Elihle looked like there was something worrying him. The thought of the whole school being at the party was scaring him. He didn’t want to embarrass Nothando but he couldn’t miss this party. I will disappoint her when she needs me the most, he thought to himself, I really can’t.

The day everyone was waiting for finally came.

People were dressed in black and white, that was the colour of the day. Elihle wore his white All-star snickers, black Redbat jeans and a white Jordan t-shirt with a white jacket.

He thought about the day ahead and the way he would be looking at the party. People would start respecting him at school and stop treating him like he was nobody. After all these years, they had been trying to embarrass him. But Nothando choose him to stand next to her and that made him feel special to her.

Elihle’s phone rang. It was Nothando asking him to come to her mother’s house. Her mother was going to drive them to town and fetch them later.

He took his phone and put in his earphones. He played ‘Lempitshe’ by Cassper Nyovest featuring Riky Rick. He was nervous not knowing what to expect at the party.

When they get to Maya Lodge, the place was full and everyone was waiting for the party to start. Before the party started Nothando welcomed everyone and made them feel at home. Everyone was excited, the decorations were awesome; the place was covered with black and white.

There was crew of young boys that entered smelling like a bar; their bodies full of alcohol. They started shouting, making jokes about Elihle, and asking how he could afford expensive clothes. They said it was clear that he got them from Nothando. Everyone was laughing. Elihle felt embarrassed.

Nothando asked the security to get the boys out. She apologised to Elihle about what just happened and told him not to mind them. He faked the smile, he was really not fine but things got better. The party continued and he met his friend Andile.

Andile told him the same thing; to never mind those boys, they were jealous of him because Nothando choose him. Everyone had forgetten about it and he was looking good. While they sat, talking about the party, a scary guy with scars on the face sat next to them and told them he didn’t like what he saw earlier. He said he could help them with everything they want. He left a white card with contacts on the table.

“This is what that guy in that movie did. Get rid of that card.” Andile said.

“It was a movie as you said. What if the guy really wants to help us?”

The conversation was disrupted by Nothando. She came looking for Elihle. He put the card in his pocket and told Andile he had to go, he would see him in the morning.

Andile sat wondering what Elihle would do with the card.

This would put them in trouble. He knew how these guys operated, they give you an offer you can’t resist if they want you to join them. He was not ready to do their dirty work, even though he was in need of money like other rich learners at school.

Nothando’s mother was waiting outside the car after the party was over. Nothando thanked Elihle for going with her to the party, it wouldn’t have been the same without him. He had made her birthday special.

They both smiled and hugged then they got in the car and it drove home.

Elihle couldn’t sleep that night. All the things that happened in the party came back to haunt him. The picture of the scary man giving him his contacts and the things he said about helping them to be like other kids.

He phoned him and the guy directed him to where he could find him.

He woke up, made breakfast for him and his aunt and he told her he was going to check up on Andile; that he would be back soon. It was not easy to tell Andile the whole story so he asked him to accompany him to the other side of the location, to Lindelane.

They found the address. The house had big, scary dogs with chains. At the gate there were two men wearing all black; they had guns on their backs, they were security. Elihle showed them the address and told them their boss asked them to come.

The boss told the security to let them in. He had a big house that looked like a hotel. Andile was shocked. He felt betrayed by his friend and couldn’t look him in the eye but there was nothing he could do. It was too late.

The scary man with scars in the face was Roga. He sat on the big leather couch next to the table. He invited them to sit and offered them muffins, coffee and juice. He asked them to feel at home then he got to the point.

He asked them their names they didn’t tell him their real names. Elihle said he was Junior Master and Andile was Danger. He looked Elihle in the eye. Tears started dropping as he told him he knew his father.

They were friend but his dad died in the hospital after they were shot by the police. Roga had survived and escaped. After that he decided to go back to Dumbe Location to start a new life. He said he wanted to give them an after school job because he didn’t like what he saw at the party. His life was like that while he was in high school and that made him take bad decisions.

He didn’t want that to happen to anyone else in their neighbourhood while he was still alive. Maya Lodge was owned by him and there were other places he owned; he was a well-known businessman. He said he wouldn’t give him the job because he promised his father if anyone of them survived, he would have to take care of their children.

He told Elihle he was very happy they met and he would be the father he never was to anyone. He promised him he would talk with his aunt and arrange new living arrangements. He wanted to live with them in that big house that made him feel lonely now that he had a family.

The End

Tell us: Would you say fate made Elihle go to Roga or was that a bad decision that turned out well?