I’m still feeling good about Rhandzu when I get home, so I offer to help Dlani with some homework he’s struggling with.

He gives me a wary look. He’s not used to me being in a good mood – or maybe he’s remembering how fast Pa’s rare good moods change.

Helping him makes me feel even better – about my life, about myself. I’m like a new person. I’ve done things right, done some good things.

Rhandzu is with Claudia when I get to the tavern in the evening, but she comes over when she sees me.

“I can’t stay long. My parents, they … stress, you know?”

I get a flash of the red feeling.

Then I look at her standing in front of me in her green off-the-shoulder top. “Better than nothing,” I say. “Where’s that drink you promised?”

When we’ve got our drinks, we go outside. We stand at the shadowy edge of the tavern’s light.

I take a swig of beer. I want to put my arm round her, but I’m scared. Scared like I was before I learned how to make people scared of me. Scared like feeble boys looking for a way out—

Stop thinking.

Even when Rhandzu makes a loose fist and nudges me on my upper arm, I hesitate.

She says, “Any plans for the rest of the weekend?”

“I could come to your place,” I suggest in a nervous rush.

Her bird’s-wing eyebrows pull in towards each other.

“I don’t know, Zwelo. My parents, they went back to work this week, but we’re still a house in mourning.” She looks at her drink. “I could come to your place?”

The idea terrifies me, but I also want her to be part of my tomorrow.

“Cool.”

As I tell her where I live, I get this jolt, a sensation I can’t describe. Rhandzu’s arm is touching mine, as if she needs to be in contact, that’s all, nothing deliberately sexy.

She doesn’t hate the idea of touching me then.

I lift my arm and put it across her back, letting my hand curl round her shoulder.

She doesn’t pull away. I feel something opening up inside my chest, letting in all this – I don’t know – all this emotion. It’s frightening, something so new and tender that I immediately want to close the place up, seal it off. At the same time, it’s the best feeling I’ve ever had, sweet and mysterious.

I slide my fingers under the thin strap of the yellow thing she’s wearing under the green, and I move them against her skin. Rhandzu draws in a quick, shallow breath, less than a gasp, more than ordinary breathing.

I turn my head at the same time as Rhandzu does, but I don’t make any move to kiss her. I don’t want our first kiss to be for other people’s eyes. It would feel wrong.

***

Tell us what you think: Is Zwelo really changing in response to Rhandzu, or is he still the same aggressive bully?