Ma says if Pa came back he wouldn’t know Bushbuckridge, now it’s gone high-rise. Ntsumi lives in the new apartment block near our school. I know this from hearing Fuyata telling one of his crew.
I don’t want to wait for Monday, and school, to talk to her, so I go looking for her. The block is Sunday-quiet, maybe with people sleeping late, or gone to church.
“You know Ntsumi?” I ask this little kid playing near the building’s entrance.
“That big girl with cow-eyes?” He stares at me.
“You ever seen a cow, brat?” I feel offended for Ntsumi. “What number?”
“Sixteen.”
I get lucky. Ntsumi herself opens the door when I knock, so I don’t have to ask for her or explain why I want her.
The breath locks in my bruised throat as I look into her big, soft eyes. She’s also in matric at my school, but in another class – a good thing, or I wouldn’t be able to focus on anything.
There’s no recognition at first. Then she says, “Oh yes, Fuyata’s little brother.”
‘Little’. All right, fine, I know I never had a chance with her. Fuyata didn’t cut me out.
Yes, but if he hadn’t hooked up with her, I could still dream. Still pretend.
“Is he here?”
“Here?” It’s like her mind works in slow motion.
“No, he’s not.”
It’s another girl, who speaks in a quick, scratchy voice. She’s lurking behind Ntsumi, staring at me with bright eyes. I think I’ve seen her at school. Maybe with the Grade 10s.
“His phone is, like, dead. You seen him?” I say it to both of them. “Or know where he is?”
“I’m not sure,” Ntsumi says, in a drifting sort of way.
“He’s gone,” the other girl says. “Why would you want to find him, even if he is your brother? Good riddance to bad rubbish, eksê.”
“Who are you?” I ask, in the same aggressive tone she’s using. “The little sister?”
“Cousin,” she corrects.
“You sure you don’t know where Fuyata is?” I ask. “Maybe he’s got a different SIM and been in touch?”
“We’ve already said,” Rude-girl snaps.
“Fine, but if you do see him, tell him I need to talk to him – urgently,” I add. And then I look straight at Ntsumi. “And you need to be careful, Ntsumi.”
“What do you mean?”
She sounds all dreamy, and I hate to wake her up, but I must.
I say, “There are some seriously scary people looking for Fuyata. He’s got something of theirs, and they want it back – or else they’re going to get at him through you. Hurt you.”
I hope it’s enough. I can’t repeat the things they described in such detail. She’s so pretty, in her pale orange vest and little white skirt, standing there staring at me.
“Fuyata won’t let anything happen to me.” She sounds so confident.
“That’s what they’re hoping,” I say. “What we’re all hoping. Tell him to give them back whatever it is.”
I turn and leave, and I only realise the younger girl has followed me when I get outside the building.
“How much danger is my cousin in?” she asks.
“A lot,” I say. “Hey, maybe my brother left whatever it is with her, before he took off, and maybe he asked her to keep it secret, and she’s too loyal to say?”
“Or too stupid.” The girl screws up her sharp little face. “I’ll check it out. And you? Have you tried Fuyata’s friends?”
“I’m worried the people after him are his friends … or, they were,” I tell her.
“Is that one of them over there?” she asks, jerking her chin towards someone I see sliding away, behind the container barber-shop, across the road.
***
Tell us what you think: Is it foolish for Ntsumi to be so confident that Fuyata won’t let anything happen to her? Can a gangster be trusted in a matter like this?