I decided to go home. Simba’s place still haunted me and I wanted to sleep in my bed. I tried to relax but I still thought about Mark, how he came in the bathroom and tried to kill me. I had a nightmare over and again. I woke up and searched for my medicine which the paramedics gave me. I needed something stronger than just two paracetamols. I took four, maybe I will doze off, I thought.

I woke up the next morning at nine a.m. At least I was not going to work. I checked my phone for messages and there were more than 50 messages. The first five were from Simba who kept checking on me. The rest were from my family and friends. I had to tell them I was OK but my mother kept asking how I was feeling and Simba wanted to have lunch. I didn’t feel like people.

“We care for you Chris. Please visit us, we need you with us,” my mother persuaded me.

“Mama, I am fine. OK I will visit,” no one said no to my mother and succeeded.

She hung up after getting her way. I took a bag and packed two of my jeans and a shirt. I also packed my flowered shirt with briefs, a toothbrush and my Nivea cream. I took a bath and wore my formal plain shirt and brown trousers. I grabbed my wallet which had a bank card and a hundred Rand in it. I had to get more cash. I took a walk down the street and kept looking over my shoulder.

I arrived at the taxi rank and then I thought I saw Lauren. When I came closer my eyes raced everywhere searching for her. She was nowhere to be found. Maybe my eyes were deceiving me. I saw a taxi with a board written NELSPRUIT and I got inside. It was full at the back but the front had only two people. There was Lauren, sitting in the front row. I had to sit with her since the back seats were full.

“Chris,” she said with her angelic voice.

“Hi, where are you off to?” I asked shyly.

“My aunt passed away, I am going for the funeral,” she said sadly.

What should I do? My nerves were running short. I rubbed her shoulder and she smiled but I could see her teary eyes.

“It will be OK,” I said. I wasn’t even sure how to show my condolences. Maybe I should hug her. She will say ‘get off’.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“My mother is worried so I am going to see her,”

The taxi was full then it drove off. She kept smiling and I tried to play with my phone. I had never dated before; she was always my crush but I got nervous and scared.

“After all that happened, she should be worried,” she said leaning on my shoulder.

“I told her I am fine but she still insists on seeing me,” I said looking at her.

“You are a nice guy,” she said rubbing my cheek with her soft fingers. “Mark and Simba aren’t like you.”

What did she mean by this? Should I kiss her? No, that was a rushed decision. I should wait until we date. She fancies me… Yeah. I wanted to scream.

“I always had a crush on you,” she said staring in my eyes.

My blood was boiling. I felt nervous and also had goose bumps. Should I tell her how I feel? No Chris, it’s too soon, you will push the girl away. My head and heart kept telling me to do different things to Lauren. I did crave her touch and voice.

“The feeling is mutual,” I smiled.

“Really? Then why didn’t you make a move on me?” she asked.

I told her I was a shy guy. I also told her I thought she wanted someone like Mark and Simba who were more experienced. I told her she would be my first girlfriend. That’s how we began to date. I realised her family was closer to my mother’s home and I met up with her a lot of times. My mother saw I was fine when I introduced Lauren to her. She even called her a makoti, a bride. We stayed for a week in Mpumalanga and planned to return back together.

When we got back in Mokopane, Simba was surprised to see me with Lauren giggling. I think the experience of a traumatic event led me to win Lauren’s heart. I attended a counselling therapy group every Saturday which helped me my fears. I didn’t see a need for it since I felt better.

“You won Lauren. You must teach me how to get a beauty like her,” Simba shouted.

“Dude, you are more experienced than me,” I said.

“Come on, she was a tough cookie. You’re lucky,” he chuckled.

I thought about how shy I was around her. I smiled thinking about how I met her, the experience taught me not to be secretive. Simba and Lauren cared for me, I should trust them. I should have told the Detectives in the beginning when I saw the footage. A lot of people don’t trust the police, maybe because of corruption which happened in the police department. I should learn about people who were close to me so that I can trust them. I learned a lot here.

Mark was sentenced to life imprisonment. What a tough life he was going to experience. I still wondered why he killed her. There was a reason but the police never told me about their evidence, only God knows!

***

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