Elihle opened the door for her and she sat in the front seat. He promised he would take good care of her and her mother’s beautiful car. It was a red BMW X5. They drove to town which was 20 km away from Dumbe Location.

They drove to the mall in Florida. Elihle parked the car and they went inside the mall. The mall looked different; it was the biggest mall in town and you could spend the whole day there. There were many games to play. It was the Saturday of month end and people were out with their families and their loved ones.

They decided to start looking for clothes.

He offered to pay for his clothes but Nothando didn’t agree with that, she said they would use her mother’s card to pay for everything. They both decided to wear jean to jean at the party and they added another black and white to it.

They went to a beautiful restaurant after shopping. The waiter sat them down and Elihle opened the conversation.

“I didn’t realise that you are this beautiful. I always see you in your school uniform and you look like a kid. I hear boys talking about you, saying they can do anything to have you.”

“I do not care about what they say about me. Let’s hear from you, Mr Handsome, what do you say about me? You are a boy right?” She teased and they both laugh.

“If you really want to know I will tell you, but I must be honest,”

“The honest truth is what I want,”

Mmm, the honest truth is that you are a gorgeous lady. You are very kind and I do not want to take advantage of your kindness. You just make me see life differently. I never dreamed of having a wife but the few seconds I spend with you make me wish you are the girl that will be buried next to me. You know I was not myself lately, but you take all that away. I know it’s hard to believe this but the first time I laid my eye on you, I mean the first day I greeted you at school, was the day that made my love go founder for you.”

“Wow, and you look serious. Please stop it, you are making me blush. I see the way you look at me, why didn’t you tell me how you felt the first time you saw me?”

“You know I am a joke at school. How was I going to talk to you; the poor boy trying his luck with a rich girl? I noticed that you are cool, that you are not like your friends but you know how your friends will react if they see me trying to have a conversation with you.”

“I don’t like it if you say you are poor, there is no such. I’m not rich because everything I have I got from my parents. I still have to work hard to have my own things; that’s why you always see me in school. If I was rich, what was I going to do at school? I happen to like you too but I don’t want to lie, I am not ready for relationships. If you can wait for me, I mean, we only have two years to finish school. Maybe we can try but we can be friends for now, maybe that will help us to know each other.”

“That is fine with me, I will wait for you,” he faked a smile.

There was silence for a while but luckily the waiter relieved them. He attended to them with a menu.

“What are we going to eat lover boy?” Nothando asked with a smile as they were both looking at the menus.

“I think toasted chicken with rice, beet-root and potato salad will be fine. Then we can have dessert. Aunty used to says the one with strawberries is nice, I want to taste it.”

“Mmm you are a Zulu man, you don’t eat veggies? I will add a Greek salad and orange juice. With this much food, I hope there will still be space for dessert in my stomach,”

They both laughed.

They started eating. The food was delicious and the service was good. It was too early to go back home so they decided to go and chill at the park. The park was always clean and people enjoyed spending time there playing games, taking pictures as they playing swinging games at the park.

“Wow, I didn’t know that this place looked this beautiful. I never spent time like this in town before, you really made my day,” Elihle said.

“I came with my family but it was not delightful like this. You made my day too. I think we should do this more often. You know how to treat a lady. I saw the way you were worried about me, looking at me while I was swinging,” she smiled.

“What was I going to say to your mom if you fell? Besides, I wasn’t going to watch you hurting yourself. I would be a bad man if I did that,” he smiled too.

“Mmm, do you treat every woman like that or it was just me?”

“I really do not know how to answer that question because you are the first woman I went out with. But I hope you are the only woman I can treat like this. My uncle told me to be good to every woman.”

“No, I am the only woman you should treat well,”

“Tell me why only you?”

“To be honest, I can’t answer that question now. But trust me, you must be good to me only, not other girls.”

“I hear you Princess, I promise I will be good to you only and no other girl.”

“Please stop calling me Princess,” she blushed. “And I think we have to go now before our parents worry about us. I am sure mom is asking herself why we are not back by now. I’ve never spent long hours in town like this before?”

Elihle drove them back.

Nothando’s mother had been worried. She said she thought they were pulled over by the police or were in an accident. She was happy to see her little girl smiling. Elihle had to rush home before his aunt worried about him.

She was alone when he got to the house. Elihle was happy and his aunt was happy that the day went well. He headed for bed without super; he was still full from his lunch. He was in love and his aunt could see that he was in love. She believed that Nothando was the best girl for Eihle.

Elihle woke up late on Sunday. He hadn’t seen his best friend and he believed they had a lot to talk about after having a date with Nothando.

***

Tell us: Do you think Elihle will be able to wait? Would you wait?