It was time to go to school. The Princess was doing Grade 11 and it was just after the June holidays. She was looking terrific and the prince of the fields was on point also.

When he arrived at school he waited by the gate waiting for the angel he had seen that Sunday. A moment before the bell rang she appeared, walking with her friend Amanda. They got closer and he prepared himself. As they were about to pass he greeted them and the Princess responded with a soft polite wave.

Her grandma, meanwhile, was a little worried about the Princess, worried that if boys came into the picture they would hinder the dreams.

She was so close to her dreams and boys were the last things she should be focusing on. The boy had dreams also, he wouldn’t herd cattle for the rest of his life. One of his dreams was to marry the gorgeous princess and build a castle for her. The Princess wanted to build a better future for the next generation to come in the village, and carry on doing the same for others too, paving the way. But most of all she wanted to change that dark little hut she was born in into a castle fit for a queen, her grandma, since she was the Princess.

Princess passed her grade 11 very well. Her grandma was very jovial, all her prayers were coming true. All was within Nqobile’s grasp and on the other hand the uncle’s boy was not so thrilled.

It was crunch time to make the dreams come true, the first term of grade 12. But the Princess did not feel any pressure. “It’s just another class,” she always said.

As days went on, grandma wasn’t feeling well and in front of the Princess she acted as if nothing was wrong but the pain inside only grew. The smile of the Princess disappeared like the morning dew afraid of the sun. She was facing her worst nightmare of losing her best friend in the world.

One morning, after getting a hug and kiss from Gogo, she went to school, leaving grandma feeding the chickens. Amanda was waiting for her by the gate. That day the Princess’s heart was heavy, like something bad was going to happen. A heart of royalty – could it lie? The day went on slowly and it was going to be a very sad afternoon for the Princess. Her lifelong mother, grandma, was taken to hospital.

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Tell us: Do you think grandma will make it? How will it affect Nqobile if she doesn’t?