I have to warn Celi now – now that we know Felleng is more than just talk. I wait for her after our last class of the day, when she stays back to ask our tutors something.
“Aviwe?” I love how her serious face brightens when she finds me waiting, after Xabisa and Erasmus stroll away. “Any news of Zakhele?”
“His family are at the hospital. When he’s allowed to leave, they’ll take him home to Rustenburg until he’s fit to come back to classes.”
“Thank God it wasn’t more serious.”
“It looked bad enough. His teeth, and something to do with the retina of one eye. Those are the worst things.”
“Poor Zakhele.” She pauses. “Aviwe, people are saying Felleng did it?”
“Yes. Zakhele confirmed it, but the cops aren’t doing anything. Something to do with no witnesses, and also Zakhele being too scared to open a case.” I hesitate, but I have to do this. “Celi?”
“Yes?” She must hear something in my voice, because now I hear a breathless anxiety in the way she says that one word.
“I need to warn you … Maybe I should have done it before. Felleng, he’s like … interested in you.”
“I know.”
“You do?”
Maybe girls know these things, pick them up, being sensitive? Does she also know I’m interested in her?
“Yes, he’s made it obvious in a number of crude ways.” There’s a tightness in her voice.
“So maybe you should be, I don’t know, careful? Around him? Not let him get too close?”
What if she thinks I’m warning her simply because I see Felleng as a rival, not for her sake – not for her safety?
“I am being careful, Aviwe,” she tells me calmly. “I won’t put myself in any sort of position that would give him … an opportunity. I avoid him, I make sure I’m never in danger of finding myself alone with him. But you know something? I shouldn’t have to.”
“No, you shouldn’t.” I understand what she means. “You should be able to trust all your fellow-students here, and not have to worry about avoiding some of them.”
“The way I can trust you,” she says.
I can’t stop a huge smile spreading over my whole face.
“That’s the biggest compliment anyone has ever paid me. Thank you, Celi.”
“How sweet.” The drawling voice chills me, and I notice how Celi tenses as she sees Felleng standing there. “How stupid. How pathetic. The pacifist better man. You can do better than him, baby girl. Get your ass over here, and I’ll show you what a real man is like.”
“Leave her alone, Felleng.” I’m surprised to hear how confident and sharp I sound, because that’s not how I’m feeling.
The only thing I’m sure of is that I’m not letting him hurt Celi.
She hasn’t moved, and Felleng starts walking towards us, prowling towards us, it looks like.
“Come, Celi,” he says.
“You’re the one who is pathetic, Felleng,” I tell him, putting myself between him and Celi. “A throwback, don’t they call it? Most of us came out of the cave a long time ago.”
I’m hoping to shame him into behaving better and leaving us alone.
Got that wrong, didn’t I? He shoves me aside and grabs Celi.
***
Tell us: How can Aviwe and Celi deal with Felleng?