Sethu was a very quiet girl from a rural area. She came into the big city of Cape Town to further her studies, but when she met Siyabonga everything changed.

It was in the beginning of the year when Sethu went to Cape Town. The only thing on her mind was her studies and nothing else. She did not manage to find a high school in the Eastern Cape after she finished her primary school. Her mother, who was living in Cape Town because of the separation with Sethu’s father, called her to come and study there. She did not hesitate and she packed everything and left for the big city.

We all know that when you arrive in a new place, you find it hard to adjust, especially when you are shy like Sethu. She was always indoors and you would only see her when she went to school or to the shops. She also found it hard to make friends.

Sethu tried to adjust to the new place and she found herself a new friend from the neighbourhood. They both had similar personalities and they became great friends. One day when they were chilling outside, a group of guys came to them. There were four of them and one of them was Andiswa’s big brother. When Sethu saw him, her heart beat faster than usual. She felt something for him and it showed, even to the fools.

Andiswa’s brother, Siyabonga, was a charming, handsome guy. He was all about the good and sweet words that could make any girl love him. Sethu was only sixteen and Siya was twenty-one. Siya had this way of making himself seem so innocent. Sethu did not know him as she only saw a handsome and sweet guy. She could not wait for him to make his first move. Andiswa warned her friend about her brother, but Sethu did not listen to a word she said.

A few weeks later, Siya had still not made any move but instead, his friend Thulani did. Sethu did not like Thulani. To her, he was the most annoying and ugly guy and one she did not imagine dating. Thulani was actually a very good guy who respected girls but Sethu made it clear to him that he did not like him. Every time Sethu saw Siya, she would do anything to show him that she was interested in him. Siya finally made a move on her and Sethu did not want to waste any time as she had waited for so long for him.

After two weeks of dating, Siya invited Sethu to his place and she knew what would happen if she went there. She had a boyfriend back in the Eastern Cape and every time he called her into his place she would make excuses. He understood and he promised to wait for her whenever she was ready. When Sethu went to Cape Town, he promised to wait for her and that he would never cheat on her. Sethu knew that he was the kind of a boyfriend she would allow to break her virginity. He never cheated on her and he treated her like a queen.

When she met Siya everything changed. She would do anything to make him happy. She went to his place and everything happened so fast. A few weeks later, Sethu found out that she was pregnant. She was so afraid to tell her family, especially her mother who trusted and loved her so much. The first person she told was Siya. He was so angry and told her to abort the baby as he was not ready to be a father. Sethu did not believe what he had just said: her heart felt as if it was being stabbed with a big knife.

She remembered Andiswa’s words and the boyfriend who promised he would wait for her whenever she was ready. She suddenly resented ever coming to Cape Town because if she was still in the Eastern Cape, she would not have met Siya and nor would she be pregnant.

She thought of how everyone trusted her. Sethu was always a good girl and sometimes she did not like the fact that everyone was praising her, telling her what a sweet and good girl she was compared to other girls. Sethu knew herself very well, more than the people who thought they knew her. She was always scared of making mistakes that would disappoint everyone.

Siya left her and she was all alone and pregnant. She knew if she told her mother that would kill her, so she decided to kill herself because in her mind that was the only solution. She did not see any reason to be alive.

At the end of the story, we see that being judged by how you are instead of who you really are is not right. Sethu was disappointed in herself more than anyone would be disappointed in her. Everyone trusted her and saw her as an innocent girl who would not do anything wrong. They judged her by her cover and we also see Siya whom Sethu judged by his cover when he was nice to her until he showed himself as who he really was.