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Chapter 5 - (Chapter 5) (Meeting her Again)

Friday 29 July

The next morning, Donnel woke up in Caroline's bed, busy wondering what Karabo and Lihle got up to in the other room. It wasn't long before he found a little note of Carol's bed; "Thanks you Dee for lighting up my night xoxox," he whispered the words out loud, licked his lips and giggled with joy soon afterwards.

Lihle and Zimi's loud giggles were also coming from the bathroom, which was on the other side of the bed's headboard. Seemed like they were really having fun.

"Buzz! Buzz! His phone beeped, and a message from his friend Zimi was streched across it; "meet me at the St Goerge's park around 11:00."

09:30 had just struck the clock and Donnel was hesitating to get out of bed

"Something just came up, let's make it 13:30," read another text message from Zimi, making Donnel dial her number and press the phone to his ears.

"Hii Donnel, Can't speak right now though... Best we save our words for the park," she spoke really fast.

"Okay shot, see you then Zimi." Donnel responded, listening intently to the chuckling sounds in the backgrounds.

Deep down he didn't want to go, not only because it was really cold outside but because he also knew that it could have been a trap. Nevertheless, he patiently waited for Karabo and Lihle's giggle to cease before going to take a shower.

A few minutes later, he had put on his favorite kicks and his black and green baseball jacket, and had ordered an Uber ride whilst eating his cereal. In a rushed attempt to leave Karabo and his girlfriend ASAP. They were chasing each other all over the house, much to Donnel's fake smiles.

Despite the foggy weather, he had gone down to the ground floor and waited by the reception for his ride, walking past some distinct characters along the way. When his ride finally came he hasitantly walked out of the apartment building, out into the foggy weather and hesitantly got in.

The driver asked him if he could continue playing opera music and he just answered yes, but still, his anxiety kept lurking inside his chest. Foggy was the weather, dark grey clouds closing in. Despite this, he continued with his leap of courage and went to meet this Zimi which he hadn't seen in over 3 months. A lot had changed since then and a lot of things certainly didn't make sense. Nevertheless, he was hoping that she would shed some light on the mysterious case regarding Zintle.

By the time the driver finally took a short left turn and slowly drove along the pavement of St George's park, Donnel had already concluded his payment and soon did nothing but tell him to stop. Donnel did not even bother to return the driver's smile, he just wasn't in the mood. He just got out and walked through the gate, walked past a few swings and went to wait for her beneath a bunch of trees, perhaps to due to the drizzles which had now cleared the park of its usual guests and visitors. The same drizzles which had left his khaki chinos and white golf T-shirt slightly wet.

"Donnel!" her voice sounded through the drizzles and he looked around the empty park, of the quiet suburb until he saw her.

"Zimi, told you i'd make it," he said cockily as he looked towards her, drizzles hitting and dripping down her small blue umbrella, which matched with her long blue waterproof jacket, as she shot him a kind smile.

"Whatever Donny," her smile ceased as she joined him beneath the tree, "Now let's get to the real story shall we, but you must promise not to tell a soul?"

"O-kay, this ought to be more interesting than I thought." He fondled his chin and looked around

"So the reason I called you here is because there is something deeper to the story than what was published in the..."

"I figured," he interrupted her, "But how so exactly"

"Well, since we aren't exactly friends," she winked at him, " I'll give you half-truths."

"Just get to the point Zimi"

"All this started when my ex Sphe, humiliated Zintle at the ball, leading Zintle into Thato's arms... The same Thato who would try to lure her into his bed the very next morning..."

"Thought he was legit, he's the principal's son... Guess being the principal's son got him feeling a bit entitled." Donnel shook his head, whilst admiring Zimi's lips as she spoke.

"Plus that same father of his works for Lethabo's parents, which are some government officials..."

"Meaning that Thato and Lethabo are now an item?" Donnel interjected, looking at Zimi's umbrella.

"Not really," she nodded and a let a displeased smile taunt her lips, "but they are more of allies, though Lethabo calls the shots"

"As is Katlego's ex, the one who dumped him after their little matric ball misunderstanding... I never would have thought that she was rich, secretive or conniving"

"Matter of fact, the fact that Donnel didn't go because he wanted to go with Zintle and not Lethabo, plus that Thato got dumped by that same Zintle..." Zimi took a deep breath and handed her open umbrella to Donnel, "pissed both Lethabo and Thato so they plotted against Zintle planning to put her away for good; and also teach Katlego a lesson in that process."

"Pretty much explains why he ran away." Donnel snapped his fingers and leaned against the tree at  the realization.

"I'm afraid his life may be in danger as we speak, Lethabo also bribed every..."

"Bbbrrrr!"  A sharp sound of raining bullets, sounds of firing sub machine guns, interrupts them and they take cover behind a tree. Some people suddenly duck, others scream, as Donnel and Zimi look towards the Northern side of the park and see some young men in purple suits jumping out and running in their direction.

Realizing that they were almost in the middle of the park and that they had a slim chance of running out  alive, Donnel pulled Zimi's hands and ran through the muddy grass until she slipped out his embrace and stopped him for a bit.

"I'll handle this, just go Donnel, they want me not you" she said, paranoia ringing in her tone.

"But what if they kill you, we can get through this Zimi, just come with me."

"No just go," were her last words as she pushed him forward and stood in the rain. Her tears hidden in the drizzling rain as she stood her feet in the mud as she reached into her jacket's pocket and produced a small red envelope. Zimi then placed it in hid hand and gave Donnel a hesitant push, shouting at him to run out as the purple suited culprits closed in.

Donnel ran out the park and saw a maroon Mercedes pulling infront of him, almost giving him a heart attack as it came to a halt. He almost turned around to run away in anticipation of another drive-by, another hail of bullet. All until a familiar voice flew through the slowly rolling down window and dropped his name in his ears.

It was Colette's voice and the door soon opened, as the sound of sirens emerged nearby and left Donnel with no better choice. Collete was surely inside, eating some fruit salad as she dwelled in the comfy leather back seat of the Mercedes, indulging in its warmth. Obviously, he was surprised to her, but he was even more surprised to see her tummy bigger, plumpier, bumpier and even swollen as opposed to when he'd last seen her.

Although that was a lovely surprise, he's delight was cut in half when he remembered what he'd left outside. So as Colette's told her driver to drive, Donnel looked outside and saw those 2 guys dressed in stylish/slim purple suits and blue face masks catching up to the the good-looking Zimi. The other 2 guys, dressed similarly to Zimi's chasers, holding an umbrella for a girl with with a red and white kittie mask. A girl in a long, waterproof purple jacket  and purple high heels as she dawdled towards Zimi with some kind of black object in her hand, maybe a gun.

Curiosity glued Donnel's eyes to the scene as the two guys began pulling Zimi towards that other girl. Though before he could see what would imminently ensue, the car picks up speed and the fog blocks Donnel's view, though it does not block Donnel's ears from the sound of gunshoots that he soon hears. The same gunshots which startles Colette enough to make her the pizza box on her lap, and also make Donnel's jaw drop open in assumption of the worst.