THE AFTERMATH
02
SIKHANYISO
Hazel sits on his lap and wrap her arms around his neck
“Are you even listening?” she asks.
He breaks into a smile and nods..
“What did I just say?” she asks.
He lets out a chuckle,his mind seems to be far away.
“Sorry babe,my mind is far” he admits.
She squeezes his cheeks and showers him with kisses.
“Talk to me”
“It’s nothing I can’t handle sthandwa sam”
She tilts her head and he smiles.
“I mean it,now get dressed I don’t nt want us to be late”
She smiles and pecks his lips.
“I love you Ngidi”
“I love you too,” Sikhanyiso says.
She goes back to trying on different dresses and his mind yet again drifts.
It’s been two months since that one encounter and a part of him won’t forget that girl.
How her eyes would light up each time she laughed.
How her terrible loud laugh became his favourite sound for the night,or how she forcefully wormed her way into their plans and hasn’t left his mind since.
“How do I look?”
He forces a smile.
“Amazing”
“Ngiyabonga” she says.
He looks at the time and heavily sighs.
Kuyasa invited them to a braai and although he’s not looking forward to it. Hazel seems to be excited and that’s what’s important.
“All done”
She sprays on some perfume and looks his way.
“How about I take this dress off and we stay home” he suggests.
She stretches her hand and smiles.
“Kuyasai is expecting us,please put on your shoes so we can go”
He let out a grunt and put on his shoes while she grabbed the last of her things.
.
.
MALIBANTUBAHLE
Muhle got invited to a braai and asked me to tag along.
I wanted to cancel but then she convinced me to come along.
She looks my way and pinches my cheeks.
“Cheer up”
“I should be home preparing for my class”
“For a grade 4 class?”
“Those kids aspire to be astronauts,doctors and one in particular wishes to be the next president”
“All 9 year olds aspire to be great but that doesn’t mean they will be great things” she says.
“Take that back”
She muffles a laugh.
“Those kids actually like you” I tell her.
“I,under immense pressure take back my unkind words about those little humans beings”
“Thank you”
We both laugh and she sighs.
“So do I know this friend of yours that invited us?”
“Not exactly,” she says.
Both my eyes widen in shock.
“So you actually have friends outside our friendship?”
She lets out a soft laugh.
“No”
“Then who is this person?”
“He’s a friend”
“One that I don’t know”
“Well he’s more than just a friend,he scratches my back and I scratch his”
“Oh..oooh”
She laughs out loud.
“Why have you kept him a secret?”
“Because we are still trying to get to know each other,” she says.
“Mhmm okay”
We arrive at this upmarket neighborhood and I look at her.
“Is he married?”
“What? Of course not” she says.
“What type of job does he do?” I ask.
“I don’t know”
“He’s a criminal,” I tell her.
She laughs.
“He’s not and please don’t say that in front of him. In fact try to keep your opinions to yourself please”
She drives through the gate and my eyes widen even more.
She’s been here before.
“I can’t believe you’ve been seeing this guy and I don’t even know about him,awusabi ukulahleka”
She laughs while parking next to a Mercedes.
“His name is Kuyasa Ngidi,you met him once”
I quickly shake my head.
I don’t know anyone by the name Kuyasa,to make matters worse. I have never met him.
She steps out of the car and allows me to take a moment with myself.
“Come on kuzoba mnandi,I promise”
She drags me to the door and it takes about a minute for the door to open.
My eyes widen when I see this man.
Although I was drunk I remember this guy,he was the chilled one while the other was grumpy.
“Welcome” he moves out of the way letting us in.
I look at Muhle and she smiles.
“I will explain,later”
She holds this man’s hand as they both lead the way inside.
I carefully follow them to the outside area,while wishing I had stayed behind.
“Mali”
I snap out of my thoughts and look at this man standing in front of me.
Fair in skin,his hair and beard black and his eyes a deep hazel brown colour.
“Bafo, these are my guests,Malibantubahle and Moyomuhle. Ladies this is my big brother Sikhanyiso Ngidi”
Muhle greets the guy while I stand there not knowing what to do.
“Sawubona Mali” he says.
“Hi” I say.
“Right, I hope you two won’t fight over that little incident,” Kuyasa says.
“What incident?”
I look at the girl asking.
“Oh ladies this is Hazel”
“Sikhanyiso’s girlfriend,” she says.
“Yes that she is,” Kuyasa says.
“Nice meeting you Hazel” Muhle and I say.
“I have never seen you guys before, are you friends of Kuyasa?” Hazel asks.
I feel Sikhanyiso’s eyes on me and hold Muhle’s hand.
She slightly moves closer obscuring Sikhanyiso’s view..
“More like Kuyasa and Sikhanyiso, here are our friends,we were all in Capetown for his birthday. And the most funniest thing happened,Mali tried to kill big guy over here but thats all in the past right guys”
Hazel looks at Sikhanyiso and I look at Muhle.
All this information wasn’t necessary.
Hazel walks away and Sikhanyuso follows her.
“Really Hazel” I say.
“I don’t like her”
“Makes the two of us,” kuyasa says.
“Really?”
Kuyasa laughs.
“There’s nothing wrong with her,I just don’t think she’s the right fit for my brother”
“I agree” Muhle says
“You don’t know these people,so you can’t comment on a single thing about their life” I tell her.
“I am a good judge of character”
I look at kuyasa.
“Yes you are”
Kuyasa chuckles and I sigh.
“I think I should leave”
“You can’t,” Kuyasa says.
“Ngobani?”
“Because you two are spending the night,” he says,clearly having been given the memo.
“Oh”
“It’s just for tonight,” Muhle says.
I slowly nod and force a smile,pulling Muhle to the side.
“Talk to me before I lose my cool”
“His dixk game is out of this world” she says.
“Really Muhle”
“I like him”
She grabs my hand and places it on her chest.
“My heart beats for the man” she says sulking.
“In that case where is our bedroom?”
“You mean your bedroom,mina ngizolala nendoda yami” she says.
I clap my hands once and shake my head.
“His dixk must be made out of gold”
“Something like that”
“Hayibo Muhle”
She crosses her fingers laughing and I shake my head.
“Just this once”
“Thank you” she says, holding my face and kissing me.
“Now let’s go have fun”
“I just want to go and sleep,” I say.
“Okay,let me ask my man where you’re going to sleep”
She grabs my hand and we go looking for her man.
She sees Kuyasa and blushes,causing him to blush.
I heave a sigh and pray Kuyasa knows what he’s gotten himself into.
.
.
It’s almost midnight and my stomach wambles.
I get out of this clearly expensive and comfortable bed and make my way to the kitchen.
I find the lights already switched on with Sikhanyiso having something to eat.
He quickly gets on his feet and wipes his hands.
“Sawubona,” he says.
“Sawubona” I say.
“I didn’t think anyone was up,I will come back when you’re done”
“It’s okay I don’t mind”
He turns to the fridge and takes out a plate.
I watch as he warms it up and places the plate next to him,together with a damp cloth.
“Nakhu ukudla”
I move closer and sit next to him,but he moves a few inches away from me.
“You hate the smell of cigarettes,” he says.
I look at him but his face remains on his plate.
“I am sorry that I once tried to get rid of your very much alive body”
“Apology accepted,by the way my name is Sikhanyiso Ngidi”
“Malibantubahle Ngubane”
He nods and carries on eating.
A loud knock comes through and we both look at the door.
He frowns as another knock comes through.
The door opens and someone walks in.
He gets on his feet and cusses underneath his breath.
“Kuyasa!”
I also get on my feet and look at the person walking in.
Sikhanyiso gets in the way and holds back the lady in question.
“Where is he?”
“Calm down,” Sikhanyiso says.
“Ngithi where the hell is he,uphi lokhanda khulu wakini?” she asks
“Yey!yey owani umsindo silele?” Muhle’s voice erupts.
I gulp and look at the hallway.
It’s going to be a long night.
……….