“Why is your hair like that? You can’t go to our school with hair like that.”

Aphiwe has been in her new home for only three days, and from the day she walked in, the little girl she was told was her sister has been asking endless her questions. Wherever she goes in this house that she is still trying to not get lost in, she finds her.

“She’s not going to our school, Limi, she’s going to that other school Morena goes to, the one in the township,” a boy she was told was her brother says.

Morena is the housekeeper’s son. He is the same age as Aphiwe and she has learnt that he comes here only on weekends to be with his mother. They sleep in the tiny house outside.

Yesterday, it was the housekeeper who went to the mall with her to buy her new school uniform. It was also the housekeeper who chastised her when she found her in the kitchen making herself a sandwich.

“You don’t make your own food here my girl, if you are hungry you must tell me. Now, go to the children’s room and watch TV,” she said, smiling and brushing her head.

She reminded Aphiwe of her Grade-2 teacher back at her old school. She was always nice to the kids, her even though Aphiwe was always in trouble for something.

Besides the time he picked her up from the airport, Aphiwe has not seen her father since she arrived. The only time she knew he was in the house was when she heard his voice last night. He was gone by the time all the kids met in the kitchen for breakfast. Her new mother has also been scarce, and the children, Limi (4) and Sengezo (9) don’t seem to mind.

If they aren’t in the playroom, they are in their bedrooms.

Aphiwe is not just in awe of the size of her bedroom, but also of how big the house is and how yesterday she got lost trying to find the place where they put dirty clothes. She saw the big swimming pool at the back and wondered if the kids were allowed to swim any time they wanted.

So far she doesn’t like it here, but her grandmother said to behave and listen to what she was being told to do. She doesn’t think she’ll like her new school either because, according to what Morena said, it does not have all the things her grandmother promised.

Morena also said her new parents are not taking her to the same school as Limi and Sengezo because she is not smart enough. That made her mad, because in her old school she was the smartest one in her grade. And how did they know she wasn’t smart enough if she’s never even been to that school? She wanted to ask them. Morena’s mother smiled that time too and brushed Aphiwe’s head, as if to comfort her.

The children’s playroom has nothing but a big TV, some couches and little-girl toys for Limi. There is nothing for Aphiwe, and Sengezo plays Playstation on the TV all day. He is a quiet child and Aphiwe finds that not normal.

The best thing, she thinks, would be to go out and find kids to play with, but the gate is always locked and she has not seen or heard kids playing in the street, not even from her upstairs bedroom window.

“Kids, come, let’s go get ready, the people will be here soon,” the housekeeper says, peeping through the window.

Aphiwe didn’t know there were people coming.

Tell us: What do you think of Aphiwe’s new home?