Days passed, and though MmaMpopi questioned her about her disappearance that night and about her new-found quietness, Nonofo told her nothing. How could she? Wasn’t it what she had dreamed of for so long? How can someone be angry and hurt if their wishes come true? No, Nonofo had decided that she would keep her secret to herself.

She continued working at the shebeen on weekends and after school. Some days Chicco would come in. When everyone else was lost in their Chicco dreams, Nonofo felt nothing. Chicco took his place at the back table and spoke Nonofo’s name only when he wanted something, then he called her across the bar like a master calling a dog. Days passed and Nonofo kept quiet; very, very quiet.

It was past midnight on a Saturday and the shebeen was just heating up. Nonofo was busy with the group under the jacaranda tree at the back, so she hadn’t seen Chicco arrive. When she came in the back door, she saw him sitting with a girl at the corner table. He had his arm around her back and he was whispering into her ear, but there was something wrong. The girl’s eyes darted back and forth. When Nonofo came nearer, she could see that she was young, even younger than Nonofo herself. She was young and she was frightened. Chicco was lifting his glass of beer to her lips forcing her to drink. When she did, he sat back satisfied and took the mirror out of his shirt pocket.

Nonofo stood silently by the table. Chicco looked at her, disgust in his eyes. “What do you want?”

The wire of fear that lay dormant in the small of Nonofo’s back transformed and became thick and strong and rose up her spine and she stood tall. She snatched the mirror from Chicco’s hand and slammed it hard on the table. Picking up the largest piece of glass she ran it quick as lightning down the length of Chicco’s smooth, chocolate cheek. Blood burst from the crack between the two flaps of skin and Chicco screamed when he saw it on his hand. He stood and the frightened girl rushed out from the corner where she’d been trapped. She looked Nonofo in the eyes for a moment and then she ran from the shebeen.

Nonofo moved near to Chicco’s ear and whispered in words sharp as needles, “Never come back” and then turned and walked to the bar.

Chicco stumbled to the door through the crowd whose Chicco dreams were already forgotten and the din slowly rose until MmaMpopi’s Shebeen was back to its usual Saturday night racket.

Tell us: What do you think of Nonofo slicing Chicco’s cheek? Why did she do that?