterday. When I got in class I just slept.

…

“Ms Sebothoma” I rose my head from the rest to look at this person with a dead wish, how dare…? I cleared my throat and looked down, it’s Thursday… Damn physical sciences is the first period.

Mr Q : are you okay?

Naomi : yes sir.

Mr Q : it’s still early Naomi, why are you sleeping?

Naomi : I didn’t sleep well last night and I slept late because of all the homeworks I had yesterday.

Mr Q : oh, next time, buy yourself some energy drink. We need y’all to focus in class.

Naomi : yes sir

He looks away and starts with the lesson of the day. Why can’t he make an eye contact with me as usual? Did I do something wrong perhaps? Is he ignoring me? You can’t ignore me, why would you ignore me? The whole period ended without him looking at me. Wow! He is ignoring me. I attended the rest of the periods and it was after school, I had my tennis practice before heading to the staff room to submit my maths book since the teacher wanted them before we head back home. He was all alone in the staff room.

Naomi : good afternoon sir

Mr Q : Naomi

He said with his eyes focusing on the book he is busy with. I sighed and went to place the book in Blondie’s desk, our English teacher is blond so we call her that. I made my way out

“Naomi” I quickly turned to look at him.

Naomi : sir?

Mr Q : come have a seat.

I walked to his desk and sat down on a chair.

Mr Q : what’s wrong with you today?

Naomi : nothing, I’m good.

Mr Q : really?

Naomi : yes sir. Mr Q : mhh, how are you feeling?

Naomi : I feel like you’re ignoring me. Did I do something wrong perhaps? I’m sorry then but please don’t ignore me…

Mr Q : how are your period pains? Better than yesterday? I sighed and looked down, he’s ignoring me.

Naomi : yeah, better than yesterday, thanks.

I just stood up and left, feeling embarrassed. I ran to my transport and off it went.

Nothando : are you okay?

Naomi : is it normal to feel sad when someone is ignoring you?

Nothando : yeah, if you really care about them then yes it’s normal. What’s wrong?

Naomi : someone is ignoring me and it hurts. He gives me attention and starts to ignore me, just like that.

Nothando : oh-kay… Who is he?What will I say? ‘‘I think I’m falling for my teacher, he has been giving me attention and now he’s ignoring me’ , No! That sounds stupid.

Naomi : Some Guy from school, I don’t even know his name(sighs) I think I like him.

Nothando : yeah, I can see.

Naomi : let’s just leave this, I’ll look for his tens on our WhatsApp group and call him

Nothando : okay. Good luck with that my love. I hope whatever it is you’re doing with that guy doesn’t affect your school marks.

I nod and look away from her. I got home. I changed my school uniform first and wrote my homeworks. I cooked supper and ate then went to take a bath and wore my pyjamas before watching TV, I took my phone and called the number he once called me with.

“Hello” A lady’s voice says from the other side of the phone.

“Hello?”I dropped the call and blocked those tens quickly.

So he is married? Or taken? He lives with his girlfriend? And she just answered his phone? That’s why he’s been ignoring me, because he has a girlfriend but why now all of a sudden? They’ve just started dating? I choked on my saliva with tears running down my face. Why am I even hurt by this? Why am I cry it for my teacher.

“pull yourself up girl, you got this. Focus on you and on school, stop being a cry baby” my subconscious mind says to me and I nod in agreement.

I switched off the tv and went to my room, cuddled with my pillow and slept.

.

QHAWELETHU MTHEMBU

.

Qhawe : who was that?

Mom : I don’t know, I don’t notice this number.

Qhawe : oh, can I see it?

Mom : yeah, here.

She says giving me her phone, I dropped my spoon when I notice that I know it from somewhere.

Qhawe : I know this number. Lemme try to call it… It doesn’t go through.

Mom : try it with your cell phone.

Qhawe : I’m coming back ma.

I placed my plate on the table and went to ask for a phone from a Pakistan guy at the shop and called this number

“Naomi” Oh, its her!!!

Qhawe : it’s Qha… (Clears throat) Mr Q.

Naomi : can I do something for you sir?

Qhawe : why did you call me?

Naomi : I didn’t mean to disturb you and your girlfriend, I apologize for that. I’ll keep my distance sir, that’s a promise. Have a good night

Qhawe : Warona wait…Tututu!!!

I tried to call her again but it didn’t go through, I deleted those tens from the call logs and returned the phone to its owner then went back home. I gave my mom her phone and gave her a weak smile.

Mom : are you okay?

Qhawe : yeah, it’s my colleague. I once called him with your phone.

Mom :oh, why didn’t you use your phone though?

How can I say this to her? ‘mom that’s my crush and she’s a student at the same school I’m working on and I might get caught if I call her with my phone and lose my job’? Nah! I can’t.

Qhawe : I don’t have an airtime, I’ll buy it tomorrow.

She nods and I finish up my food, even though I’ve lost my appetite but I don’t want to disappoint my mom, she went all out for me. After eating my lil sis washes the dishes and I just went straight to my room. So she thinks my mom is my girlfriend? Is she jealous? Wait, she said she’ll keep her distance… Does that mean I’ll never see her again? Is she changing schools again? No!!