The mornings following Sibu’s night with his friends, I would help Liteboho to clean up. I took after my mom, I guess! Those were my chores, and I would juggle them with my studies. My birthday was on a Monday, and that Monday morning, when Mam’Gladys woke up, she came to my room and sang a birthday song for me.

“How did you know?” I asked

“How would I forget? I’m the one who helped your mom give birth to you. So, how could I?” she asked as she tickled me and we laughed, she knew how to make me smile.

I woke up to take a bath and prepare myself for school. After my bath, I went to the kitchen to grab something to eat and, when I found Sibusiso making tea, I walked away. You don’t understand, he hated me. He once said I ruined his life, and we couldn’t be in the same room.

Enhle and Thando were also done, so we walked together to school. I was officially sixteen, and I walked boldly to school.

I was called “Yellow bone or yellow mellow” in the streets. I’m half Pedi and half Boer, which makes me coloured. After dropping the twins off, I walked down the passage and two boys followed me. I stepped aside to let them walk past me because they seemed to be in a hurry, but, while one passed, the other one stayed behind.

The one ahead of me blocked the way, and when I turned back, the one behind me put an okapi on my neck and said aggressively, “You say a word, and I will cut your throat, uyangizwa?” He then pushed me to the end of the passage and some other guy saw us and shouted, “Hey! nina yekeleni umtwana ayeni eskolweni mahn! Amatekwani ani wa bhemani ani enza ukuthi ni enze a manyala ani wa enzani.”

The two guys ran away. I was scared, thinking of what they were going to do to me. The guy who had chased them away came to me and asked if I was okay. He said, “Wait! I know you from… uhmmm….” while biting his nail trying to recall from where. “Ohhhh! Yeah! Sbu’s cousin, right?” Sbu had told his friends that I’m his cousin? Well … I nodded my head agreeing that I was his cousin.

He walked me to school because he said it was not safe for me to walk alone to school. I was terrified! I didn’t hear anything the teachers were saying. I just wanted to go home. Home to my brother and the parents who raised me. I started missing Moraapo, he was the one who always protected me from the village boys who called me, “Stocko sa lekgowa.”

It was just easy to tell him what bothered me, and I knew for sure that, had he been there that day, he would’ve protected me, or it wouldn’t have happened in the first place. Not that I’m not grateful that Sbu’s friend was in the right place at the right time, but only if it was my brother…

As soon as the bell rang, I walked out of class and quickly made my way to take the twins from school. I usually talked with them on our way home, but not that day. I was just in a hurry to get home. When I got home, I greeted those who were around and went straight to my room. I wished it was Friday, so I wouldn’t have to drag myself to school the next day.

For a first time in my life, I really cried because I was hurting and I missed home, and this time I let all the tears out. There was a knock on the door, and I wiped away my tears and opened it, it was Sibusiso with his hands behind the back.

Tell us: What do you think Sbusiso is doing in Kedibone’s room?