The journey was boring, but what did I expect? When I arrived at the PE airport, my cab was already waiting. It dropped me off at home, where I found Tebby watching television. She seemed happy to see me back.
I went to my room to put my stuff away and called Lloyd to let him know I had arrived safely. Once I was done, I joined Tebby downstairs.
"Fill me in, babes. How did it go?" she asked eagerly.
"Everything went well. His mother loves me, and his little siblings are just adorable!"
We continued chatting lightly while eating. Tebby had cooked, and after we finished, she called it a night.
I went to my room to sleep but was woken up by Lloyd's calls. At first, I ignored them, but he kept calling.
"Lloyd, some of us are sleeping. What's up?" I answered, annoyed.
"Hello to you too. I'm sorry, I just wanted to hear your voice, wish you a good night, and tell you that I miss you."
Me: …
"Zinzi, I was serious about what I said."
"Okay, I heard you. Goodnight."
"Zinzi, I love you."
Me: …
I just hung up. When he called again, I switched off my phone and went back to sleep.
The Next Morning
I woke up around 10 a.m., did my hygiene routine, and went downstairs to make breakfast. I then went to wake Tebby, but she was already up, freshening up. When she was done, we ate together.
"What are we doing today, chomi?" she asked while still eating.
"Andazi, chomi, maybe we could go watch a movie and do a little shopping since school starts tomorrow."
"Yes! And maybe I can get myself a man—who knows?"
"Someone's looking to get laid, I see," I teased.
"It's not like that, friend!"
"It's cool. By the way, can I ask for a favor?"
"Anything for you, friend."
"Since I'll be attending night classes for my law course, could I maybe borrow your car or have you drop me off until I find transport?"
"Where's Lloyd? I'm sure he wouldn't mind dropping you off and picking you up."
"He's in Cape Town."
"You can use the car, but if you crash my baby, I will kill you!" she said, laughing.
"Thank you, boo. It'll only be for a few days, then I'll sort out transport. But in the mornings, we'll be going together anyway."
"Yes, love."
After breakfast, we went to our rooms to freshen up.
I decided to wear vintage denim jeans that were loose on the legs, a black sports bra, and an oversized Identify jacket, paired with old-school low-cut Vans. I left my braids untied and applied light makeup.
When I was done, I went to the dining room to wait for Tebby. She came down wearing a black and white short jumpsuit with black old-school Vans. She looked stunning.
screaming "Yohhh, banyise chomi! Damn, you look appetizing!"
"Thank you, friend. So do you."
"Let's go, boo."
We left the house and drove to the nearest mall. When we got there, we checked the movie times and saw that the one we wanted to watch started at 2 p.m., so we decided to shop first.
We went to different stores and bought clothes. I also bought us matching gold necklaces with the money I made from my deal with Lloyd. Afterward, we stopped at a French restaurant for some light food and took pictures for our galleries.
When we were done, we put our shopping bags in the car and went to watch the movie.
The movie was interesting, and it ended around 5 p.m. On our way home, we stopped by an Italian pizza restaurant. I then posted on my WhatsApp status:
"Out with my sister ❤️ #MoreLoveAndHappiness"
Shortly after, I received a message from Lloyd:
"I hope you enjoyed your day. I just wonder why you're not taking my calls. Katie wanted to speak to you."
I read the message but didn't reply. I didn't know what to say. Yes, I had feelings for him, but the thought of him having multiple girlfriends kept playing in my mind. I just needed some time.
When I got to my room, I packed my things, took a bath, and prepared for bed. Just as I was about to sleep, Lloyd called again. I ignored it, set my alarm, and went to sleep.
First Day of University
My alarm woke me up early. I made my bed, did my hygiene routine, took a bath, applied lotion, and dressed in torn jeans, a black top, and black Vapormax sneakers. I grabbed my old-school bag and went downstairs for a quick breakfast of cornflakes.
Tebby joined me, and we left for campus.
When we arrived, everything felt different from high school. I knew I had to stay focused and make myself proud.
"Welcome to independence, love, freedom, passing, and being us!" Tebby said as she stepped out of the car.
"Yes, boo!"
We parted ways for our separate classes.
I wish I could say I didn't get lost, but believe me, I did. I spent almost 30 minutes trying to find my class. By the time I found it, the lesson was almost over. I quietly found an empty seat next to a guy and focused on the remaining part of the lesson.
After class, I introduced myself to the professor and apologized for being late. As I was heading to my next class, the guy who sat next to me approached me.
"Hey, I'm Ntokozo," he said.
He was light-skinned, tall, and well-built. We walked together since we were heading to the same class.
After the lesson, I had a 30-minute break before my next class, so we grabbed something to eat while getting to know each other. My final class lasted three hours, but I enjoyed it.
Later That Day
When I got home, the house was empty and quiet. I decided to take a nap.
I was woken up by Lloyd's call. As much as I didn't want to talk to him, I missed him, so I answered.
"Hey."
"Zee, I've hired someone to drop you off and pick you up from your law classes. He'll be there at 5:30. Please behave. I love you."
Before I could respond, he hung up.
How dare he? Well, at least I wouldn't have to bother Tebby about her car anymore. I texted him:
"Thank you, but there was no need. It wouldn't make a difference if I disagreed since this clearly wasn't a request… Greet Katie for me."
At 5:30 p.m., the cab arrived.
"Hey, sir," I greeted as I got in.
"Call me Zeny, Mrs. Maps," the driver replied.
"Mrs. Maps?" I raised an eyebrow.
"That's what Mr. Maps instructed."
"Lloyd has officially lost it," I muttered.
"Sorry, ma'am, but I just follow instructions."
"Please, just call me Zinzi or Zee."
"I'm not allowed to, sorry ma'am."
"Damn, he won't even know."
"If you say so," he shrugged.
Zeny dropped me off, and I attended my classes. By 1 a.m., I was exhausted. He drove me home, and I went straight to bed.
The next morning, I got dressed and waited outside for my driver. When he arrived, I told him, "Can you pick me up here for my night classes and please buy me food? Thanks, Zeny."
"You ain't my boss, miss," he smirked before driving off.
As I walked toward the parking lot, a red car pulled up, and someone called out, "Wait for me!"
I turned around—it was Ntokozo.