The next morning I go over to Agnes’ house. Standing at Agnes’s door I see her working at the table against the wall. Slowly I walk up to her. Just before I can touch her on the shoulder she turns around.

“Hey, look at you! You must be feeling much better.” She has a smile on her face.

“I do Agnes, thanks to you,” I say to her.

Then she comes close and hugs me. We kiss.

And then everything goes wrong.

I hear a crash.
The door opens.
There is Chino.

But he is not the sweet, gentle Chino I met. He walks straight to Agnes and pulls her by her hair.

“You are not supposed to be kissing her, damn it!” he shouts angrily. He is yanking her hair now.

“Please stop! You are hurting her,” I scream for him to let her go. How could he? I was on his side. How can he not be on ours?

“You are supposed to be kissing me!” He is furious as he turns to me.

“No ways, that is not what I want.”

“You don’t know what you are talking about.”

“So you know what it is she wants?” Agnes is shouting at him. I am frightened for her. She shouldn’t have said that.

Agnes’ legs are shaking with fear. Chino is so angry. He is shouting and throwing things.

“Just you wait here!” He storms out.

We are left not knowing what to do. Where can we hide?

“Let’s climb onto the roof of the shack. He might come back even more crazy,” Agnes says.

She helps me up onto the roof from the back yard. We look down between the zinc sheets. We see Chino barge into the room with Chenzira and some other boys.

He looks around.

“They were here a second ago. They were doing…”

“What? What were they doing?” Chenzira asks, trying to calm him down.

“They were kissing. It isn’t normal. It was disgusting!”

“Who Chino? Tell us who? Who was kissing?” Chenzira asks.

“My sister, Agnes and this new girl from next door,” Chino replies. His voice is breaking with anger and something else, I think. Something like hurt.

“What are we doing here Chino? Why did you call us?”

“Guys don’t tell me we can’t fix this.”

“Who are we? That time is long gone brother!” Chenzira is angry now: “If you think of doing anything wrong to these girls I am not with you on that one.” Chenzira turns.

“You are a chicken, Chenzira.”

“If being a chicken means not raping girls, because they don’t like boys, then call me a chicken.”

“If anyone is with Chenzira, please walk out with him,” says Chino, unsure suddenly.

“You can’t fix how people feel,” Chenzira says, as he walks out.

One other boy follows him. And then the last two walk out.

Chino remains alone.

We stay together on the roof of the shack. Who is to tell us this is wrong? What is important is that I have Agnes by my side.

What is important is to find happiness and hold on to it.

***

Tell us what you think: Do you think there is much hope for Nana and Agnes staying happy in their community? What did you think of the story?

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