Naledi had gone to school with no food that day, so the greasy cheese fused with polony between two white slices of bread from Pinky’s lunchbox snatched her eyes. She closely observed Pinky’s bite on the sandwich, but when she swallowed, she tasted saliva instead. She then licked her lips.

“Mmhh … this is good. Mom never disappoints. Do you want some? Here,” Pinky said.

“No, I’m fine. I’m not hungry,” Naledi responded with an assuring smirk.

“You sure?” Pinky asked.

“Actually I’m not sure. You might as well feed me that slice of sandwich, and I will eat your hand as well,” Naledi thought to herself. “I am sure,” she said.

“Okay. Don’t say I’m a girl who never shares,” Pinky said. She was a tall and dark thirteen-year-old girl, and shoved another slice in her mouth.

“I am … a bit … hungry, but not that ravenous,” Naledi said.

“Ravenous?” Pinky asked, pronouncing the new word whilst chewing. It was a word she would forget about a minute later, just like all the other words she had unlocked from her friend.

“Too hungry. Which is something I’m not,” Naledi said. “Should’ve said starving,” she thought.

“There’s a new spelling competition for schools around. Did you enter?” Pinky asked, waving off the remaining breadcrumbs from her opened Tupperware lunchbox.

“Should’ve allowed me to lick those,” Naledi thought to herself. “I entered it. Initially I didn’t want to, but Mrs. Mabaso kind’a begged me,” she said.

“That’s awesome,” Pinky said, preventing herself from asking Mrs. Einstein what “initially” meant. At least she knew “awesome”, and it was also a big word.

“I’m obviously going to win that thing. I guess you should congratulate me in advance,” Naledi said.

“Okay,” Pinky responded.

“I’m waiting,” Naledi said.

“For?” Pinky asked.

“Urgh, never mind,” Naledi said, rolling her eyes. “Come on, let’s go,” she said, and the two girls grabbed their school bags as the bell rang.

Lunch was over. They were sitting under a tree, far from the playground where their schoolmates played and ate.

“Where is “advance”?” Pinky asked.

***

Tell us: Do you think Naledi was right for denying her friend’s food, or do you think it was just pride?