I’m at home ironing my Netball shirt, with Jayden’s words going round and round in my head. How can we have a relationship if I won’t trust him?

That must mean that he actually wants a relationship, right? And I do trust him – I do. Okay I admit I was a bit hesitant to let him back into my life after he interfered last time, but I know he only wanted the best for me.

Maybe now that we’re both clear on what we want, we can move forward to dating properly?

The kitchen door creaks open and Kabelo walks in. My tummy clenches into a knot. This is the situation I never wanted to be in again. I’m alone in the house with him.

This time he doesn’t hesitate. As soon as he sees me, he crosses the floor in three steps and grabs the iron, twisting it out of my hand and yanking the plug out of the wall. How does he know I would have used it against him?

“No interruptions today,” he says tensely, gripping my arm. “Today we finish what we started.”

“What you started,” I snap back.

He laughs. “Okay – what I started. And remember, you tell your mother one word about this and you’re both back on the street.”

“I’d rather be back on the street than be touched by you.”

He laughs again. “I don’t think your mother would agree. She likes her comforts, that one.”

I say nothing, and a shadow of annoyance crosses his face.

“We’re wasting time. Come here.”  

He pulls my arm so hard it feels like it’s going to come off. I stumble and fall heavily against him. As he starts tugging at my clothes, I open my mouth to scream.

But before I can get a sound out, the kitchen door bursts open and my mom, Jayden, and Amanda tumble into the room. Kabelo jumps away from me as though I’m red hot.

Mom looks angrier than I’ve ever seen her in my life.

“Get out!” she screams. “Get out of this house!”