“So, Ntoana vele otlo no bloma hieso wa Sulker the whole day via situation ye ya Mamazala wa gago?” asked my friend Thabo at break time.

“God help me Thabo. I’m going to kill that bastard. I’m going to kill him with my bare hands.”

“No mfethu, it’s not worth it. Just fold your arms and relax ntoana. Soon your mother will get tired of his nonsense. Ntoana wena, just relax.”

“Be patient Thabo? Be patient? Since when mfethu? Daai man doesn’t contribute shit, not even a cent. That woman he beats up every day provides everything for him: food, money, clothes, a roof over his head, and how does he thank her? No man, ntoana that man needs to go, and I mean permanently.”

“Okay mfethu, when you talk like this you scare me. Seriously, I didn’t know you hated him that much.”

“I don’t hate him, I despise him. I curse the day he ever laid his eyes on our mother. Mara ntoana, what does mama see in him mara?

“Eish ntoana, I don’t know, but I can see what you saw in Hazel. Die cherry is hot baba. Check, she is coming this way.”

Oh no, that was not something I was prepared for. Hazel is the girl I cheated on Mimi with, but never had the guts to tell her it was over. It’s just that Hazel le yena is too rough, too over-sensitive, and too much of a drama queen. Breaking up with her was going to be one hell of a dramatic moment.

“Hello lover boy,” she said, sitting on my lap. “You haven’t called me in days. What happened? Did your phone get lost?”

I wish Thabo would stop drooling over her and just help me out.

“Umm…Hazel, you see the thing is…I don’t–”

“You don’t prefer talking over the phone? Oh, I see honey. I know I prefer to be with you every single moment too. I miss you boo. When are you coming for a sleep over again? My grandmother is not around so…I’m free the whole week.”

“Oh okay, I just… Look Hazel I don’t mean to be a jerk, but–”

“He doesn’t mean to be a jerk, so he will come over to your place today,” responded Thabo, that little dumb head.

What the hell was he thinking? I wanted nothing to do with that girl, not anymore anyway. I never really had a thing for her; she was always too loud and selfish and only into herself. And she sucked in bed too. I was just passing time with her, and now that I have Mimi I just can’t be seen with her anymore.

“Okay babe, I’ll be waiting for you; don’t be late and nunu don’t be shy to pack your overnight bag, bye.”

I don’t know what drove me crazier: when Hazel gave me a kiss on the lips or that Thabo lied on my behalf?

After she was out of ear shot, I fumed at Thabo, “What the hell did you do that for? You know I have a girl bra, and I love that chick.”

“Just because you love Mimi doesn’t mean you can’t have it both ways. Hazel can be a real bitch bra; I was just saving your ass. Instead of thanking me, you are taking your frustrations out on me. Come let’s go; break is over.”

The whole three periods after break I found it so hard to concentrate; I was still thinking about my mother. The thought of another man handling my mother like that didn’t sit well with me. I felt this anger boil up inside and I just wished there was something I could do about the whole situation. That man needed to go, for my mom’s sake, for Mpho’s sake and for the whole family’s sake. I never thought there would be a day I could plot to kill someone, but I thought it was the only way. Mama had thrown him out a million times and he always managed to worm his way back in. The only way to get rid of him, was to get rid of him permanently.

***

Tell us what you think: What do you think Thapelo means when he says that he wants to get rid of his stepfather ‘permanently’?