Nthabiseng seemed a bit confused. How can a person forget his cousin he had known since childhood? A cousin who was a member of their family?

“Your cousin, remember?”

“Oh! You mean her. She has gone away for a while. She’ll be back after the holidays.”

The two lovers were enjoying each other’s company. And then nature took its course. Their consistent touching made them conscious of their sexuality. It dawned on them that they were sexual beings. Siphiwe ran his hands on his Sesotho speaking girlfriend’s smooth neck. He then slowly pulled her hair back while maintaining eye contact. They were drawn to each other, their faces just a few centimetres from touching. They passionately kissed, losing all their composure. The sweet-smelling deodorants they had each applied to impress the other drew them even closer, and tighter. In a few minutes, they were absorbed in each other’s naked bodies. They did the deed. The love-making was the exhibition of the love they possessed each for the other. They took themselves to their own heavenly universe by surrendering their bodies for the pleasure and fulfilment of the other. They drowned themselves in the sweetness of forbidden fruits. When they were done, it dawned on them that they had not used a condom. Nthabiseng glanced at her handsome lover-boy.

“Kea u rata (I love you),” Nthabiseng whispered to Siphiwe’s right ear.

Siphiwe said not even a single word. She wanted to cuddle, but her boyfriend displayed indifference.

“Nthabiseng you have to go,” he calmly told his girlfriend.

“No, it’s still early for me to go, babe,” she protested.

“My mother might come back anytime now, and I’m sure your parents must be worried sick about you.”

“They don’t know I’m here.”

“Nthabiseng you’re not hearing me! My mother is probably on her way back now, and she regularly checks my room.”

Nthabiseng angrily rose up from bed to dress. Siphiwe remained in bed whilst looking at his girlfriend with indifference.

“Babe, you must walk me out.”

“Nthabiseng, firstly I am not your babe. Secondly you came on your own, and, therefore, you can go back on your own. And, lastly, will you please stop talking and hurry up!”

“Siphiwe molato keng (What’s wrong)?” Nthabiseng asked with torment and disappointment.

“Nothing, except for the fact that my mother is gonna find you here by the look of things; you are slow.”

“Why are you so rude to me?”

Nthabiseng banged the door behind her. She was frustrated and tears rolled down her cheeks and fell to the ground while she walked back home; alone.

Weeks went by without Nthabiseng seeing Siphiwe. She, together with other passengers, were dropped by a taxi at Zama-Zama Supermakrket from Lenasia. She had gone to the clinic. As she walked, she saw the “whistling” boys seated by their usual spot with her boyfriend, her now ex-boyfriend. He had eventually broken up with her following the day of her first and last visit at his home. He had firstly ignored her calls and texts. To make matters worse, he ditched her through a text written; ITS OVER. SORRY.

Nthabiseng was hurt. Siphiwe had not even dared to correct his “ITS” to show that he didn’t care. She was overwhelmed when she recalled how he had deceived her into believing he was a gentleman; that he was different. She bitterly remembered him talking about how guys used girls who loved them only to do the very same thing to her. Boys and their lies. It had also came to Nthabiseng’s attention that Bongi was not his cousin, but his girlfriend. Her real name was Mpumi, and she was the girl he had been spending time with when she had rejected him and didn’t see him during his pursuit.

Nthabiseng passed the “whistling” boys, who gave her funny glances and “knowing” looks. Clearly Siphiwe had told them he had slept with her. Perhaps he had bragged about having “got” her as is the language amongst young men in the township. They looked and her then shook hands with Siphiwe in admiration. She saw Siphiwe whistling to a beautiful girl that was walking past them. She remembered how he had said it’s degrading for guys too whistle whenever beautiful girls were passing by them. Boys and their lies. Boys are hypocrites. But Nthabiseng wondered how long his whistle would last when she broke the news of being pregnant with his child. Their child…

Tell us: Do you think Siphiwe will reject the child?