Deevya’s in a terrible mood at school for the whole of the first week back. She’s on edge, bitchy and I swear she’s getting skinnier by the day – kind of like she used to be when her and Prakesh were going out before. Strange that, huh?

The three of us ‘Awesomes’ have been hitting the art room after school every single day to work on our AfroBollyMe project for the Red Eye exhibition – and it’s going really well. So when Deevya cancels on us at the last minute on Friday afternoon Nomusa and I are quite relieved to catch the Mynah down to the beachfront for some chill time.

“So you never did answer my question about Simon,” Nomusa says, as we’re lying on our towels on North Beach enjoying the heat of the sun.

She’s talking about that epic day at The Corner Café. Prakesh and Deevya had provided more than enough distraction to move the subject away from Simon.  

“Yeah, I know,” I reply. 

I think about telling Nomusa that I’d found Deevya a little bit too involved in my possible ‘romance’ with Simon for my own comfort, but I bite my tongue. There’s been more than enough drama around that. I’m all for keeping things low-key and simple. 

“And so?” she prompts, pushing me to get to the point. “Spit it out Hope! Is there something happening between the two of you?”

“Well… yes …”

“Oh my gosh I knew it!” shrieks Nomusa as I’m halfway through my sentence, bouncing up into a sitting position with a huge grin on her face.

“… And no, was what I was going to say if you’d let me finish,” I smile.

“Oh. Well tell me the ‘yes’ part first then,” urges Nomusa.

“Well he’s been calling me…”

“Yay!” shouts Nomusa shooting her arms up into the air in victory.

“But I haven’t actually seen him since that day I nearly drove Deevya to an early death on the beach.”

“Hey,” says Nomusa, suddenly serious, “I’ve been meaning to chat to you about that. You can’t blame yourself. Deevya hasn’t been herself for a while. Her parents have been away so often these past few months she’s pretty much been an abandoned child. And even though she always tells us what we should do, she never really opens up about what’s really going on in her life. Her feelings for Prakesh are a prime example. I mean who knew? Deevya tries to pull off this totally on-top-of-it, adult vibe, but I reckon that inside she’s one scared, confused kid.”

Wow. Nomusa keeps a low profile but she sure knows how to read a situation. That all makes so much sense to me.

“Thanks Nomu. I appreciate it. I’ve been really worried about Deevya, actually. And I still am. Even now I don’t know the truth about what’s going on with her and Prakesh. She just changes the subject whenever I ask, but she’s so tense I can’t imagine its all good.”

“Hmm. It’s good we’re having this chat, Hope. I think we need to keep a close eye on Deevya,” says Nomusa thoughtfully. “But hang on! We were talking about you. Give me the scoop on Simon! Don’t think I’m going to let you distract your way out of this!”

To be honest I’m dying to have a girly chat about Simon. So this is the skinny…

“Well, the thing is that I honestly felt a connection with Simon when I first met him. But there was so much drama right after I met him: the police raid on Nigiro; my sprained ankle; Deevya telling me Simon wasn’t The One; then Deevya’s accident; then being gated. Yowza. My life’s been like a soapie!”

“I hear you sister,” chuckles Nomusa. “It’s been non-stop ‘lights, camera, action’ for weeks now! Anyway, carry on!” 

“Well after all that I didn’t know what to think anymore. I was wondering if Deevya knew something about Simon that I didn’t know, or if I was grasping at straws to even think there might be some flicker of interest.”

“Cut the waffle and get to the cake!” urges Nomusa.

I laugh. “I can’t! What I’ve decided is that it’s totally fine to be unsure. I’m just going to take it slow, and if Simon’s interested in getting to know me better we’ll take it from there.”

As I finish speaking my cellphone rings – and its Simon! I hold it up so Nomusa can see his name on the screen and we silently high five as I take the call.

“Oh hey Simon,” I say, ever so casual.

Nomusa can’t hear what Simon is saying but she’s hanging on to my every word. And this is what she hears.

“No, I don’t actually have plans tonight Simon. 

“Yes, I’d love to see you too Simon.” 

“Sure thing Simon. I’ll sms you my address and see you at my place at, what, 7?”

“Perfect. Bye Simon.”

Nomusa is lying on her back kicking her legs in the air with excitement.

“You’re a freak,” I laugh at her.

“And I think it’s safe to say that you and Simon have got a bit of a connection going there,” Nomusa cheers.