“No, Sir. I won’t take off my clothes! Why must I take off my clothes?” says Zinhle, taking a step away from him.

She is deeply confused. Work with only panties on?

The hungry look disappears from Mr Hlophe’s face. He flashes a smile, then abruptly leaves the room, leaving Zinhle even more confused.

“Get your sneakers on. I want to take you home!” Mr Hlophe shouts from the lounge.

Zinhle puts her sneakers on. She stands in the room for a few seconds, taking deep breaths, then walks to the lounge. Mr Hlophe is nowhere to be seen.

Her confusion turns into fear now.

She hears an engine starting up. She runs outside and finds Mr Hlophe in the car.

Zinhle gets into the back seat and closes the door. Mr Hlophe is looking straight ahead. He puts the car in first gear and they are away. As they pick up speed he turns on the radio and hums to a gospel song.

It’s as if nothing had happened.

Zinhle begins to question her own sanity. Did he really ask me to take my clothes off? Yes, he did. I’m sure he did.

Suddenly his hand is waving something in front of her face. A hundred rand note.

“I have something for you,” he says, without turning to look at her. “I thought you might need this.”

Reluctantly, Zinhle takes the note, fearing the consequences if she refuses it.

They are driving past a row of shops. Mr Hlophe slows down the car.

“I just need to get some supplies here. There is a Spar over there if you want to spend your money,” he says.

She nods her head and Mr Hlophe pulls up outside the store.

“I’ll be back in ten minutes,” he says. “Don’t be long.”

Zinhle walks into the supermarket and picks up a few basic items: a small packet of sugar, tins of sardines and baked beans, onions, curry powder and teabags. She gets to the counter and fishes in her pocket. The note is not there. She checks all her pockets. The money is not in any of them. A sense of dread overwhelms her.

She runs outside. The wind has picked up.

What if the money has been blown away by the wind, she thinks? She grows frantic.

Mr Hlophe’s car pulls up while she is searching for the note on the grassy edge of the road.

“I’m sorry Mr Hlophe, can I just check in the car for the money? I can’t find it anywhere, Sir.” Mr Hlophe nods and Zinhle searches on the back seat and on the floor.

“Oh no, Sir, it’s not here,” she says. “I can’t buy the food.”

“Eish! I’ve already bought stock with all my money. I have nothing now. I’ll give you another hundred rand when we get back to my house,” says Mr Hlophe.

“Back to your house? But I thought you were taking me home?” says Zinhle, her voice shaking.

Zinhle doesn’t want to be around Mr Hlophe anymore. She is about to tell him so, but he speaks first.

“No, Zinhle. I have changed my mind. There’s a job you need to do for me. And if you don’t do it, mark my words, nobody at school will respect you anymore…”

Tell us: Why do you think Mr Hlophe has changed his mind about taking Zinhle home?