We got home and the first thing I did was to take off the pink mini dress mum had bought me and I wore my pyjamas. Grandma was even used to it; most of the time I’d bath and wear PJs for the rest of the day. I liked being indoors so it was not much of a problem. I would stay indoors for weeks without even setting my foot out of the house. I enjoyed reading books and watching TV shows like the Mentalist, NCIS, Taxi Brooklyn, Vampire diaries and Glee. They kept me glued to the television.

I called my friends to check up on them and I only got through to Pretty and Lindi.

Pretty was already in Johannesburg and her aunt had fetched her statement for her. She had made it with a high certificate. Lindi was in town so she’d pass by on her way home and got it. She had a diploma too. I congratulated my friends and went back to my life. I cut a slice of the cake for grandma and myself and we ate while sipping on cool drink.

After that I helped grandma with the groceries and I took some of the snacks she bought me to the lounge. My grandma and I were very close, she knew what I loved and she spoiled me without limitation. I watched all my favourite shows and also simultaneously answering phone calls from relatives who I never talked, asking me how I did. Well that’s family for you. They congratulated me and after what seemed like five calls, I switched off my phone and concentrated on the Mentalist.

*****

After a few days I had to go to Johannesburg to register at MSC Business College. My dad was fetching me and that so annoyed me. My dad and I were not that close anymore. He disappointed me to the point where the only thing that he was good at was just disappointment. Everything that came out of his mouth sang empty promises. So I packed my bags and boy were they full.

I realised that my whole life was in Tzaneen. I was now used to my life here. Staying with grandma was the best; I was going to miss her so much. Dad arrived around 3 p.m. that day and we were leaving next day. I spent the rest of that day locked up in my room. He had brought me a huge plastic full of my favourites and I went to my room. I heard them catching up and laughing with my granny.

My granny really loved my dad. She would sometimes say that I reminded her of him, which I knew was not true. I read a book by Meg Cabot till I dozed off. I was not dead asleep because I heard when my grandma came to check up on me. She took the book and put it on my little study table, covered me with a blanket then switched off the lights. My grandma was sweet I tell you.

I fell into quite a deep sleep till I woke up around 1 a.m. I was so hungry; it happened to me a lot when I went the whole day without having a proper meal. I made my way to the kitchen to make myself a snack. Grandma had left me food in the microwave. I heated it up and went back to my room to eat. I ate and slept right after getting done. My sleeping patterns were complicated.

I woke up late that morning to find that I was home alone. It didn’t bother me. I knew my dad loved roaming around and visiting relatives which I hated doing. I preferred being with my grandma. I washed up and made myself cereal. I cleaned the house and washed the dishes. I went out to the store to buy myself airtime and people kept on asking if I passed or not and which symbol I got – this annoyed me. I loved minding my own business and I hated it when people overcrowded and stuck their nose in mine.

Luckily I had my earphones on so I pretended not to hear most of them talking. This is why I preferred staying indoors, in Tzaneen you have to greet everyone; even people you don’t know. Some even pretended to like you even when you saw it in their faces that they didn’t. I hate pretenders, so I wouldn’t greet them if I was not in the mood. I couldn’t wait to get home.

I found dad and grandma back home. Dad was loading bags and plastics filled with mangoes and vegetables in the boot. We were going and I wasn’t even dressed for the occasion. I was still in my PJ top. Dad was in a hurry talking about having to pick up other relatives on the way. So I stuffed the rest of my stuff in the boot and hugged grandma goodbye and we left.

As we drove out of Tzaneen a sudden fear came upon me; life after matric.

***

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