One day when I came back from school I got a call from Lesego.

“Hello, Manene, wareng?” I answered.

“Hey, I think you should come to this side this weekend,” she suggested.

“Why?” I asked curiously.

“Uhm … I just miss you,” she said. I knew she was lying. Something must be wrong, I thought to myself.

“Manene ke tla bona if I don’t have a lot of school work, neh,” I said and hung up.

I was worried. Maybe Omphile was sick, but she could’ve just told me. Or was it my uncle that wants to see me? So many thoughts were racing through my head. I couldn’t even sleep.

The weekend couldn’t come fast enough. I got ready to go to my uncle’s. I didn’t call or text Omphile. He’d been so distant and I really didn’t know what was up with him, so I decided to give him his space.

I got to my uncle’s when it was already dark. It was winter so it got dark very early. Lesego was waiting for me at the stop. I could see that she was very happy to see me. I immediately asked her why she wanted me to come and she said she just missed me. I’d been gone for like three months. Was it three months? Time was passing so fast.

I texted Omphile to tell him that I was around and he replied immediately to say he was coming to fetch me. Before I could reply he was knocking at the door. Lesego went to see who it was and she was happy to see him. She invited him inside and the three of just chilled – my uncle and aunt had gone to a night vigil so we were all alone. I think that was the reason Lesego asked me to come over, she didn’t want to go with them to the night vigil, but she could’ve just said so.

We were having a wonderful time. Lesego and Omphile were chatting up a storm and I could hardly get a word in.

Lesego went to sleep so Omphile and I were alone. I had been waiting for this moment the whole night. I got closer to him, we kissed. We’d missed each other so much. We went to one of my cousins’ rooms and made love. Omphile slept over but he went home very early before Lesego woke up or my uncle came home from the vigil.

In the morning Lesego asked me what time Omphile left and I told her it was immediately after she went to sleep. I didn’t want to get into all the details; this was an 11-year-old kid. I didn’t want to corrupt her mind.

I had a great weekend at my uncle’s. I even went to Omphile’s home. His mother wasn’t really welcoming but it was still nice. It was like I never left, it was great. I really thought this was for eternity. It felt so right for me to be at his home. But then it was time to say goodbye.

I came back home very happy. It had been a very good weekend and I wouldn’t let anyone spoil my mood.

I hadn’t heard from my mother since she left six months before. She only deposited money into my account every month. The money was not enough, though, but what can I say?

June exams were coming up so Omphile and I were very distant. I did not want to talk to him, I don’t know why. He also did not take an initiative to call or text. But it was fine with me. I knew that it was unlike him to not call or text but I wasn’t going to push it.

One day in the toilets at school I met my friend Kayla. We weren’t that close anymore, but it was a boring Geography period so we decided to stay in the toilet and chat. As we talked and talked, I realised how much I missed her and how distant we’d been.

“Uhm … Kearabetswe, are you still with Omphile?” she asked.

“I would like to think so,” I replied.

“It’s just that one of my friends, Aobakwe, told me that she is dating him and it has been going on for a month now,” she said.

“What! Omphile would never do that!” I said, trying to hold back the tears.

“I am sorry, hey. I know how much you love the guy,” she said, trying to comfort me.

I went back to class, and fortunately, the final bell rang. I took my school bag and went home. I didn’t attend the afternoon classes. I was so hurt, I could even feel the pain physically. I felt like I was having a heart attack. How could Omphile do this to me? I switched off my phone and locked myself in my room for the entire weekend. I didn’t know whether to call Omphile and confront him, the pain was just too great.

***

Tell us what you think: Should Kea confront Omphile? What would you do?