I only started feeling completely OK after a year. It took me a whole year to stop feeling like a robot made of flesh. I started to live and smile again. I had mastered the act of fake smiling and pretending to be OK but I was truly OK now; it didn’t hurt anymore to think of him.

I hadn’t thought about Andile in months, until Lunga and Peggy, one of our mutual friends, were celebrating their five year anniversary. They were hosting all their friends for a weekend getaway in the Midlands. I was reluctant, until Malusi called and convinced me.

It was going to be fun and he promised to finally teach me how to ride a horse. He had long wanted to show me that I had nothing to be scared about. I had fallen off a horse once when I was younger and made the mistake of telling him. He had never let me forget it.

When he called I knew what the phone call was about even before I picked it up.

“I know why you are calling and no, I am not going,” I said.

“Well, hello to you too Zoe. I am well too. We are going, so don’t even think about an excuse. It is going to be fun and we haven’t hung out in a while,” he said with a laugh.

“Are they going to be there?” I asked quietly.

“Yes, but you are not going there for them but for Peggy and Lunga. I don’t have a plus one so don’t bring some man here!” he said and I could tell that he was rolling his eyes.

“Fine, but if Andile’s baby mama kills me I will haunt you,” I said and we both laughed.

“They broke up. I didn’t want you to hear it from me but she moved out weeks ago.” Melusi said.

I was shocked. But when I met up with my friend Xola and told her, she didn’t want to hear it. No matter how hard I tried to explain it to her she just didn’t care.

“You are going to hurt yourself again. The moment you set your eyes on that idiot, you will go insane. And who will be there to pick up the pieces? Melusi, his best friend?” she said, disapprovingly.

“Oh, please Xola, man. You know I feel nothing for Andile now. I am just going there to celebrate with my friends, nothing more or less. I don’t think of Melusi like that, he is an old friend,” I said.

“What about him? Does he think of you that way? I just think this is a disaster. I am warning you. Anyway, I will see you when you get back. Call me,” she said.

I nodded and gave her a hug. She smiled.

***

Tell us: Do you think Malusi and Zola will hook up? Or will she go back to her Andile now that he’s single again?