Ngakusasa emini uFanele no Zodwa bahlangana esikoleni ngesikhathi sekhefu ngoba bajwayele ukudla ndawonye.
“Angaqhamuka noma nini manje uSihle, weFanele. Ngimtshelile ukuthi uzongifica lapha,” kusho uZodwa.
Akabange esaligwinya uZodwa, kuthi memfu uSihle ngemuva kwabo.
“Sanibona, makhosazane,” kusho uSihle emuva kwabo. “Kwakuhle ngafika kudliwa.”
Zimamatheke zombili lezi zintonkazi. Uthe uma evusa amehlo uFanele lumuthi heqe uvalo uma amehlo akhe ehlangana namehlo kaSihle. USihle uyigeza lensizwa eyisidlakela, mude ngethambo. Ushaya ngehwanqa kanti nokotini uyakwazi ukuwuqondanisa. Uyincwasimende enjalo nje.
“Mngani anginishiye,” kusho uFanele. “Ngizokubona ngokuphuma kwesikole,” asukume uFanele acoshe isikhwama sakhe.
Enganakile uFanele uzwa ngesandla sikaSihle simubamba. “Wahamba ngokushesha kangaka nkosazane ungasazithulanga? Mina ngingu Sihle.”
Kuthi xhifi ku Fanele. Adonse ingalo yakhe ngendluzula esandleni sikaSihle. Aphendule ngokucasuka, “Ngingu Fanele Zondi umngani kaZodwa.”
UFanele noSihle babukana ezinhlamvini zamehlo. Ukubukana kwabo kuxoxa indaba.
“Ngiyabonga ukukwazi, Fanele,” kusho uSihle.
Afulathele njalo uFanele naye oyimanzi emi kahle, enezitho eziphuphuzela uboya. Amehlo kaSihle alokhu ethe njo kuFanele, waze wayosithela emungqolozele.
“Lunjani usuku lwakho namuhla, Sihle?” kubuza uZodwa.
Kuthi nya kuSihle, kuba sengathi akezwanga lutho. Ingqondo yakhe iyathatha iyabeka.
“Sihle wandwaza nje kwenzenjani? Sihle!” useze wanyusa izwi uZodwa.
USihle uthuswa ukumememeza kukaZodwa.
“Oh! Uxolo, Zodwa. Ubuthini konje?” kubuza uSihle.
“Sekuphele imizuzu ujamele uFanele,” kumemeza uZodwa ngokuhluthuka. “Ngikhuluma nawe awunginakile.”
Adonse amafinyila uZodwa, izinyembezi sezikeduze.
“Xola, sthandwa,” kusho uSihle. “Bengimfanisa nenye intokazi uFanele.”
Umoya kaZodwa uphukile. Kunzima nokuqedela ukudla akudlayo, angisayiphathi eyokubuka uSihle emehlweni.
“Kumele ngihambe, ube nosuku oluhle,” kuvalelisa uZodwa.
Kuyabonakala ukuthi uZodwa unengekile ngalesi senzo sikaSihle sokubuka umngani wakhe ngamehlo asolisayo. Usala enkemile kanjalo uSihle etafuleni.
“Eish! Kwasha emthini omanzi! Kanti uFanele ungumngani kaZodwa? Ngiyathemba uFanele ndini ngeke ufake inhlabathi ekudleni kwami,” uSihle ukhuluma yedwa. “UZodwa ngimthanda ngenhliziyo yami yonke. Kuzomele ngikhulume noFanele, ngimdonse ngendlebe ukuthi angalinge avule lomlonyana wakhe mayelana nami naye. Phela angachitheka amasi eguleni.”
USihle ubuka iwashi esihlakaleni. Sekuyihora lokuqala, kufanele abuyele ekilasini.
UFanele noSihle kade beyizithandani eminyakeni emibili edlule. Kwenzeka lokhu uFanele engakahlangani noZodwa osengumngani wakhe manje. Uthando lukaSihle noFanele aluphelanga kahle, bahlukana kumuncu uFanele ekhala ezimathonsi ngokugilwa ilomlisa. Ubengasazitsheli ukuthi kukhona okuyophinde kumhlanganise noSihle emuva kwalento amenza yona yokumthelela ngegciwane lengculazi.