Zack and I both look out of opposite windows for a few minutes after that unexpected little comment. Freakin’ halitosis Deevya. Thanks a lot for putting me in the most awkward position known to mankind! Zack lives downstairs from me so it’s not like I can just casually walk away from him like I did from Simon. Or did Simon walk away from me? I dunno. Geez. Boys!

I’m considering humming to fill the silence when my phone beeps. It’s a message from Nomusa. 

I’m sorry bout Simon 🙂 and I saw what went down with Prakesh 🙂 🙂 BTW its nt only us who think we’re da Awesomes. Everybody LOVED AfroBollyMe. Call me if u need me xx

My cell beeps again, but this time the message is from Simon.

Hope! Loved your exhibition. U’v got huge talent! Where were u? Sorry I missed u. Heading out for a coffee with a friend since you’re M.I.A. C u soon. 

“Do you feel like going back to your exhibition?” asks Zack.

“What do you think?” I bounce back at him.

“I’d say that’s a big NO, but that you’d love me to take you to a surprise destination.”

“Yes, now that you say it out loud I’m sure that’s exactly what I was thinking,” I grin.

“Cool. Well we’re on the right bus to get where we want to go, so sit back and enjoy the journey,” smiles Zack.

So I do. Because I realise I am enjoying this journey even if I don’t know where it’s all going. I look out through the window and remember Nomusa and Lindi’s kiss. In these last few days I’ve started to realise that there’s a lot I haven’t been noticing.

“Hey Zack?” I venture.

“Yeah,” he says.

“How did you know that Nomusa was, well … into Lindi? Did she tell you?” I ask.

“Yes she did.,.but only after I brought it up,” he says seriously.

I go quiet. I’ve been so caught up in Deevya’s dramas and the rollercoaster of my own life that I’ve been totally out of touch with Nomusa’s life. OMG. Cringe moment. I’ve even been trying to set her up with Zack. How totally insensitive must that have seemed?

“Don’t give yourself a hard time,” says Zack.

I’m a little surprised at how good he is at reading my mind. 

“Nomusa knows she can talk to you whenever she wants,” Zack says. “I think she’s probably needed a little time to work things out in her own heart first.”

“But I don’t get it,” I say out loud. “How come she spoke to you about it then Zack?”

“Well…” Zack says slowly, “the thing is that Nomusa noticed something that I hadn’t really spoken to anyone about,” he shoots me a look, smiles mysteriously and carries on. “Nomusa kind of picked up on the fact that there was someone I had feelings for, but that I was a bit unsure what to do about them right then.”

Zack – as in my nice downstairs neighbour Zack who I’ve known forever has feelings for someone?! As in romantic feelings?! Zack has a love interest?! Judging by the way things have turned out with my match making exercise the object of his affection is not Nomusa. So who is it?! And how come I don’t know about it? 

It feels like a lightening bolt has just come out of nowhere and is electrifying my heart. Unfortunately it seems to have shorted my brain at the same time. What is going on with me?!! I’ve never had a feeling like this before.

I’m staring at Zack like I’ve just laid eyes on him for the first time in my whole entire life, but he doesn’t notice a thing and keeps rambling on about his conversation with Nomusa. 

“Nomusa and I had a real heart to heart. She’s pretty sussed that girl. And when I thanked her for bringing it up she said, ‘You know Zack sometimes all it takes is a little encouragement from a friend to get your heart moving in the direction it wants to go.’ And so I said to her, ‘Well you know Nomusa, maybe this is a good time to tell you that I think you should follow your heart too.’ And that’s when we talked about her and Lindi. I thought I’d noticed something between them and turns out I was right.”

“So you mean they’ve been together for a while?” I ask him. 

And let me tell you that I’m impressed that I managed to get that sentence out so clearly because my mind is not actually on Nomusa and Lindi’s relationship right now.

“No. I’m pretty sure tonight was their first kiss,” Zack says.

There’s something about the way Zack says “kiss” that just makes me melt.

I sigh out loud. I just can’t stop myself. And then I realise what I’ve just done and quickly turn my face away to look out the bus window.

Zack. Kiss. Zack. Kiss. Phew. I open the bus window to get a bit of fresh air into my system.

I still feel like I’m in the middle of a sudden electrical storm, but at least there seems to be a clear line of communication between my heart and my brain right now. And my body seems to be in on the conversation too, which is more than a little disconcerting. And they all seem to be in agreement with what’s suddenly at the top of my mind.

I’m so aware of Zack sitting next to me on the bus. There is something so unbelievably good about sitting next to him. Like I can feel that his heart is pure and in the right place. Where has this all come from? Am I going completely crazy? 

I try to steady myself, but it’s impossible. 

I’m shaking when I turn round to face him. He holds my gaze and my heart does a happy, electrified cartwheel in his direction. And instantly it’s clear as day that that is where it’s meant to go.

WHAT DO YOU THINK: Shoowee! Do you know this feeling? Could it be L.O.V.E.?