NgoMvulo ndangena kumasango esikolo ndiziva ingathi ndiyinkosazana. Ukuzithemba kwam kwakubuyile kwaye ndandineyona mpela-veki ephambili ebomini bam. Abahlobo bam babekhona kwaye babeyinxalenye yomcimbi wam. Kwakukuhle.
“Noko uNksk. Groenewald akazok’ubanesizathu sokungakwazi ukubiza igama lam, uNande akanzimanga,” watsho u-Alice sajoyina ekuhlekeni.
Ndandinobomi obutsha, igama elitsha; ndandingumntu omtsha. UChwayitani Nande. Ndandilithanda.
“Kulilishwa ke ukuba umcimbi wakho ophambeneyo khange ukwazi ukulungisa iinwele okanye ubuso bakho,” ndandilazi elo lizwi kwaye ndandingenamdla wabo. YayinguLetitia noothulasikutyele bakhe. Ndaguquka ndajongana nabo. “Yintoni leyo isengalweni yakho?” watsho etsala ingalo yam.
“Yibhreyisilethi yomcimbi wakhe. Uyayibona, yenziwe ngesikhumba sebhokhwe,” ndandiqala ukuva uNomthandazo ethetha. Ndothuka ndabanda.
“Ingathi ngowuyikhulula. Awuvumelekanga ukuba unxibe izinto ezinjalo apha. Akukho selalini yakho apha.” Yatsho enye yala mantombazana.
“Akanakuyikhulula,” watsiba uNomthandazo wema phambi kwam. Le nto yayingaqhelekanga. “Kufuneka iziphumele ngokwayo.”
Kuhle ke, oku kuthetha ukuba uza kuphela ugxothwa,”watsho uLetitia.
“Abanako…”
“Kulungile, Beat… Nomthandazo. ULetitia akhonto ayaziyo ngenkcubeo yethu; uyathanda ukungahoyi. Uyenzile eyakho,” ndabuza nditsala uNomthandazo kancinci ndihamba naye. Le ntombazana yayivutha. Yayingathi ukhululwe.
Sahamba sayokukhangela abahlobo bethu kwibala lezemidlalo. UNomthandazo wayethetha kakhulu, wayendenzela intloko.
“Wamkelekile kwicala elimnyama, Beatrice. Ingaba uzakuba yimpimpi yebhosi yakho?” Wadubuleka u-Alice.
“Hayi, bendithetha nje noChwayita. Kwaye igama lam nguNomthandazo.”
“Oooohhh…” satsho sonke ngexesha elinye. U-Alice usanda kuxelelwa. Le ntombazana ibibukhali kakhulu, ndava kabuhlungu bokuba ebekade ephantsi kolawulo lukaLetitia ngalo lonke eli xesha.
“Ikhona into eyenzeka kuwe ude ujikele abahlobo bakho,” watsho uJasmin ekhangeleka ngendlela endingayiqondiyo.
“Ubungumhlobo wam, hayi la mantombazana. Uyayazi ukuba andomelelanga njengawe kwaye bendiboyika. Ndicela uxolo Jas,” watsho uNomthandazo ngokuzithoba.
“Khawume, aba babini ibingabahlobo bakho?” Ndabuza.
“Mafikizolo, kuninzi okufuneka ukufundile,” watsho u-Alice ephakama. Intsimbi yayisele izakukhala.
Endleleni eya eklasini, uNomthandazo wasixelela ngezinto ezintsha ezenzekayo.
“Umlawuli wesekethi uyeza namhlanje,” wasichazela. “Uvile ngentlanganiso yenu yeveki ephelileyo, kwaye ingathi nina niplana ukonakalisa ipropati nonakalise nesikolo’.”
“Intoni? Bubuvuvu obo!” Wadubuleka u-Alice.
“Kwelo, izoyikiso zabazali benu khange zincede kangako. UMnu. Graham ukholisekile ukuba niplana ukulawula isikolo namhlanje,”
Sasingayikholelwa. Bacinga ukuba singenza loo nto. Kodwa ke, oku kuthetha ukuba ibali lethu liyaziwa kwaye lidumile. Sahlukana emva kwe-asembli saya eklasini. UMnu. Graham wayengekho, noNksk. Groenewald ngokunjalo. Ngokwenene ikhona into eyenzekayo.
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Khawusichazele: Ingaba ucinga umlawuli wesekethi uza kumamela omabini amacala?
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