After 8 pm I was at Thembis’s house. It was so warm and beautiful. The couch I was sitting on was comfortable and welcoming, I felt at home. Thembi was in the kitchen preparing something to eat. She came back with the meal and we started indulging. The food was so delicious, there were so many colours. To top it up there was lot of meat. I must say Thembi knew how to cook for a man.

“I will sort out the dishes tomorrow morning. Let’s take a bath and go to bed.” She said after taking the dishes to the kitchen.

“Are we gonna take the bath together?” I asked, hoping that the answer would be no.

“Yeah babe, why not?” I was a bit shy and worried about this, but I didn’t want to show it to her. We went to the bath room and took a bath together. Yeah, I know I violated one of the guys’ proverbs: Thou shalt not let her see your manhood if thou had never mated with her.”

After taking the warm bath we headed straight to bed. We started to cuddle and kiss. While kissing her, I thought to myself, at what point am I going to put “sex 101 lesson” into action? My manhood was starting to complain. Then she rescued me.

“Babe did you bring condoms?” she asked pushing me away, and then she stared at me.

“Yeah, I did,” I responded getting closer to her.

“Please bring them.”

I jumped to fetch them in my bag.

“Put it on babe, I want to have some.” She said looking at me with puppy eyes.

What a relief, I thought to myself , she’s making my job very easy. My heart was beating fast I could even hear it. The moment had arrived. I put it on. As they say the rest is history.

My first time wasn’t bad. I was impressed with myself, but I must admit I was also a bit concerned. What if she was not impressed?

I was lost in thoughts, I wished there was a form of verification. I was concerned about my reputation and my ego. But then, she turned around and started to kiss me. I followed the “sex 101” procedure. She seemed to enjoy herself and I was getting better as the night the progressed.

When the morning arrived I thought damn, all along I had been missing out. I then understood why guys like Sbu were so addicted to sex.

“I had a great night babe, you were so good.” She said kissing me. You can imagine what that did to my ego. What a compliment!

My relationship with Thembi was going well, getting stronger day by day. Do you still remember the promise that I made to myself, the one about putting my heart to a black plastic bag? Ja that one, I guess I was still hurt then. Thembi changed all of that. I was so in love with her. I was not like Sbu, I was a one-woman-man.

But some stupid day on campus I met Nomsa at student centre.

“Hi, is there someone sitting here?” I asked.

“No,” she responded not paying attention. I sat next to her. She was also having hot potato chips with a different source from mine.

“I am not a fan of these chips. I just buy them because they are the only thing I can afford.” I said trying to break the awkward silence.

“Oh shame, I enjoy them mna.” She said taking a bite.

“Or maybe your source its better than mine, do you mind if I taste it?”

“How do you want to taste it?” she asked with a naughty look.

“I’m not sure what kind of a question is that. I just wanted to have one or two of your chips,” I said laughing.

“Oh, because there are so many ways of tasting things. Sure you can have them.”

“Well, I only know one way of tasting. What are other ways?” I asked while taking chips from her.

“Nah, never mind maybe someday you will know.” She was not taking me to where I was hoping she would take me. So I just smiled.

“It looks like you have a naughty mind.”

“If you say so… look dude I have to go for my class.” She said preparing to leave.

“Sho, which course are you doing?”

“Business Management, and you?”

“I am doing the most boring course; Chemical Engineering,”

“I’m sure you are a nerd,” I couldn’t help but laugh when she said that.

“No I am not. I am one of those who are there just to fill the numbers… by the way I didn’t get your name.”

“I am Nomsa, wena?”

“I am Sira. It was nice meeting you Nomsa, so when I can see you again?” I asked holding her soft hand.

“Don’t worry we will see each other again, like we did today.”

“But today we met by luck. So next time I would like to meet you in a proper way and not just bump to you.”

“So what’s the proper way?”

“You can give me your number if you don’t mind and I will give you a call.”

“OK, I don’t normally give my numbers to strangers, but it’s cool you can have it.”

***

Do you give your number to someone you’ve just met for the first time? What qualifies for you to give them?