“He gives me everything I want. Plus, after sleeping with him, I have a place to stay if I do not want to go home,” I responded.

“If you say so, but for real, if you need a place to stay, you know you can stay at my house,” Hloni offered.

“Thanks girl. I will keep that in mind,” I responded before giving her a hug and walking off.

I was happy I had someone who cared about me, but at that moment, I did not want anyone’s pity. I just needed to get through school and get my own place, and the only way for me to get that was for me to milk Sipho. I had met Sipho about two months prior, while I was at my part-time job, serving people at a local food spot. He was always very nice to me, and he gave me tips.

At first, I just thought Sipho was a nice old man, but my tips from him got larger and larger as the time went by. One day, he found the courage to ask me out on a date, which I was totally against at first, but he was nothing but a gentleman towards me whenever I was at work. I then decided to do it and see what would happen.

Sipho had always said he would take care of whatever I needed, and on that day, I had every intention to ask him to help me get an apartment after I graduated.

Staying with Sipho whenever I needed an escape from my mother was one thing, but it was nothing like being able to own my own place. I knew that, if I could get that from him, and a car, I would be one boss-babe! I knew that it might have been a bold thing to ask for from him, but with the way that he and I had set up our relationship, I knew he was not going to say no.

**********

After pulling out my Huawei, I called Sipho. “Hey baby,” he greeted, and I could hear his smile through the phone.

“Hey babe, what are doing?” I asked.

“I was out driving. What is up? Do you need me to pick you up from school?” he asked.

“Yeah. Can you?” I asked sweetly.

“Alright, ngisendleleni,” he responded, and then ended the call.

Most of the time, people thought Sipho was my uncle or my father, and that was cool with me. I did not want them in my business anyway. The less people knew about him and I the better. After school on that day, I sat on the bench outside the school, and then decided to call my mother while I waited for Sipho to pick me up. As always, the phone just rang and rang, until it went to voicemail.

Within minutes, Sipho pulled up in front of me. I then hopped into his Benz and we drove to his place downtown. When we got there, and as we laid on his couch, cuddled up, I looked up at him and smiled.

“Do you remember how you always said I should ask you for whatever I needed, and that you would take care of it?” I said.

“Yeah,” he responded.

“Well, my mother and I are getting into it because she wants me to move out as soon as I graduate,” I said, lying. “But what I am making now at work is not enough for me to get a place and maintain rent, you know that, right.”

“I can understand that,” he responded.

“Yeah, so I do not know what I am going to do. I want to have my own place and get a car too, but I need help,” I explained, allowing some sadness to show on my face.

“Have you looked at some apartments where you want to live?” he asked.

“I just want some place that is nice and safe,” I responded.

“Mmh,” Sipho said in deep thought.

“I just need something for when I get kicked out of mother’s place, but I need your help, babe. I do not have anyone on my corner but you,” I said, and then looked up at him.

“You are right. I do not understand why a mother would do that to her daughter. A son, I could see that because he has to man up, but not a daughter,” he stated.

“I know, but that is how my mother is,” I responded, shrugging.

“Do not make it sound right,” he pointed out. “But I am going to see what I can do to take care of it. You deserve a nice place and a nice car. You work very hard at school and at your job, and you need to be rewarded for graduating high school and getting ready to start your life.”

“Aww, thanks baby,” I said, and then kissed his cheek.

“Always. Now, how about we hop into our bed and enjoy our time together?” Sipho suggested.

“That sounds good to me, baby,” I responded, and then smiled before getting up and heading to the master bedroom with Sipho following behind me.

Tell us: Do you think it is right for her to use Sipho to get her apartment and car?