At breakfast my dad tells me that my cousin is arriving back from Joburg and will be joining us on the beach for a picnic. I must have stared at him because he says, “I thought you would be pleased. I didn’t want you to be lonely.”

My heart sinks. I wanted to be alone with my new friend.

After wishing my cousins would come back for company, now I really don’t want them to, especially not this cousin. You see, she is really beautiful and cute. I can just imagine the boy’s face when he sees her on the beach. He is just going to have eyes for her and I will be totally forgotten. I have to stop her from coming to the beach for the picnic. But how? Perhaps it will rain. But when I walk out into my granny’s yard there is nothing but blue sky.

“Can we go?” I ask my mom. I need to get there early to spend as much time as I can with him before she arrives. I have to get him away from the beach.

“What’s with the sudden rush?” my dad says, laughing.

“Yesterday we had to drag you kicking and screaming.”

“I’ve decided you are right. I’m here and I might as well enjoy the sea. It’s not like there’s a beach in Soweto.”

“That’s a good attitude to have,” says my gran and hugs me.

“It’s good to see you smiling again. And I’m sure you will have so much fun with your cousin.” But I’m not so sure. I think my cousin is about to ruin my summer holiday.

When we get to the beach I look for him, but, like yesterday, we are the first there. I look down towards the rock pools and the forest. Is there a path through the trees, like in my dream? I can’t remember now. An hour goes past and still he hasn’t come.

Why? We had a connection, I felt it. It’s all I can think about. I go over every sentence that we said to each other the day before.

Every time I hear a car I sit up and look to see if he’s arrived.

Then a group of surfers comes running down onto the sand. I stand up. One of them has dark curly hair and tanned skin and broad shoulders. I run up behind him. “Hi,” I tap him on the shoulder. But the boy who turns around is a stranger.

***

Tell us what you think: Will Busi find her mystery love interest?