I’m standing breathless in the foyer of the North Beach Southern Sun Hotel. My first instinct after seeing Zack and Nomusa together was to just get right out of there. So I did, as fast as I possibly could. And once I was outside I ran, and this is where I’ve ended up. The place where I first kissed Zack. How ironic.

My phone has been ringing non-stop in my pocket since I left and when I check it I’ve got loads of missed calls. From? Zack; Zack; Zack; Nomusa; Nomusa; Nomusa; Deevya; Zack; Nomusa; Deevya; Zack; Zack; Zack.

I make a phone call.

“Hey mom. Can you please come and fetch me? The party was a dud. I’m waiting in the foyer of the North Beach Southern Sun Hotel.”

My mom doesn’t ask any questions. Bless her. She’s just says she’ll be there in less than 10 minutes and I must wait inside the front door because it’s safer.

My phone rings again. It’s Zack. I’m in no mood for this right now. I’m so stressed out I feel like I actually AM a hive of disturbed bees, so I just turn the phone off. Later for that.

When we get home I have a shower. And when I get into bed my mom brings me a cup of hot chocolate. She doesn’t push me for explanations. 

She knows me better than that. I’ll talk when I’m ready.

I drink the hot chocolate in the dark. And then I sink down under my duvet, lay my head on my pillow and cry until I fall asleep.

In the middle of the night I hear a guy’s voice saying my name and shaking me awake. I open my eyes and there is a man standing next to my bed! I’m about to scream, but he puts his hand over my mouth.

“It’s me – Zack! I climbed up the drainpipe outside. Don’t scream or you’ll wake your mom up,” he whispers.

When he can tell I’m not going to scream he takes his hand off my mouth and smoothes my hair away from my forehead.

“Why did you run away, silly?” he asks gently.

“You know full well why I LEFT,” I hiss. “I didn’t RUN AWAY. I just didn’t want to be there when you and Nomusa were so clearly into each other.”

Zack shakes his head.

“I’m so sorry Hope. It was Nomusa’s idea and I wasn’t that keen but she seemed so desperate. She asked me if I would flirt with her to see if it made Lindi jealous. I didn’t think it was a good idea, but she said that she had once flirted with somebody to help you see a situation in a new light, and that you’d been grateful. I still wasn’t convinced but I just did it for her. I’m sorry. It was stupid.”

Ok! I see! That makes sense. Geez Nomusa. I know I owe you one for testing Simon’s ‘fidelity’ by flirting with him at the AfroBollyMe last month, but could you at least give me a head’s up on this kind of crazy plan before you go ahead and nearly accidentally rip my heart out of my body?

“Is there room in here for me?” asks Zack. “Shift over. I think we’ve got lots to talk about.”

And with that he slips under the duvet with me and holds me in his arms. In the end we don’t get to talking. Not ‘cos there’s any action going down, but because within seconds I’m fast asleep again. It’s been one helluva day.