Karabo smiled at Isla. She knew what she meant. Keeping a secret from someone you loved and shared everything with was painful. It was as if something had been lifted off her shoulders as Mzi explained what had been happening for the past year.

‘As I was saying,’ interjected Mzi once again, ‘Will’s scheme was created, supported by my dad and a group of techies, and when the Malagasy coup happened, it gave Will the perfect opportunity to set the scheme in motion and lose all his dad’s money. But Edward was also killed in the event-’

‘He saved my life,’ interrupted William. ‘Sorry?’ asked Mzi, frowning at William.

‘My dad, Edward, threw himself in front of the gun to protect me. The military guy was going to blow my head off and my dad leapt in front of the gun. He died saving me,’ said William, his face showing no emotion. Karabo watched him closely. Only the faintest tremble touched Williams lower lip but his bright green eyes were dark and brooding.

Isla covered her mouth with her hands.

‘I’m so sorry, Will. We didn’t know,’ said Mzi, the impact of William’s words taking the gusto out of Mzi’s storytelling. Karabo felt her chest close as she stared at William’s eyes. He was hurting.

William eventually looked down as the silence became unbearable.

‘It was a good thing to do, what my dad did. But it doesn’t change who he was,’ said William eventually. ‘Charles told me to run to the jetty after Dad…died. So, I went to the jetty and took the boat and Mzi and Cedric picked me up later in their bigger boat,’ said William, smiling. ‘And then, ya, the CIA got hold of me and now here we are,’ said William, wrapping up the story and dipping a chip in tomato sauce before eating it.

‘The CIA?’ Isla coughed; her eyebrows raised.

‘The CIA, Isla. One of their agents was working undercover for my father for years. They weren’t sure if I was really a good guy, so I had to get questioned and a whole bunch of stuff in Pretoria, for the last two weeks,’ said William, before turning to Karabo. ‘And that’s why your mom couldn’t say anything. She had to keep quiet until the CIA let me go.’

Karabo smiled. ‘Got it,’ she said, relieved to understand why her mother had lied to her.

‘And now here we are,’ said Mzi. Everyone laughed.

‘AndtheMatabeletreasure?’Islaasked,lookingfrom William to Mzi.

‘Nothing’ responded Mzi, ‘The CIA searched that whole Libertalia property. Not even the undercover guy knows where it is’ shrugged Mzi

‘That’s a bummer. So, tell us, how long are you staying here for?’ asked Isla, eyeing Mzi.

‘As long as we like,’ said Mzi. ‘I’m on vac and Will only starts his new job in Jan. So, basically, we came down for a party,’ said Mzi, his broad grin stretching across his face. Karabo liked this version of Mzi. He was less serious and definitely going to be more fun.

‘Awesome,’ said Isla, ‘You have come to the right place.’

Karabo only ever managed to convince Isla to spend one of the fourteen nights in, at their Plett home. For the rest of the holiday, they went to all the parties and nightclubs — except the hot underground club — Karabo put her foot down when that was suggested again. The night before Isla, Karabo, Paul and Kaitlyn were scheduled to leave, Mzi invited them over to where he and William were staying. The house lay just behind the Robberg beach dunes and looked out across the sea. The wind had died down completely and the four friends arrived at an expansive house — made up of two floors, like enormous clear Lego rectangle blocks that were stacked on top of each other, filled with lights. The house sat above the ocean, staring out to sea.

As Mzi opened the enormous wooden door to let them in, Karabo watched him look at Isla. Karabo noticed how Isla was just as taken by Mzi as she’d always been and flirted without concern for what anyone else thought.

Paul and Kaitlyn had become the kind of couple who moved, spoke and did everything as one. Karabo found it a little disturbing, and Isla just rolled her eyes when they finished each other’s sentences.

This final week of the holiday in Plett with William and Mzi had been so much fun. The guys took them to different beaches in the day, and they did so much more than they would have if they’d just been part of the matric parties. They all got on so well — just like they had when they went to Madagascar. When Karabo danced her heart out at a beach party, she saw William smiling at her across the dance floor and her heart felt like it would burst. She couldn’t really explain what it was or why he made her feel this way. But he did and she didn’t want to call it anything more than friendship. More than that would have complicated everything and made it all weird, and whoever knew what William English was thinking?

Karabo stood on the balcony looking out over the black sea, dotted with the few distant twinkling lights of ships.

‘Hey,’ said William warmly, walking over to her. ‘What you thinking?’

His hair had started to grow, and he ran his hand through it. ‘Just wondering if you’re going to cut your hair again?’ she lied. ‘Dunno. Maybe,’ he said.

‘So…I guess we will see you in Cape Town next year,’ asked Karabo, a question she’d been wanting to ask for days.

‘Yup. I’ll be working in Constantia, but I think I’ll stay in Kommetjie or somewhere out that way. Want to be close to the surf.’

Karabo nodded. She’d only ever been to Cape Town on holiday and stayed in the city bowl and had no idea where he was talking about.

‘And you, Karabs. You staying in res?’ he asked.

‘Ya, think so. I was accepted to res and it’s the easiest for first- year — get on my feet first and then find a digs or something for second-year,’ said Karabo. This was what everyone was saying, and she agreed it made sense. She wondered how far her res would be from where William would be living and working.

‘Cool, well, we can still see you and stuff?’ asked Karabo nervously.

William laughed. ‘Karabs, you are, like, one of my best friends. Honestly, you, Mzi and Isla are my only friends. Those other people I know are just party friends — people who know me for a good time. You guys are my first real friends. And it’s weird,’ said William, running his fingers through his hair again and looking down, a pink blush spreading on his neck.

‘Cool,’ was all Karabo could say. Her heart felt heavy and she started to feel dizzy. As she turned away from the ocean and leant against the balustrade, she looked up at the twinkling stars and closed her eyes.