Binti had sneaked out to zazi's home. They were not far from each other.
She did what zazi did for her when she was branded, sing their friendship song.
".... We will be friends forever. Just you and me..."
Zazi felt a lot better and Binti left after she fell asleep.
Zazi woke up early the next day with her mother.
Her job was to wash anna's clothes, iron and fold them then put them in the bedroom. Her wound didn't hurt as much as it was covered in herbs but she was still quite careful not to bruise it.
Her mother helped her learn it all and soon when Anna was back from school with Sebastian, she was knocking on her door with her laundry.
Anna helped her put the clothes away fast so they could play with her doll house. The two sipped air coffee and gave some to the dolls. Brenda watched her child and she felt something warm in her heart. Her baby was so kind. Unlike all the other white children who already learn how to treat black people like dirt and look down on every African.
Anna looked so happy,.
She was so awkward and didn't have any friends so seeing her make a friend especially one that was nothing like her was a nice thing.
She let them play but made sure her husband didn't know this and just thought zazi was a servant.
"Before you leave I have something to give you." Anna said. It was getting late and her friend was about to go to her mum so they can leave together.
"Here, its a raggedy doll. I have one too. So you can have this so we both have one."
Zazi thanked her and held the toy tightly. She hugged the girl and told her she can't wait to see her the next day.
She closed the room to her door and was leaving.
On her way out though, just at the hallway, she felt a leg trip her and she fell on her face.
"What are you doing with my sister's doll? Did you steal it?" A boy's voice said.
She got up, turned around and it was Sebastian.
She immediately defended herself while trying to get up.
"No. I didn't steal it. She gave it to me, I swear."
"You're lying." He declared.
"No I'm not. Please believe me. We can go ask her." Zazi was ready to go back to anna's room since she didn't steal the doll.
"Come with me." Sebastian said as he opened a different door to anna's. Which had zazi confused.
"...."
"Hurry up."
She followed him and he led her to a room that looked like his bedroom.
It had toy trains on the floor and crayons, books and papers on the bed.
He went into his closet and took out an old scarf.
"Wrap it on this. If anyone sees you walking around with it they will think you stole it." He said giving it to Zazi.
Zazi quietly took the scarf and wrapped it on the doll.
"I'll bring you your scarf tomorrow."
"Keep it." Sebastian said.
"But i want you to come here tomorrow, is that okay?" He added.
She nodded. Seeing as he had nothing else to say, she left and joined her mother and the other women who were waiting for her so they can go home.
Zazi kept staring at the brown scarf and smelling it. It smelled just like the boy. Why did he want her to come back? Did he want to play?
The next day, she spent whole day with Anna, she kept looking out for Sebastian who didn't seem to be home. When she was done and ready to leave, she bumped into him at the hallway. He gestured her to follow him.
He always wanted to be an artist for a long time and gave himself drawing lessons by drawing anything he could. Now he wanted zazi to be his little muse just for four days. Since Anna was going to the other side of the country the next day for a wedding, it would be a perfect time.
Zazi agreed and she left quietly and didn't tell anyone. The next day, Sebastian told his dad, after saying goodbye to his mum and sister, he wanted to have zazi work for him. She shouldn't be idle. And Jacob liked this, yes, that little slave shouldn't take days off because Ana wasn't around.
When Zazi arrived, she went straight to where Sebastian was. Sebastian then asked her to follow him but this time, they went to the little waterfall.
He was quiet the whole time and zazi sat still as he drew her on his book with a pencil. Unlike the other times when he had to use almost 10 papers to get it right, he got her face right in the first try. It seems like he didn't need four days after all.
He careful drew her eyes and brows. He will later on color it with his water colors in the evening.
When he was done with her face, he kept the drawing safe then finally spoke
"I finished my sketch."
"What's that you were using?"
"What?"
"The one that looked like a stick"
"This?..... It's called a pencil."
"Owwww.. A pencil." She repeated that word.
"You didn't know what this is?" He asked surprised. Zazi just shook her head.
"How about I teach somethings about pencils and books for this days we have to together?"
Zazi's eyes lit up. She always wondered what school was but she wasn't allowed to go to any of them.
Sebastian then took out a little nursery book and started teaching her vowels and numbers.
Even after the four days, they still could hang out.
Jacob decided zazi was strong enough for two jobs so she had half the day with Anna and the rest with Sebastian. Anna could have sneaked in to join them but since schools were closed, she had to go to 'etiquette and proper lady lessons with her mum and her friends and their daughters half the day.' If she had a choice, she would just stay home and play all day with zazi.
Zazi on the other was taught so much during the holiday and she learnt and grasped everything. Who knew when she'll get this opportunity again.
She learnt how to hold a pencil, read and add one plus one. She learnt the vowels and how they are correctly pronounced and throughout she ended up getting very close to Sebastian.
They became so close and had so much fun together.
One day, zazi was able to convince Sebastian to play in the water fall. He took of his shoes and took his time to get up the little cliff. So much so that zazi had to go after him.
"We'll jump together. Don't be scared."
"I'm not scared." He said as if assuring himself too.
The two jumped while holding hands and to Sebastian's surprise, he actually had alot of fun.
They then sat on the grass to dry off while laughing so hard.
"Zazi"
"Mmmh!".
"I want to promise you something." He said in a serious tone..
Zazi turned him wondering what made him so serious and what it could be.
"What is it?"
"One day, I'll get you out of this life. I will free you and you'll no longer be a slave. And when I'm old enough, I'll marry you. I want to be with you forever and love you forever."
He then reached out to his bag and pulled out a silver necklace with the letter S branded on it in white. The necklace was, an oval stone flat in the black that was colored black and a custom letter S on it in white, with a silver chain.
He put it on her.
"Promise me you'll never take it off?"
"I promise." She said and hugged him.
He felt his heart warming up for some reason. Which made him kiss her cheek.
"But I should give you something too"
She took her skin bag that her dad made for her to carry anything she needed and took out some blue beads. It was the first she ever made. She watched her mother make some beads and she sat down every night and she had learned how to get colors from plants and painted her beads blue so at to be unique.
She tied to beads on Sebastian's wrist.
"And you promise you'll never take it off, okay? Because I'll know if you do."
Sebastian nodded and smiled.
But this moment wouldn't last forever.
Zazi woke up the next day early in the morning.
She held her mother's hand as they walked to the mansion only to see Sebastian getting into one of those carriages.
At first zazi didn't think much of it until she saw his bags following him.
She wanted to go and ask but couldn't.
The carriage then drove off.
She couldn't wait to ask Anna where Sebastian was headed to.
"Daddy decided he could get better studies in london. So before school opens, which is very soon, he should go there. He wont be back for awhile." The little girl explained.
Zazi held her chest and felt the necklace underneath her clothes. He just promised her the previous day and now he was leaving without a goodbye?
But she will wait for him. There must be an explanation.
"But he gave me this to give to you." Anna said handing it to her
It was all the books he taught her with and more.