Steve and Kamvi struggled to stay calm when they were around each other in the classroom. They used every opportunity that they could to be together. Kamvi spent more and more time in her room.

“I’m studying hard this year,” she told Miss Langley. “It’s an important year. And you know me Ma’am – I have enough Woollies snacks in my cupboard to keep me fed for the whole term.”

Kamvi went to Steve’s classroom in the afternoon after school whenever she could, and they spent time together, talking about literature, and philosophy, music and films.

Steve risked coming to her room once or twice, and they made love there, passionately, and as silently as they could.

“I’ve fallen in love with him,” Kamvi told Nikita. They were sitting on the bed eating from a pack of Nikita’s favourite biscuits. Nikita shook her head.

“I mean it Niki,” added Kamvi, smiling dreamily. “And he says he loves me too. We’re making plans to be together Niki.”

Nikita shrugged and sighed. “Well,” she said softly, “I’m glad for you Kamvi. Really I am. And I hope those plans still include you coming with me to the Matric Farewell.”

“Of course they do,” smiled Kamvi. “Well, I can’t take him, can I? Sipho is still angry though. But I’m not worried about him.”

Nikita looked down and frowned for a minute, before smiling and popping another biscuit in her mouth. She stood up.

“Got to go,” she said. “Science awaits. Just promise me that you will be careful Kamvi. Don’t get caught. By Miss Langley or anyone else. Okay?”

Kamvi smiled and Nikita left. Soon Kamvi heard her open her door a few metres down the passage and then shut it.

Later that evening, after supper, when all the other students were in the study room with the teachers on duty, Steve came silently to Kamvi’s room.

They had just begun hugging and kissing each other when their blissful embrace was broken by what Kamvi thought was a muffled scream. Steve heard it too.

“What the hell is that!” asked Steve, pulling away from Kamvi and moving towards the door.

“It’s Nikita!” said Kamvi. She knew the sound of Niki’s scream – she had heard it often enough over the years when they had been fooling around. But this time it was different. Kamvi could hear that Nikita was not fooling around.

Kamvi and Steve moved quickly. They flung Kamvi’s bedroom door open and ran into the passage. No-one else was about They were all far away in the study room. Kamvi grabbed the handle of Nikita’s door and turned it. Locked!

“Nikita!” she screamed. “What’s wrong? Open the door!”

From inside her room Kamvi could hear Nikita crying and screaming.

***

Tell us: Do you feel that Steve really is in love with Kamvi, as she is with him?