“Hey, wait up for me,” Thabo shouted from behind.

Alice just kept walking fast and just ignoring him, until he finally caught up with her and she had no choice but to stop.

“What do you want?” she shouted.

“Hey, I know that I’ve kind of been ignoring you all day and it’s because your brother was around the whole time. I didn’t want to get you in trouble and when Enoch wasn’t there, you had your friends around.” He said while trying to catch his breath.

“Oh!” Alice replied.

“I know I should have made time to talk to you, but I just didn’t get that chance,” Thabo kept talking.

Alice could not believe how paranoid she had been all day long, he wasn’t ignoring her on purpose; he really did like her after all.

The following day they had to present the English paper and the teacher was so taken by the different presentations that everyone had and how everyone in class was from the different part of Africa and yet shared similar experience as young adults. Everyone in class was willing to share their experiences of how they grew up and where they are from, Alice really enjoyed herself.

After school Thabo was waiting for her again and this time he was quieter than usual. I’ve had such a good day, I can’t have any bad news right now, Alice thought to herself.

“Um! Is everything ok with you?” Alice asked. Even though she really hoped that it would not be something horrible or that it was over between them.

“It’s nothing. . . don’t worry about it for now,” Thabo quickly replied and held her hand as they walked home. It seemed to have become their thing, holding hands and walking home together.

“Are you sure because you seem different?” Alice was determined to find out what it is that had got him worried.

“Well, I was wondering. . .” he stopped talking and looked at her straight in the eyes and nervously smiled. “Would you like to . . . Um! Would you like to go with me to the Matric Ball?” he finally said

Alice knew he was in Matric, but she had never thought that he would ask her of all people. She just stood there in silence. She was shocked that he wanted her, Alice to go with him, she could not believe it.

“Yes, I would like that,” she said shyly.

She could not believe the words that came out of her mouth, and he could not believe that she had actually said YES to going with him. At the same time they both started thinking about what other people would say especially Enoch and her friends.

Thabo looked at her and suddenly gave her a hug and a kiss. It caught Alice by surprise; she did not know what to say.

He looked at her and smiled again and then said “I’ll ask your brother, don’t worry everything will work out. Alice was not even thinking of Enoch all she could think about was the kiss and how soft his lips were. She couldn’t wait for Monday morning to tell Unathi about what had happened.

When she finally got home she found her mother preparing the food and she walk over and told her about Thabo and how he had asked her to the dance. Her mother didn’t mind, because she knew Thabo’s mother, they used to work in the same factory together.

“My daughter, that is so nice of him. Wait for tomorrow we should go and find you a nice dress to wear,” her mother said.

Alice was so excited she went to her room and gazed at the wall and she could not believe how life had just changed in such a short period. Even though this was not her country Alice knew that this was now home and that it was time for her to start looking at the future.

[The End]

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Tell us what you think: What are your views about interracial relationships?