In the blink of an eye, the matrics were gone. Karabo watched the caretaker carefully add the names of some of them to the dark wooden boards in the hall – their golden names new and shiny below the ones from previous years. They were the outstanding students, the ones that were in gold on the boards in the hall and passageways of Dayeton College. Some were even engraved on cups and shields, but many names were not engraved or in gold leaf anywhere in the school. Would anyone remember those students or even know they’d been here? Children who had grown and lived inside the walls of the school for five years were, in an instant, forgotten and pushed out into the world. Karabo made a mental note to ensure her name would appear somewhere on these walls before she left the school.

The remaining grades of Dayeton College carried on with the usual end of year exams, and the Grade 11s began to start testing their power at the top of the food chain. Some began to command the children in the younger grades to do their bidding. Others removed food they wanted off the plates of younger children. It all seemed to depend on the particular Grade 11, and what they believed they were entitled to.

Karabo and Isla dared any Grade 11 to boss them around. They were only one year younger than the Grade 11s and any attempt to exert dominance over the two girls would have resulted in a cat fight. Luckily, the Grade 11 girls knew better than to pick on Isla and Karabo, and therefore chose softer targets for sport.

Karabo missed the matrics and felt as if the school had been abandoned. She also felt confused. On the one hand, she was relieved not to have to ever see William again, but on the other hand, she was anxious, wondering where he was. This was usually followed by an all-consuming, gnawing guilt, because the only person she should be thinking about was Buzz.

Before Buzz had finished his final exams, he’d heard that Karabo had gone for a drive with William via the school gossip channels. One afternoon, after lunch, Karabo was sitting with Isla on the lawn when Buzz’s legs appeared in front of her. ‘Hey, can I talk to you?’ he asked, his voice clipped. She felt her stomach sink. She knew instantly what he wanted to talk about. She just knew.

‘I was just going back inside to get my biology book’ said Isla, quickly pushing herself up off the lawn, her eyes wide and asking a million questions.

Karabo stood up slowly, trying to pretend she hadn’t left her stomach on the grass. She eventually met Buzz’s angry eyes and smiled weakly at him. ‘What’s up?’ she asked, her hands crossed over her chest. Buzz looked back at her, his eyes boring into hers. Karabo blinked repeatedly, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

‘Why did you get in his car?’ Buzz eventually blurted out, unable to contain his anger. Karabo’s heart beat faster and she swallowed hard. The spit in her mouth felt like gravel moving down her throat.

‘He offered to give me a lift back to school. It’s better than the bus. You know that!’ she said as casually as possible. It wasn’t quite a lie. The bus was gross and any opportunity to go for a ride in a car was always better.

‘But why him, Karabz?’ asked Buzz, his face showing the hurt and bewilderment he felt that she had got into William’s car. Before she could answer he continued. ‘He’s a pig. He insults you. He tried to use Tiff. He is a drunk, and he doesn’t give a damn about anybody,’ stated Buzz, still glaring at her. The guilt started to seep into her stomach and she felt as though she was shrivelling under his stare. How could she possibly explain to Buzz that she and William had shared a bizarre experience, and that she was a sangoma? How could he possibly understand the images in the smoke in the hut, or the connection between Mzi and William? How could she explain that the sangoma thought that she, Karabo, was somehow linked to all of this? She breathed in deeply and changed tactic.

‘Buzz, it was a lift, nothing happened. When he isn’t being a moron and drinking, he is OK. Besides, don’t you trust me?’ asked Karabo, her hands on her hips, puffing out her chest and daring Buzz.

‘I trust you Karabz. But I don’t trust that guy. And I don’t know what his agenda with you is. But if you say it was just a lift, then cool I believe you. See you around,’ he said and stomped away. Karabo froze where she stood, her face showing nothing of the turmoil she felt inside her head. The lie she had told was doing flick flacks in her stomach.