“Hello, sweetie!” Princess shouted in greeting on the way to school.

Lelethu saw Bontle looking up to see who she was talking to. Her eyes widened as she realised it was Lel-ethu.

Now you see how popular I am, Lelethu thought. “Hi, Princess,” she called back, rushing to catch up with her.

“We’re late for school – hurry up and run!” shouted Princess.

Lelethu started sprinting – this was something she was good at. She ran on past the girls to show them her speed. She had won all her races at her Sports Day. But suddenly, right next to them, she tripped on something and found herself diving onto the dust, sprawling out on the road. Her phone smashed into a paving stone and split open, the screen shattered. Her knees stung, and tears of humiliation came to her eyes as she saw Princess and the others giggling at her.

“My phone!” she said. Seeing it lying in pieces there made her want to cry.

“Oh, it was a terrible phone,” said Princess. “We’ll get you another one.” She pulled Lelethu up, and watched her as she picked up the remains of her phone to get her sim card.

“Another lesson, chommie,” said Princess. “You walk too fast, like a boy. Walk slowly, as if you are walk-ing on one line, like this.” She minced along, taking tiny steps, one in front of the other.

“We’ll never get to school on time like that,” said Lelethu, brushing down her skirt, trying to look cool and not like she was sore and upset.

“Who cares about school?” said Princess. “Anyway, I was just joking, girlfriend.”

*****

Later, as Lelethu was changing classes, she felt a hand on her arm. It was Bontle.

“I saw what happened this morning,” she said. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” said Lelethu. “I just fell.”

“You didn’t fall,” said Bontle. “Princess tripped you. She’s mean, that one.”

“You’re just jealous,” said Lelethu. “She’s my friend – she would never do that.”

Bontle looked irritated. “So you don’t believe me?”

“Why should I?” asked Lelethu.

“I suppose I haven’t been nice,” said Bontle. “But it’s not because I hate you.”

“You have been horrible,” Lelethu replied.

“Look, I’m sorry. I really am,” said Bontle. “I didn’t mean to be. And I really don’t want to see my cousin getting hurt by girls like that.”

“I can look after myself, thank you,” said Lelethu. Bontle looked like she wanted to say something more, but then she clicked her tongue in frustration and walked off. Yes, thought Lelethu, satisfied. Now you know that I am somebody, not just your village cousin. I’m going to be more popular than you, you’ll see.

*****

“Hey, chommie, meet us at Thabiso’s this evening. We’re having a party,” said Princess at break. “It’s an important part of your city life education.”

Lelethu felt terribly excited. She had bought meat at Thabiso’s, and smelled the sizzling steaks on the fire, but had never imagined that she would sit at the table herself like a grown-up. People drank and had par-ties there – women in fancy clothes, and men who drove shiny cars and looked like they had money.

The girls were laughing, except Zikhona. “Do you really think she’s ready?” she asked. “She’s still a bit of a baby.”

“She needs to wear her new clothes, and do her hair like we showed her,” said Princess. “Then tonight she will have to learn about how to be on the town.” She winked at Zikhona and the others.

“I’ll see you there,” Lelethu said.

Only later, in the last lesson when the teacher was just about asleep at the desk and all the kids were chatting and laughing, did she wonder about money. How was she going to buy anything?

*****

When she got home that afternoon she ran around doing chores for her aunt while Bontle lay on her bed reading. She even made her aunt tea.

“Hey, girlie, you’re bringing me tea without me asking you three times? What do you want from me?” her aunt joked.

Lelethu smiled but inside felt furious. How could her aunt be so rude when she had just spent the whole afternoon cleaning the bathroom and washing the kitchen floor?

“Auntie, can I go to Princess’s tonight?” Lelethu asked. “She’s invited some friends over.”

Her aunt looked at her. “How can I be sure you’re telling the truth?”

“Please, Auntie, I won’t be late.”

“Oh, all right, girl. But don’t you stay out after dark.”

Just then Bontle called from her room. “Lelethu, don’t you want to stay here? Some friends are coming. We’re playing cards. And I’m making a cake.”

“Is that so, young lady?” said her mother. “Well, you’d better not use all the eggs.”

“No thanks, Bontle,” said Lelethu. “I promised I would go.”

Bontle came out of her room. “Just remember what I told you,” she said, so her mother couldn’t hear her.

“I told you I can look after myself,” whispered Lelethu. Then she said louder, “And, Auntie, I don’t want to be rude. Can I take some cooldrink?”

“I can only give you R7,” said her aunt. “Money doesn’t grow on trees here in the big city, you know. Didn’t your mother give you some money?”

But she fumbled in her big black bag and gave Lelethu R8.50.

For a moment, as Lelethu walked out, she was tempted to stay and play cards and eat cake. To have a night like she used to have at home in the Eastern Cape, with her family. But only for a moment. Once she was out on the street she felt a wave of excitement. She could smell her sweet deodorant, and she knew she looked good. Nobody would believe that two months ago she had been digging in a field plant-ing potatoes. She was a city girl through and through!