It was a late afternoon and Noel was returning from a lecture as this was his first year of Varsity, although he was rich as his family had left him a huge inheritance, he hated being driven around or driving so he would normally take a short five minutes walk every morning to school and every afternoon from school before taking an Uber to and from school despite the protest of his caregiver Miss Anele, infact she thought him attending University and not even picking a business major was a waste of time, of course his reasons were not as noble as wanting some degree or something he just thought Varsity was his best chance of finding a girlfriend as he does not have a lot of friends and the only friend he does have would not his understanding his virgin plight as she's a gir.. . Hey Noel! While lost in his thoughts he heard an enchanting voice behind him, turning around a beautiful girl of avarage height was walking towards him in hurried steps.
Hey,why did you leave me?? She asked him while pretending to be mad, this was his only friend Charlize Snyman, they grew up together and are so close most people thing they dating but he doesn't think of her like that. Well I thought you would he hanging out with your book club girls. Normally they would walk together in the morning and in the afternoon,after school as they are neighbours and it been like that since primary school, afterall the Snyman family was pretty well-off as they owned a construction company and a few smaller businesses like restaurants and furniture shops so they lived in a very expensive neighborhood like Noel.
However unlike Noel,Charlize was pretty good at making friends so she had a few other friends beside Noel which sometimes makes Noel feel left out, not that it matters most of the time as he does not mind solitude. Since it your eighteenth birthday today you should come with me and we'll celebrate your adulthood, she said while flashing him a mischievous smile. You know I don't like those crowded places especially when there's alcohol, he said, looking at her with a serious face, she looked at him dumbfounded then giggled, you really hopeless you know that. What does that mean? he asked, don't worry about it, okay then since you don't want us to commemorate your adulthood like adults then we could go out for dinner, just the two of us, I'm sure Miss Anele will not mind after all it you eighteenth birthday, that only comes once in a lifetime.
Doesn't every birthday only come only in a lifetime though?? He asked her with a serious looking face. Sometimes talking to you really tiring she said with a sigh. While they were talking,a car suddenly pulled up infront of them, it was their Uber, they got in the backseat and the driver started driving. They continued their conversation but overtime noticed the driver kept looking at her from the review mirror. She tried to ignore it but it got tiring and eventually she asked him to stop. I apologize if I was being rude it jus.. you were rude, she answered before he could finish but Noel just could not bring himself to blame the guy after all, Charlize was truly beautiful, black flowing hair that reaches her back, with a strips of red hair here and there and black eyes that have a tinge of crimson so small one would not notice it unless they focus on them which was made harder by her voluptuous body.
Even though he would not blame him it still did not make him happy, it has always been like that, although they were not a couple and he did think of her that way he always felt angry when other guys hit on her, perhaps it because they are childhood friends and he protect her as he would a sister, yeah that probably it,he told himself. The Uber arrived infront of a giant gate painted with flames, behind were lush green trees and in the distance one could see a large white house decorated with images of a Phoenix in blue flames, this was the Snyman family home, they both got off and paid the Uber. The gate opened and Charlize went inside, see you at seven, she said as the gate closed, sure see you then he replied as he headed towards his own house.
Welcome back, he was greeted by somebody as he entered the house, it was Miss Anele, a beautiful woman who looks to be in her late 20's even though she was approaching 40, atleast as long Noel was aware, she was black with a lighter skin tone, hair made into long thin braids and beautiful black eyes that seems to draw you in. Go take a shower I'll prepare food, come on aunty I'm tired, can't I eat first? He said as he threw himself on the couch, taking off his shoes, go take a shower, she said with a stern voice. Okay he agreed adamantly, he was quite scared of her,afterall she had been training him in martial arts ever since childhood and everytime he is rebellious, she would challenge him to a spar and beat him up, infact it was not only him, Charlize had been caught in the storm multiple times so she tried,her best to avoid pissing off this beast of a woman.
After taking a shower, he ate and went to their dojo for training, Anele was already waiting for him there, in her hands were two short daggers and unlike the wooden weapons they usually use to spar these were made of steel and looked very sharp, Ahh,my beautiful lovely aunt is not trying to kill me is she?? He asked as he took a step back, relax I'm not going to kill you..... As long as you careful, she said with a small grin. Pick a weapon, Noel picked up a long spear with a wide and long spearhead. Although he'd been taught how to use multiple weapons he always felt more comfortable with a spear, of course he never understood the purpose of this training as all these are useless in the modern era where people could just shoot you. Self defence made sense but training with a sword, spears and Shields always made him question the sanity of his loving but ruthless aunt.
Him and Anele stood 5 metres apart, she suddenly rushed towards him, he backed up as he swiped his two metres long spear at her, hesitating, afraid of accidentally harming her but she ducked under it rolling toward him by the time he reacted a dagger was already on his throat. Why did you hesitate?? She asked with a blank face, well I didn't want to accidentally hurt you, he said softly. Hurt me?? You? Hurt me?? Who do you think you are brat, you are a hundred years to early to be able to hurt me so start fighting seriously or I might accidentally cut something. She looked angry and Noel although confused knew better than disobey her.
Standing five metres apart and Noel looking serious, holding his spear horizontal to the floor looked at her. She moved and he backed up trying to keep distance between them as he knew that where his advantage is, if he let her come close he would lose and knowing this crazy woman she might actually cut him up. He swiped his spear diagonally from right to left and she easily dodged his attack, closing up the distance she aimed her dagger at him but at that moment the shaft of his spear shifted blocking the dagger and the spearhead hit the tiled floor causing the shaft to vibrate loosening the grip on her dagger but causing him to almost let go of the spear as well. She slides to his blindspot on his right before swing her dagger at his back.
He rolled forward and turned around only to find a kick flying towards his chest, he used his spear shaft to block losing grip of the spear and staggering four step backwards before falling on his back,by the time he came to be, a knee was already on his chest and a dagger on his throat. She stood up and gave him a hand, good, she said, you improving. They continued their sparring for the next hour or so before he remembered he had a date with Charlize, wait is it even a date, doesn't matter he thought to himself. Aunt, sorry I can't stay, and I won't be home for dinner tonight. Where are you going? she asked him with a raised eyebrow, to have dinner with Charlize. Hoh a date?? No we friends it not a date.. I think. I never said anything about not being friends, what makes you think friends can't have a date??, She teased him.
Well goodbye Aunt, see you later, goodbye Miss Anele, she watched as the two of them got into Charlize car. We running out of time, she whispered to herself as she went back to the house. Charlize and Noel drove to a five star restaurant called the Belly of the beast, Charlize loved meaty meals so this restaurant was great for her. They had a delicious meal before heading out and going around looking for fun things to do until late at night. Charlize was quite happy, one would swear it was birthday and Noel was just following her around but seeing her so happy for some reason made him happy. They went back home around midnight, they hugged and said goodbye to each other. So how was your date, he heard her voice as soon as he entered the house. It was not a date he retorted.
You going to hurt the little girls feelings if you say things like that you know? Charlize and I are frie... You know what I'm going to bed, goodnight, goodnight she responded. He went to his room upstairs and took off his clothes, lit a scented candle before going to bed and fell asleep shortly after. While he was sleeping,Anele walked into his room, looked at him with eyes full of tender and love, good luck little one she said softly before going out. Noel had a dream that night, in that dream he saw someone he thought he would never see again in his life, his mother, he was in a world filled with dark clouds rumbling with thunder and scorched land and lighting struck the ground in short intervals.
In this world stood a woman beautiful as a goddess, clad in armour with lighting running running all over it. I had hoped this day would never come, she said with a sad smile. Noel was overwhelmed and did not know what to say,mo..mom, he stuttered, hi beasty, the woman responded with a smile, no longer able to hold himself back, Noel cried and ran towards, her hugging her tight as if he's afraid if he let go she'll disappear. Why?where? Where have you been, you and big sis, why did you abonden me, he flooded her with questions with tears streaming down his eyes. Don't cry now, what will that little girlfriend of your think about her man crying, she teased him. With a sad look she said, I'm sorry beasty I didn't intend to lea... Wait what did you say about Nandi? She asked startled, she's gone, she disappeared, are you saying she's not with you?? He asked her. No of course not, that stupid child, I should've know she'd do something like this, why did Anele not stop her??
I don't know, I was only ten years old, he answered, yeah I'm sorry sweetie but you don't have to worry about me and your sister,we'll be fine, just worry about yourself. We've run out of time, what?? he asked, we don't have a lot of time to speak just take care of yourself okay, she said with tears in her eyes, and always listen to Anele, she's smarter than she looks and always remember that I love and take this, she gave him a bracelet made of obsidian beads, her voice was fading away as she kept getting further, Noel felt himself being pulled by something. Will I ever see you again mom, certainly you wi..... her voice faded and Noel woke up.