Today I had to go back to res as classes were starting the following day. I came by myself from home even though my mom wanted to drive me here. Mothers never get that we grow, and we won't be small boys forever. No matter how much I tell my mother this, she never wants to accept, so I stop trying to convince her otherwise. She knows that I prefer doing things on my own and hardly ask help from her or my dad. Many people expect me to be all spoiled because my parents own one of the well-known companies, but I am not. That is why I worked extra hard with my studies and saved a lot of money to go to school.
My siblings were the ones who are spoiled actually. Derrick is the firstborn and he never even had to study to get a management position to my parents' company. Lucia is the lastborn and well she is a model and lives her life away using our parents' hard-earned money. I was always different from them even from when we grew up. My dad always gave each one of us money in our hands and told us to save it. He did this deliberately for us to learn responsibility and the essence of saving. Derrick would spend it on things he needed, whilst Lucia no one would know where the money went, not even her.
I was packing the things that I would need for the rest of the term and as I was, my mother walked in my room.
"Honey, you know you don't have to do anything like that here, we have the staff to do all this. I came to you to try and change your mind, why don't you stay at home since it is your final year? I mean school is just 40 minutes away from here" She said giving me a 'let's sit down' gesture.
"Mom, I told you before and I will say this again I am no longer a child. Me living at res gives me the kind of independence that I need. When I am here I have to battle just to be allowed to do my own laundry. I don't want to be nursed, that's the reason why I don't want to stay here. You guys just never understand," I said as I continued to pack.
"(sigh) okay then it's clear I can't convince you on this. At least let me take you to school and say a proper goodbye," she said placing her hand over my shoulder.
"No thank you," I said whilst standing to pack up the last things that I needed.
My mother started crying and continued begging me to stay at home, I continued doing what I needed to do. She always used to do this, knowing I hate to see her cry. However, when it comes to this nothing would convince me otherwise. Actually, this was the main reasons why I wanted to leave the house. My dad and I got along very well; you would swear I was his only child because he used to say I took after him. He was at work as usual, but he knew that I was going to school, I was just going to call him later like I usually did every year.
"Goodbye mom, I will call you later," I said, and she responded through a burst of tears.
I also said my goodbyes to all the staff at home. They all looked at me as I packed my things inside my car. The stares were usual, they never got used to me liking to do things on my own. After packing, I was about to enter in the car to drive when I heard a voice:
"he wena (hey you) Matthew!"
I knew the voice it was my favourite staff member at home Beauty. She practically raised me from childhood. Even when my mom decided to be a housewife and a stay-at-home-mom, I have always been close to Beauty. This tone and expression I only received from her whenever I messed up. I ran towards her like a little boy and hugged her so tightly. Now I know why I never wanted to say goodbye to her. She knew how to make me feel guilty for leaving her.
"Sorry Beauty, I was just placing my things in the car. I was going to come to say goodbye to you," I said smiling at her.
"I know you very well you were not planning to, and the only time I would see you was going to be when you come back for the term. That's if you were planning to come at all. You are my son I know you very well. You have grown up, you have become so tall," she said brushing my cheek and smiled.
I don't know how this was possible, but I felt like Beauty was more of a mother to me than my actual mom. She understood me and supported my decisions. In fact, most of she was proud of me. Even though my mom wouldn't say this, but I could see that she yearned for us to have the same bond. I loved the fact that Beauty understood me far better than myself. She knew whenever I wasn't okay or even what's best for me. That is why it was always easier to seek for advice from her. She was a straight talker, never tolerated nonsense and if I were wrong she would definitely tell me immediately.
"I have to go Beauty, there are things that I still need to do when I arrive at school," I said hugging her.
"I know what kind of things; you mean that girl in your phone. Who calls every second, what's her name again?" She asked breaking the hug and looking straight into my eyes.
"It's Jennifer," I said whilst smiling at her.
"I don't like her, why haven't you brought her to see your parents?" she asked her face changed and she was now annoyed.
"This is still new Beauty, and I am not ready that's a big step," I explained, and I saw that face, I knew this was the beginning of a lecture.
"What do you mean that this is still new? You have been dating her from first year and now you are doing honours, tell me then what's new here? Either you are ashamed of her or deep down you know she's not the one," she said.
Beauty did it yet again, telling me things that I don't want to hear yet I needed to hear. However, I would never openly admit to her that she was right, I just nodded.
"Go, just don't forget to call me before making a mess okay?" she said gently stroking my cheek.
"Okay then I will do so Beauty, take care," I said kissing her cheek, entered in the car and off I went to school.
As I entered in my room I received a text from Jen:
'Hey Matt, I am caught up on a photoshoot I will come over your place when I am done, love you…XOXO'
I ignored the text, shut the door, and then threw myself on the bed. Sadly, Beauty was right, but I wanted to make things right and be a good boyfriend to Jen as much as she was the best girlfriend for me. She has been nothing but supportive as well. Like Beauty said, she would constantly check up on me. Whenever I was here at res she was taking good care of me. Every weekend she would arrange fun activities for us, she was an outdoor person. It was always fun to see her smiling and laughing especially during the activities.
Jenifer was also a model and we met one day during Lucia's photoshoot. Lucia's car went for servicing and she borrowed my car. However, I was also going to a poetry session, I had to drop Lucia off using my car. When we arrived at the studio, I saw Jen and I just couldn't lay my eyes off her. Lucia caught me "drooling over her" so she says and edged me to talk to her. I went to her and we spoke for over 20 minutes. Luckily, the photoshoot was delayed for another hour due to technical issues, we decided to buy ourselves coffee and some muffins. She actually was the one to tell me that she liked me before I could even propose to her. That's how we officially became an item.
I was resting when I heard a knock at the door.
"Come in," I said whilst standing and walking towards the door and opened it was Josh, my best friend.
Josh was a party animal-unlike me, I preferred indoors and anything that didn't require a lot of crowds. He failed one of the modules and he asked me that I may give him my book since I wouldn't need it this year.
"Hey, dude…You promised me that book and now I need it. We already received an email, stating that we will be writing a test soon and I cannot afford to fail this module yet again," he said as he walked in and sat on a chair.
"Hey Josh, Oh I need lend it to someone, so I need to take it back," I said.
"Okay cool, but please it has to be now, because I need to do something with it and it's urgent. You know that normally I would either text or call if it wasn't urgent," he said.
"Okay, I hope I will find it then. Wait for me here and make yourself comfortable, I will be back," I said as I stood and left the room.
The book was with Sindi and let me just say that Josh had a problem with people different from us…more especially Africans. He always said negative things about them and though I didn't like it, but he was my friend. Every time I would try to explain this to him we ended up fighting and sometimes it would get physical. At home we would never make racist comments. In fact, we were not allowed to even utter anything in line with racism. My mother made it loud and clear that it was not allowed. I remember Lucia once said something about how ugly the hair of the cook was just because she was black. Then my mother punished her, she cut off her allowance and grounded her for good 6 months.
However, even if this was one of the house rules from childhood, I never thought it was necessary. I mean, how can we judge people and worse mistreat them just because they are different from us? Aren't they human as well? I always asked myself this question: 'Isn't it the colour of our blood red? Don't we have the same feelings as people? On the other hand, why would I even judge someone knowing very well that we are all unique? How then do we classify people who are not even exactly alike?'
Sindi was my friend we met in KZN when we went on a family vacation after I completed matric. I admit I found her very attractive, but I had no courage to ask her out because-well how the society would react. What actually happened was that my family were swimming and enjoying the sea and I wasn't really interested in all that. Then I made an excuse to buy drinks, but all I wanted to do was not to engage with the activity at all. I was searching for a place further than where they were so that I could take more time. On my journey, I spotted Sindi sitting alone extremely bored. I don't know if it was boredom or I really wanted to talk to her, I just saw myself talking to her.
We spoke for hours, I even forgot that I had to buy drinks. I wanted to date her but knowing how people may be if we would date, I decided that we should be friends rather-keep her within my circle. Sindi and her family were also on a vacation, we actually both annoyed by having to be forced to go outdoors even though what we really wanted was grab a book and stay indoors whilst sipping coffee. We had so much in common and I just didn't want to lose her, so we would rather be friends. Before parting we exchanged digits and promised to keep in touch.
Indeed, we talked over the phone as much as we could, and we were really connected despite the distance. When I was doing my second year I found out that she enrolled for the same course that I was doing in the same institution, but she was doing her first year. So, I had lent her the book that I was using on my second year to study with it for exams. I do understand, it was a limited edition-not many could access it. Now I had to go fetch it to her, I did text her about it reminding her, but all I was hoping for was to find out if I would find her because she never responded my text.
Leaving our guys' res, I went to the ladies' res which was a 10 minutes distance walk and I asked the security if I was permitted to enter the res, because I was looking for someone. Had it been the older security I knew she would refuse, but the younger one was sweeter. As expected, she agreed but teased that I owed her a chocolate for this because we were actually not allowed. Of course, I am a senior and I know very well what is unlawful in the institution, but when desperate it's quite easy to overlook the right and bypass the rules.
Then I smiled and went to Sindi's room. I was actually glad that this year we were not changing rooms other than the previous years. Relocating is one of the most annoying processes. Sometimes, you are instructed to share with someone-a complete stranger. I cannot even explain how hard it is sharing a room with someone. Josh and I used to share a room first year, but him being a party animal and I being the opposite it never worked. Now tell me if it never worked with a friend that I have known from primary school, imagine a total stranger, complete disaster.
It was very easy to remember which room Sindi stays in because I used to mark it using the kitchen. As for the floor number, it was easy not to forget since that was my favourite number. I entered the elevator and pressed the '6' button and up it went. When the doors opened and as I was walking down the passage, Sindi was entering her room before I could even call her out. I knocked once and she opened.
"Matt…Hey…long time no see," she said as she jumped to give me a hug.
"Sindi, it's always nice to see you," I said hugging her back.
"What do I owe the pleasure of your visit before we actually reopen?" she asked.
"Please don't tell me you forgot…I texted you about 3 hours ago letting you know that I will need McQueen's textbook and you didn't reply," I explained.
"Oh snap! I forgot…it's with my homie, she wanted to see something, but I am sure she saw it now. Is it cool if I give you back the book tomorrow?" she asked.
"No, the thing is Josh needs it, like today and I had promised to give it to him the very same day," I explained.
"Okay, her room is on the 10th floor can you please wait here for me and guard my room till I come back?" she asked.
"Okay cool, I will wait," I said.
"I am coming back just now, make yourself comfortable. I have cooked chicken's stew and the pot is right over there, please help yourself," she said whilst smiling and leaving me in her room.
She knew very well that I couldn't resist chicken, so I went straight to the pot and took out 3 pieces of meat. I couldn't believe she had cooked so much food for her alone. The meat as expected, was very tasty and I couldn't help but going back for more. After I was full just by eating the 4th pierce of meat, there was a knock at the door. I closed the lid, quickly washed my hands, and went to open the door. Then I saw this girl, I am not sure if she was the one that Sindi went to or someone else. Her reaction to seeing me was strange. Okay I know that I am white and Sindi is African, but she was my friend.
Sindi came back 5 minutes after the strange encounter I had with the strange girl.
"Okay…here's your book," she said handing it over.
"Are you okay? Is it the meat, is there something wrong with it?" she asked.
"No, it's just that a 'friend' of yours if I may say came looking for you." I said before she cut me in.
"It's probably Lebo, she's still new I am sure you scared the poor child," she said.
"Maybe, because she didn't say much…Anyways I have to go Josh is waiting for me at my room, he will probably call me any second from now," I said heading towards the door.
"Greet your racist friend," she said, then I closed the door behind me.