Antonia woke and remembered at once. With dread she logged on and, sure enough, her devil pic was all over Facebook.

Can you believe it?
Whaddya think – an atheist ‘comes out’? OK r not?
Luv tht HOT look!
Isn’t da devil a sex fiend – I’ll take her on!

Yuk! I can not face school today, she decided. I’ll pull a sickie.

As soon as her mom kissed her and left for work, she was at her computer. I wonder if Theresa and Magdalen and Solomon have unfriended me? Yep, they have. OK, that hurts a bit. Not that I will miss their non-stop lame religious quotes, she thought defensively.

And Andile? Whew! Yes, still a friend. But why hasn’t he even SMSed me? He must know I am still me? But what if he’s on the SU Committee? Might make it impossible for him to date me.

She had a fleeting, rather mad fantasy that he might have given up ideas of being on the committee for love of her – but that was crazy.

She had a cry, and even took advantage of the empty house to scream madly at her situation.

Then her hands shook as an SMS arrived from Sindiwe.

Soz u nt @ skl. U sik? Cn I cm ova dis arvi to tlk?

Antonia almost cried with relief.

🙂 nt reli sik; jst freakt

*****

“Hi,” said Sindi stiffly.

“Hi,” said Antonia. “Want a coffee?”

Sindi ignored her offer and plunged right in, talking really fast.

“So, I’ve been trying to work out my feelings. And mainly I feel betrayed, and angry that you lied to me.” Her tight voice was rising: “How can you not have told me? I knew you weren’t particularly religious – but this!”

“Well, um … I see that it might seem like that. But think about my point of view. I was afraid … of rejection. It’s a hard thing to come out about. And yesterday proved I was right. Thanks for your support!”

“But you even came to church with me. Were you sitting there fake-praying? Hey? And what about my brother’s funeral? Why did you even bother to come when you don’t believe …” Sindiwe was sobbing now.

Antonia couldn’t help it: she broke through their anger and hugged her.

“No, no! It wasn’t like that, Sinds. I went to church to try to find god Really! For Gerry … I was hoping that Gerry and I … well, I loved Gerry. I’m sure you knew …”

Sindi sobbed harder, “Yes. I knew. And I was hoping too.”

“When he was lying so injured in hospital I prayed and prayed, begged God to reveal himself to me. Asked why he had allowed this to happen. And I saw how you all suffered, and prayed and prayed. And God never came to me, and Gerry died. So I gave up on God.”

“Even I had doubts then too. His death was so cruel and unfair,” whispered Sindi.

“And the funeral – funerals are for everyone, of any belief, aren’t they? Even if you don’t have prayers, they are to show how you care for the bereaved.”

Sindiwe wiped her eyes. “Thank God I know Gerry is in Heaven. It’s the only bearable thought about his death. I don’t know why God took him, but at least he is in a better place. And I’ll join him there one day.”

She looked with incredulous eyes at Antonia: “Aren’t you scared of death? I mean, what do you think will happen to you when you die?”

“That’s easy. I’ll be just like any other beautiful living thing on Earth. I’ll just stop existing. A memory to those left behind. Then compost. Oblivion. I don’t find that scary. I won’t feel a thing!” she joked, and even Sindiwe managed a chuckle.

Then Antonia said seriously: “I don’t disrespect your belief. Can you do the same for me?”

“I think so. Father Eusebius said we can be friends and I needn’t … um … try to convert you. God will do that Himself one day. And I must pray for you. And remember the Commandment: ‘Love thy neighbour as thyself.’”

Antonia giggled, “I can just imagine that the hashtag #prayingforAntonia# is trending in the school ‘prayerverse’ at the moment,” and was pleased to see her friend smile.
She went on: “I know that praying does help you with some things – but to me it’s not ‘god’ giving you the answers; it’s the same as thinking through them yourself. I mean, I work out how to do life pretty well without prayer.”

“Let’s agree to disagree on that,” said Sindiwe. “Whew. Glad to have talked. I hate conflict.”

“Me too.”

Then she continued. “Just wish Andile would message me,” said Antonia sadly. “I was really getting into him, as you know. And I think he liked me … a lot.”

“Ja, well, I feel what he is going through. He’s messaged me about it. Give him time.”

“Huh? Messaging you? That’s weird. I didn’t know you were friends.”

“We weren’t. But now we’ve got a shared problem to work out – you!” smiled Sindiwe.

*****

Antonia was very early for school the next day, to avoid the staring crowds. As she walked across the deserted grounds to her block, a slender figure came out of their register class and hurried off in the other direction. Refiloe.

Why’s she here so early, thought Antonia, jealous and cross. She’s usually late – fussing over her supermodel hairdo and French polish, I bet.

Then she saw two people sitting on a bench in the gardens nearby, talking intently. Sindiwe and Andile! Antonia froze, then edged behind a bush. She peeped round. It looked like Sindiwe was crying … Andile leaned forward and put his arm gently on her shoulder … then forward even more and hugged her, all the while talking. Sindi hugged him back, nodding. Then they broke their embrace and looked at each other. An intimate look.

Antonia couldn’t bear it. She ran back out of the school gate and made her way home, jealous and hurt. Never mind about Refiloe, had this whole thing now thrown Sindi and Andile together?

*****

The Deputy was unpacking his briefcase when he heard a shriek from Block C. He rushed to the doorway to see Magdalen and Theresa running towards him.

“Sir, sir! Come and look. Oh God, I’m so scared,” cried Magdalen.

“Please, girls, just be calm,” he soothed as they led him into the classroom and pointed.

On the pin board were three colour printouts of signs that he recognised as linked to satanism: a bloody star inside a circle (a pentagram), a hideous-looking ram’s head with evil eyes and curled horns, and a triple ‘6’.

“Who would have played such a silly trick?”

“It’s not a trick, sir. It’s Antonia!”

“Oh nonsense. The girl said she’s an atheist – not a satanist. They’re two very different things. I have taught her for years and she’s a very level-headed young woman.”

“But, sir, we saw her at school earlier. And then – she ran out again!”

“Look, I’m taking these, and I’ll speak to her. Meanwhile, let’s keep it to ourselves, OK?”

***

Tell us: Is it likely Antonia and Andile’s new relationship can survive this crisis?