I opened my eyes and looked around my bedroom. It was the same as always. Same red striped curtains. The same poster of the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s house, ‘Fallingwater’. Same pine wood wardrobe. But nothing was the same inside my head. Everything had changed. Every possible thing.

We had sat in the front row at the concert, just in the middle. It was as if I could reach up and touch X-man. And he had been telling the truth; he could see me through the stage lights. I felt like he was singing to me the entire night. When he sang his big hit, I Knew It When I Saw Her, it was like he was singing only for me, like the crowds of people had all disappeared and it was only him and me.

It was her, like she’d walked in from my dreams
It was her, like God made her just for me
It was her, I know just how it seems
But it’s true … I knew it when I saw her.

After the concert he rode in the limo with us to our homes. We dropped Karabo, and then headed to my house in Khayelitsha.

“Did you have a nice night?” Xavier asked.

“It was amazing.”

“Can I see you again?”

I wondered what he wanted with me. He could have any woman he wanted. Why me? But I wasn’t going to ask him that. I liked him, I liked him a lot. I had decided halfway through the show that I was just going to go with it. I was just going to accept what I saw.

What I saw was a man who seemed to like me. Just a man liking a woman. Just a man wanting to get to know more about her. All the X-man stuff shouldn’t matter. That was OK, right? I could ignore all the rest, right?

“Sure, I’d like that,” I said.

We stopped outside my house. I saw Mmakola peek around the curtains twice. If I didn’t get out soon, she’d likely come out and fetch me and I didn’t want that.

“Are you free for dinner tomorrow night?”

“Sure, that sounds good.”

He leaned forward and before I could do anything he kissed me ever so lightly on my lips.

“Goodnight,” he said.

“Goodnight.”

Did I walk up to the door? Did I? I’m not sure. It certainly felt like I flew.

*****

I had decided on a simple black dress and my cherry red pumps. I heard a knock on the door and rushed to it, but Mmakola was too fast.

“So you’re the X-man?” she asked.

“I prefer Xavier. You must be Lily’s sister, Mmakola.” He held out his hand and Mmakola took it. Even from this distance I could tell he’d won her over with that. Mmakola liked a man with good manners.

I pushed around Mmakola. “I’m here … I’m ready. We can go.”

“Hello.” Xavier bent down and kissed me on the cheek then said, “Goodnight, Mmakola. It was nice to meet you.”

“Have fun!” I looked back at her just to check no-one had swapped my sister for someone else.

No limo. Instead we had a very reasonable Corolla. Xavier spotted me looking at the car. “Disappointed?”

“Nope.”

And I wasn’t; I was relieved.

He’d chosen an Italian restaurant on the Waterfront. He was back to his fairly conservative Xavier self, in a simple black suit and a creamy purple shirt open at the neck. When we walked into the restaurant people looked at us. I wondered if they recognised him; I doubted it. It was hard to reconcile the X-man on the stage with this calm, handsome man.

“What is it about you?” Xavier said as if talking to himself.

“Could it be my third eye?”

He laughed. “You’re funny … and beautiful and there’s just this serene way about you. I noticed it straight away at the takeaway. I feel better when I’m with you.”

“I never thought anyone would describe me as serene, but thanks … I think.”

“I really like you, Lily. I wonder how I’ll manage when I leave this place and go back to Joburg.”

He seemed so sincere, but it also seemed unbelievable. “Xavier, are you telling me a handsome, famous man like you has no-one in Joburg?”

“There was someone, but she didn’t like me. She was enamoured with X-man. That’s the problem. I mostly keep to myself because of that. But you … there’s something honest and true about you.” He paused then said, “Some friends wanted me to meet them at Club 32 when we’re finished here. Are you up for that?”

“Sure.” I’d never been to the trendy nightclub, but I’d heard about it. It was the hang-out of choice for the coolest people.

We drove downtown to a high-rise, and took the lift to the top floor, my ears popping on the way. Xavier held my hand as we left the lift and suddenly I was a bit anxious about meeting his friends.

He turned to me. “I’m so happy you’re here.”

Then he kissed me on the lips, a deep, passionate kiss. Did I see stars? Maybe. Did my knees go weak? Again, perhaps. And that No Man Policy? Was it still in effect after a kiss like that? Nope. Definitely not.

***

Tell us: How would you feel dating a famous person?