PAIN BEHIND THE BEAUTIFUL FACE

INSERT 01

Amahle's pov

The day started like any other for the family. I was getting ready for school in the bathroom, while my brother, Lungelo, was still in his room. But then, Lungelo suddenly appeared at the bathroom door, his eyes fixed on me with an unsettling intensity.It was as if he had been drawn to the bathroom by some unseen force. He didn't knock, didn't announce his presence. He simply pushed open the door and stepped inside, his movements eerily silent.

I, caught off guard, spun around to face him. But before i could say a word, Lungelo's eyes locked onto mine, and i felt a chill run down my spine...

Narrator

For a moment, the two siblings just stared at each other, the only sound the soft hum of the bathroom exhaust fan. Amahle's heart was racing, her mind trying to process why Lungelo was acting so strangely.Then, without a word, Lungelo turned and walked over to the shower, his eyes fixed on the water dripping from the faucet. Amahle watched him, her confusion giving way to a growing sense of unease.

Amahle's pov

"Lungelo, what's wrong?" i asked, trying to keep my voice steady.He didn't respond. He just stood there, staring at the water, his face twisted into a strange, almost... haunted expression.

And then, just as suddenly as he had appeared, Lungelo turned and walked out of the bathroom, leaving me feeling shaken and confused….

I was still trying to process what had just happened when i heard my father's voice calling out from downstairs.

"Amahle, Lungelo, breakfast is ready!"

I took a deep breath and tried to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled over me. I quickly finished getting ready and headed downstairs to join my family, my father, stepmom and my strange stepbrother Lungelo.

As we sat down to eat, i couldn't help but steal glances at Lungelo, who was sitting across from me, his eyes fixed on his plate.After breakfast, my father asked me to help him with something in his study. As we walked into the room,i closed the doors behind us and turned to my father.

"Dad, can I talk to you about something?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

My father looked up from the papers he was sorting through. "Of course, Amahle. What's on your mind?" I took a deep breath before launching into the story of what had happened in the bathroom. I told my father about Lungelo's strange behavior, and how he had just walked out of the bathroom without saying a word.

As i finished speaking, dad looked at me with a scowl on his face. "What's wrong with that?" he snapped. "What were you hiding in the bathroom that Lungelo shouldn't see?"

Weee? i was taken aback by my father's reaction.I had expected him to be concerned, to ask me if i was okay. But instead, he was scolding me, making me feel like i was the one who had done something wrong.

"I wasn't hiding anything, Dad," I protested. "Lungelo just acted really strange. He didn't say a word to me."

But my father just shook his head. "You're being dramatic, Amahle. Lungelo's just going through a tough time. You need to be more understanding."

I felt a surge of frustration. Why wasn't my father listening to me? Why was he taking Lungelo's side?Why should i understand Lungelo's shit?