The aptitude test results were handed out just before the end of the term. Most university applications were only due after the second term, giving everyone some time to think about the test results and what they were applying for.

Karabo’s medical school application had already been sent in to meet the earlier cut-off date. The sangoma’s letter had been in the pile of documents she submitted, along with Dr Anand’s. Isla had resolved to wait for her aptitude results before submitting her documents, just in case. Her results revealed that she was a good academic all-rounder and could probably go into any field she liked. She had strong logic and was shown to be decisive. They proposed careers in Accounting, Law and Business Science. Isla took this as gospel and filled in her forms in order of preference:

Law

Business Science

Accounting

No surprises that Law was number one.

‘Have you spoken to Mzi and asked him what it’s like, Isla?’

Karabo had the feeling that Law wasn’t quite right for Isla, but she didn’t really have a good reason why she felt this way.

‘I did!’ said Isla, knowing full well that Karabo was wanting    to dissuade her from Law — but there was no way that was happening.

‘He said it’s great, loads of free time and easy so far, especially with his credits and that I would love it.’ Isla dared Karabo to defy her, opening her eyes wide and looking at her directly.

Karabo shrugged, ‘OK…guess it’s the one then,’ she said, not wanting to start an argument.

‘So are YOU going to change your application,’ asked Isla, clearly in the mood to shake things up.

Karabo turned away. Her aptitude results had mirrored her thinking that she was bound to end up in healthcare but ‘doctor’ had been at the bottom. Instead, nursing was at the top of the list! Karabo was so shocked she read it again. She didn’t want to be a nurse — cleaning sick people in their beds and taking their blood pressure. She saw what nurses did when she was in the hospital for her broken arm last year. It was drudge work and you got moaned at by patients and bossed around by doctors. The only positive of being a nurse was that it involved caring for people; she liked caring for people, but she couldn’t face   the rest of the messy stuff. After nursing, the test results listed psychology, pharmacy, homoeopathy, physiotherapy and then finally, medicine. She had been convinced that medicine was right for her but now she thought it might be a good idea to put some extra applications in for other fields of study — especially if she didn’t get into medicine.

She turned back to Isla, ‘I don’t think I’ll change my application but as you know, Isla, it’s hard to get into medicine, so I’m going to apply for a few other courses as a backup and then I guess we will see,’ responded Karabo.

‘Well, that’s a good idea, Karabs, ya, because you never know,’ said Isla, her earlier need for an argument deflated.

The drive to the airport was less jubilant than usual, and Isla and Karabo had less to say to one another. They zoned out as Isla’s mom, Mrs Hepworth, chatted about what was happening on their farm. As usual, she collected the children from Dayeton College and gave Karabo a lift to the airport. The Hepworths then continued to their farm in the Eastern Cape and Karabo caught her flight home to her mom in Johannesburg.

Karabo was relieved that term one had finally ended. She’d had enough of the teachers barking at them and telling them how much work they still had to get through. She was tired of having to try and find things for her new-girl to do. Quite frankly, she didn’t want to have to manage a whole other person. She was perfectly happy looking after herself and that was enough. She was also tired of Isla’s need for one-up-manship all the time — her perfect bed, eating habits, new-girl management, hair, marks, handwriting. It was all becoming too much, and she couldn’t understand how her best friend in the whole wide world had all of a sudden become such a pain. She loved Isla, but at this point in time, she was glad to have a break from her for three weeks.

Hepworth and walked in with Isla. As she joined the check-in queue, Isla hugged her tight.

‘I know everything feels weird but we are good, right?’ she asked earnestly, searching Karabo’s face. Karabo smiled and looked into those perfect grey eyes of Isla’s. ‘We are good, Isla’, she said, and she meant it.