The night of the Matric dance had arrived, they both were looking amazing. They wore matching black and red colours, they were the life of the party with their amazing dance moves and constant howls like they were wolves. Everybody admired their crazy antics and wanted to be them.

“Let’s go… Let’s… Let’s go to the back,” the surprisingly drunk Thandiwe suggested.

“Sure… Okay,” Themba replied.

They went to the back where Thandiwe held him close and kissed him. For a drunk person it was amazing, really beautiful. The moment was anticipated by both of them yet it felt wrong but right at the same time.

“OMG! I’m so sorry Themba… I gotta go,” Thandiwe broke off and ran towards the darkness and disappeared.

Themba confused stood there for a second, then he leaned hard against the wall. He thought hard about what just happened and thought of all the possibilities it holds and how he will deal with this.

“The party is inside bro,” Wiseman said from afar in the back door to the hall.

“I’m coming,” Themba walked over to Wiseman.

“Tonight… We… We…” He slapped the sides of Wiseman’s head and held it close to his. The slight head-butt hurt both of them but they were used to it from soccer moments.

“Tonight we become men,” he uttered in a deep strict voice. He pulled out and howled.

The party was out of the teachers’ control now. Themba was extremely crazy; he kissed almost every girl in his class. He drank till his knees were noodles and danced like there was no tomorrow. He was having the time of his life and at the climax of all of that. He shut down and blacked out. He kept regaining consciousness at different locations meaning he wasn’t asleep but also couldn’t control anything.

“Wake up Themba!” his mother commanded knocking on his window.

“Whaa!” He jumped to consciousness and off of his bed.

“Ouch! My head,” his head was stinging.

“Babe come back in the bed and stop jumping up and down this is not a movie,” someone said in a mumbled voice from his bed.

“Princess?”

“Hey, Themba can we talk?” wailed Thandiwe from outside.

Themba was stuck in a pickle, he had no choice but to open for his best friend. But after yesterday’s events he wasn’t quite sure how she felt and what she wanted from him.

He dove into his wardrobe and searched for a shirt and shorts to cover himself and just as he was victorious in his battle his door opened.

“He’s with me now,” Princess said smiling.

Thandiwe shoved her with rage and stormed in the room. Her eyes stabbed Themba in his soul.

“Her, seriously?” with that Thandiwe stormed out and rushed to the gate. Themba followed.

Thandiwe crossed the road as though she was a ghost and Themba stupidly did so too. But on the next lane a car hit him in this left knee and he toppled over the car and fell flat on the ground.
Thandiwe ran back and jumped to hold his hand. She cried out loud.

“Thandiwe… My… M… My love… I will always… Love you… Like I my other half,” Themba mumbled, mouth filled with blood. Then immediately lost drifted from consciousness.

***

Tell us: Have you ever loved someone as much as Themba cared for Thandiwe?