With her parents gone, Nelisiwe suddenly feels tears filling her eyes.
“Don’t cry, beautiful lady. You will get used to life here eventually,” says a young man.
Nelisiwe turns to see who is this man talking to her.
“I’m sorry if I’m being too forward. My name is Ntokozo. I stay in that res over there, Cape Wood.” Ntokozo offers a handshake to Nelisiwe.
“I’m Nelisiwe. I’m happy to meet you,” says Nelisiwe. She wipes away her tears and smiles as she makes eye contact with Ntokozo.
“Are those your parents that just left?”
“Yes, it’s my first time ever being away from them. I have been longing for this opportunity to have total freedom for a long time.”
“Just be careful how you use your freedom because this place can be dangerous,” says Ntokozo.
“You are scaring me now. What exactly are you talking about?” says Nelisiwe.
“What I’m saying is you must know what you want and what you came here to do.”
“I understand,” says Nelisiwe.
“It was great meeting you. We will bump into each other around campus. I’m off to church,” says Ntokozo.
“Where do you worship?”
\
“I’m a born-again Christian,” says Ntokozo.
“Really? So am I. My father is a pastor,” says Nelisiwe.
“Glad to hear that. We have a student body for us born-again Christians called the Student Christian Fellowship. Come check us out sometime.”
“I’ll definitely do that. Let me know when you are going to praise. Take my number. I stay at G 13 here in Pinewood Res,” says Nelisiwe.
“I’ll do that,” says Ntokozo.
Nelisiwe heads back to her room and finds that her roommate has arrived. Nelisiwe is taken aback to find her kissing a guy on the bed.
Nelisiwe lets out a cough and says, “Hi guys, my name is Nelisiwe.”
The couple stops kissing and looks at Nelisiwe. They both laugh.
“I’m Zandile. This is my boyfriend Mandla. You are a fresher, it’s just obvious,” says Zandile.
“Let me leave you with your fresher,” says Mandla.
“I stayed on my own in this room for the whole of last year. It’s going to be cramped with you here now,” says Zandile.
Nelisiwe is quiet, not knowing how to respond to Zandile’s rude remark.
“I’m just playing with you,” says Zandile and bursts out laughing.
“You had me scared there for a moment,” says Nelisiwe.
“Like I said, I’m Zandile. I’m doing my fourth year in Chemical Engineering. Talk to me if you need anything.”
“Thank you, Zandile,” says Nelisiwe.
In the first week Nelisiwe plans well for her classes. But as weeks pass by she starts binge-watching shows on Netflix. She oversleeps and is soon left lagging behind in her work. She is trying to catch up on her studies when Zandile and Mandla enter the room hand in hand.
“Nelisiwe, my good roomie, please leave for a while. I need time with Mandla,” says Zandile.
“Fine,” says Nelisiwe begrudgingly.
She puts her books in her backpack and dials Ntokozo’s number as she leaves the room. She studies for a few minutes in Ntokozo’s room but soon joins him because he is watching a movie on his laptop.
“You are lucky you stay in a single room, Ntokozo,” says Nelisiwe.
“Nelisiwe, don’t allow your roommate to chase you out like she did. That is also your room,” says Ntokozo.
“Let’s forget about her. I just need scripture to heal me. Can we read the Bible after watching the movie?” says Zandile.
“I’d like that,” says Ntokozo.
She heads back to her room feeling elated after reading the Bible with Ntokozo. She makes a sandwich and sleeps. She can hear rain teeming down outside. She rocks herself to sleep feeling homesick. She thinks of her parents, and the expectations from them and the congregation. She understands she has to pull up her socks and study harder if she is to make everyone proud of her.
Tell us: Do you think Zandile is a good room mate?