Jo sits on the floor in sweats with headphones watching something on her cell phone. She eats from a bag of chips and occasionally chuckles to herself while sipping from a large bottle of coke. Sasha comes in quietly with a laundry baskets under her arm and grimaces at a voice off stage.
Dorm Mother: Oi! Sasha! Lights out is in 5 minutes. What are you still doing up?
Sasha: Jammer Juffrou.
Sasha walks over and sits on the floor next to Jo and exhales. Jo looks over
Jo: Oh hey roomie. Hoe gaan dit?
Sasha shushes her
Sasha: Be quiet. Do you want Juffrou to come in here?
Jo looks in laundry basket and picks up underwear
Jo: Oooh lekker jy. Grannie panties is die nuwe Vicky Secret nah.
Sasha rolls eyes and leans in
Sasha: What’s that on your top?
Jo: Mhmmm…toothpaste?
Sasha: Yuck
Jo: Hey, now I’m minty fresh. Who needs deodorant?
Sasha rolls her eyes looks at the door and begins to lift the laundry from the basket to reveal a box of relaxer
Jo: En nou wat gaan aan? Vanish has their own hair care line (chuckles) Vertrou Pienk vergeet Kroes hare.
Sasha snatches it away
Sasha: Tanya in 2a gave it to me
Jo: “Embrace the diversity of your natural hair textures with our no lye relaxer”- they spelt lie wrong
Sasha: LYE. L.Y.E as in strong chemicals
Jo scoffs
Jo: Well, you’re not lying there. Did you read the ingredients?
Sasha: Its suppose to straighten your hair three times faster than the other brands. That’s new not even in stores yet.
Sasha begins to unpack the rest of the hidden contraband from the washing basket: brushes, hair clips, foil, scissors and a stack of cue cards.
Jo: Yoh, you got the hair stylist in there too?
Sasha ignores her and drapes a towel around her shoulders. Jo picks up the cue cards. Jo eats a handful of chips and speaks.
Jo: What’s this?
Sasha: Notes for the history test
Jo gulps and coughs while trying to swallow the mouthful of chips
Jo: When’s the test?
Sasha: Tomorrow. And since your also in Meneer Van Wyk’s classes so is yours.
Jo thinks for a second and then begins to pat her pockets and roll up her one sleeve to reveal a large reminder written on her arm.
Jo: Ooooh right. I’ll ask Katie for her notes.
Sasha: Katie?
Jo: Ag you know Katie in 3B. Really funny, always sing Beyonce songs, on the netball team…
Sasha opens the tub of product
Sasha: Oh the one with the …(gestures) big hair
Jo: Wow, that was somewhat painful to watch. Ag, sis man. Is it meant to smell three times nastier too?
Sasha: it’s not that bad. Tanya said its fine
Jo: Oh well then if Tanya said so…
Sasha finishes mixing and starts to apply the product her hair. Jo cringes as she does so while eating her chips.
Sasha: Don’t watch me!
Jo: I can’t not chomi. Its like the beginning of a horror movie.
Sasha rolls her eyes but starts to wince a little
Jo: Does it burn?
Sasha: It’s fine.
Sasha phone buzzes and she looks to see who is calling.
Sasha: It’s my mom do you mind if I take it?
Jo: Nope
Sasha: Hi mommy-
Jo: HI SASHA-
Sasha shushes her and looks nervously at the door before glaring at Jo. Jo whispers.
Jo: Hi Sasha’s mommy
Sasha: Hi mommy, yes that’s Jo. Yeah, it’s nearly lights out so… Yes, mommy I know. I looked at the question this morning. Yes, I know mommy I’m going to start working on its soon- I know it’s important but I had some others stuff to do. We have a history test tomorrow.
Jo: And a chemistry experiment this evening
Sasha glares
Sasha: Yes, mom okay I will. I have to go okay night.
Jo: Soooo, how’s your mama?
Sasha: She’s on my case about university applications.
Jo: Eish
Sasha: The one application includes an essay question, and she keeps telling me how important it is to make it impressive, so I stand out.