Xa kwakukhala intsimbi sakhululwa ngesilumkiso sokugqiba wonke umsebenzi wasekhaya ukuba asifuni kuphelela kwidithenshini. Njengoko ndandifika kwiklasi yam elandelayo ndeva umntu osemva kwam endikhwaza: “Hazel!” Zange ndibahoye kodwa kwakho umntu endityhala ngasemva ndagxadazela.
“Uza kuphendula xa sithetha nawe,” yatsho intombazana. Wayebonakala ingathi yinkokeli yala mantombazana aziphethe kakubi, abanye yayiziphaphethi nje. Igama lakhe yayinguLetitia.
“Igama lam nguChwayita,” ndatsho, ndisiva umsindo ukhula ngaphakathi. Amanye amantombazana amjoyina bendifake kwisangqa ngoku.
“Uza kuphendula nokuba leliphina igama esilikhethela wena, uyandiva? Okanye siza kuripota.”
“Nizakundiripotela ntoni?” Ndabuza. Ndandingawakholelwa la mantombazana, inokuba ayadlala. “Akhonto endiyenzileyo engalunganga,”
Kwelo, okokuqala iinwele zakho zisisinyanyiso kwi-code of conduct yesikolo,” watsho uLetitia ebeka isandla sakhe kwiinwele zam ezidlakazelisa. Ndaxhuzula intloko yam. “Ngoko, ukuba awufuni kuba sengxakini, uyakuphendula xa ubizwa uHazel.”
Ngoku babesondela njengamarhamba kwaye ndandicingela ukuba ndiza kufumana inqindi kuLetitia. Akanako, angayenza lo nto?
“Myeke Letitia,” intombazana ebikwi-asembli, igama layo linguJasmine, wanyanzelisa wangena kwisangqa. “Yiza Chwayita, asifuni kufika mva eklasini,”watsho etsala isandla sam. Naye wayesenza i-Accounting.
“Kwelo ukuba awumthandi uHazel, ndiqinisekile singakufumanela enye into,” watsho uLetitia njengoko wayetyhudisa egqitha kum engena eklasini.
“Ewe, njengokuba watshintsha igama likaNomthandazo yabanguBeatrice, mnxim,” umkhuseli wam, uJasmine waphindisa kuLetitia.
U-Beatrice uyalithanda igama lakhe elitsha, anditsho Beat,” enye yamantombazana aqaqadekileyo yajonga uNomthandazo ngokomoyikisayo. “Beatrice, xelela uJasmine ngendlela ova ngayo ngegama lakho.”
“Ndiyalithanda,” watsho uNomthandazo ngokungathi uyasebeza.
Intombazana yayothukile; ingcangcazela. Ndamsizela. Kutheni kukho umntu oza kufuna ukutshintsha igama lakhe kwinto angayithandi nokuyithanda? Le nto yayikhohlakele engenasisa. Bekutheni ukuze abe yinxalenye yeqela labo. Ndaziva ndigula.
“Xa kunjalo, unazo iphaphethi zakho, uChwayita ayizokuba ngomnye wazo,” watsho uJasmin. “Sakubona ngelinye ixesha,” wakhwaza ebaleka esihla ikhorido.
Ndandifuna ukumbuza phi ukuze ndimkhangele ngebreykhi.
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Khawusichazele: Ucinga ukuba kutheni uNomthandazo etshintshe igama lakhe nje?