Naledi turned back into the flat and went into her bedroom. She shed her fluffy pink gown and pulled on some clothes. She picked up her phone, slipped it into the pocket of her jeans, slid Joe’s pack of cigarettes, filled with Mandy’s cigarettes, into her other pocket, and left the flat.

The road was full of taxis and she hailed one down and climbed aboard, fighting her way against the crowd of students clambering out.

Naledi’s flat was just down the road from the university. She could walk to campus. Her uncle owned the flat and she was meant to share it with two other flatmates. So far that had not worked out well.

Naledi closed her eyes and leant her cheek against the cold glass of the taxi window. In her first year she had organised two girls to stay with her. Mandy had been one. She shook her head slightly. She did not want to think about Mandy right now.

The other had been Lindi. She had also been a good friend. Until Lindi brought Joe home. Joe still lived in his parents’ home, but he had come home with Lindi one night. He had stayed the night and after that he had started to be in the flat a lot. He and Lindi had begun a relationship.

At the time, about eighteen months before, Naledi had not been going out with anyone. She had been going through a celibate time. She had been in therapy, trying to work things out.

Mandy, Lindi and Joe had just been good friends. All of them had spent time in the flat, or at university or in clubs or pubs.

When Joe confronted Naledi in a dark club one night, when they were all a little drunk, and told her how he felt about her, it had taken Naledi completely by surprise.

“I really didn’t know how he felt,” she told Jack later.

To this Jack had merely laughed and said, “Well, girl, then you are truly the last person on the planet to know anything. Lindi has been crying on Mandy’s shoulder for weeks about the way Joe looks at you. And Joe hasn’t been hiding it. I don’t think he can.”

So Joe broke up with Lindi and Lindi moved out, even though Naledi had resisted Joe’s advances and had not even let him kiss her.

“You are a real bitch. You know that don’t you, Naledi?” were Lindi’s last tearful words before she had raced out the front door, slamming it behind her.

Mandy had remained in the flat with Naledi. Mandy, with her slender body that was the colour of porcelain, her yellow hair, her elfin face and her sweet smile.

Mandy understood.

“Guys have hearts that just cannot stay faithful. They’re different to us. To us women. We understand each other. We keep each other safe.” That is what Mandy said.

And soon Mandy started giving tender kisses along with the understanding words.

Mandy was an art student and her fingers were often black with charcoal, or streaked with oil paint. Mandy’s hands left prints against Naledi’s skin when she touched her, and told her that she had a face like the Mona Lisa, with her secret smile, and her skin the colour of ancient paper.

And for a while Naledi had felt comforted. Safe even. Until Joe came calling. Joe – The Persistent One. That had been Mandy’s name for him.

***

Tell us: Do you think it is Naledi’s fault that relationships break up?