“So tell me, Zodwa, how do y’all sleep with this guy knowing he is a Casanova?” Zenande asked.

“Haibo! We use protection. None of us wants to get diseases from him,” Zodwa replied and both girls laughed.

Zenande and Zodwa were roommates at St Augustine College, a private college in Johannesburg. The girls had met the previous year when they were first year students. Now in their second year, they were really close.

“Oh hey girls, I’d like y’all to meet our new roomie, Yolanda,” Sharon, their other roommate, said holding Yolanda’s shoulder.

“Oh hey nice to meet you girl,” Zenande said. She was a sweet girl, always laughing and smiling. But Zodwa just pouted and faced aside; she didn’t greet.

“Where will she be sleeping since there are only three beds?” Zodwa asked rudely.

“Hawu, she’ll have to share with one of us until she is provided with a new bed,” Sharon said.

“Who he e! We paid fees to find a place here, there’s no way I’ll share my bed with her. I’m sorry sisi, I know you are studying for free but not everything is for mahala,” Zodwa said sighing.

“Haibo, Zodwa, how can you say such a thing?” Zenande asked shocked.

“Don’t mind her girl, she’s too egoistical since she’s now part of the ‘Major Galz,’” Sharon said to Yolanda.

“It’s fine you can share a bed with me,” Zenande insisted.

“Actually she can share with me. Besides my bed is bigger since I got here first,” Sharon said and took Yolanda’s luggage inside the room.

*****

“Bye girls I’ll see ya’ll later. I’m going to party with my girlfriends!” Zodwa said heading for the door wearing her pink mini dress.

“Who are those girls going out with Zodwa?” Yolanda asked curiously.

“Ay those are the Major Galz and trust me you don’t want to know about them,” Sharon said turning a page from her text book.

“It’s a Sunday night and are there any plans for tonight?” Zenande asked excitedly.

“Eish, no parting tonight I have to study!” Sharon said still reading her text book.

“Eish you girls are boring. Guess I’ll go by myself,” Zenande said walking to the door. Before she reached the door she turned back and said, “Okay, how about we buy swazi? I mean ya’ll will need it to study for long hours!”

“Hmm, now you are talking! How much have you got there?” Sharon asked with a smile.

“Twenty rands,” Zenande replied.

“Okay, here take this thirty, you’ll need it to pay the security so they’ll allow you to leave the building,”

“Oh jah I forgot. Thanks neh Chomma. Give me ten minutes and I’ll be back,” Zenande said and went away.

The girls chilled and smoked the weed. It was the first time Yolanda had ever smoked, and the joint hit her hard. She didn’t want to at first, but the girls said it would help her study better. She was already struggling to stay awake and understand what she was reading, so she gave it a try.

”Hmm, kwanuka uswazi nje apha, were you girls smoking?” Zodwa said as she staggered all the way to the living room.

“Kahle, Don’t act as if you don’t smoke wena! “ Sharon said.

“At least I don’t smoke inside the building. Do you have any idea what will the headmaster do to you when he finds out?” Zodwa shouted.

“Do you have any idea what he will do to you when he finds out that you left the building in the middle of the night, and came back the next morning – drunk? So please cut it out!” Sharon said and covered herself with a blanket.

The girls overslept. In the morning Zenande was the first one up.

“Girls wake up it’s time for class!” Zenande said already prepaid for class.

“Eish let me go and bath,” Sharon said.

“Haibo you’ll be late!” Zenande exclaimed.

“Manje you expect me to go to class smelling of dagga?” Sharon shouted.

“Ay go ke. Yolanda wake up, wake up it’s time for class!” Zenande said shacking Yolanda’s back under her blanket.

“Eish give me few minutes!” Yolanda said.

“Haibo girl, we are almost late! Go take a shower with Sharon,” Zenande said.

***

Do you think Yolanda will cope with the lifestyle her roommates live?