“Stand back!” ordered Steve and as Kamvi moved out of the way he threw his shoulder against Nikita’s door. The door stayed shut. Steve moved a few steps back. This time a well placed kick caused the lock to buckle and the door flew open.

Kamvi rushed into Nikita’s room.

There was Sipho, his body pushed up between Nikita’s kicking legs.

Steve grabbed Sipho and before Kamvi knew what was happening he had flung him across the room, and another well placed kicked had Sipho helpless on the floor.

“Sipho!” Kamvi heard herself shouting. “No! What have you done!?”

Kamvi ran forward and took Nikita in her arms and held her tight.

Nikita cried hysterically against Kamvi’s shoulder. “The bastard said he was going to show me once and for all what a man could do. He said I would never mess with you again after he had finished with me …”

“What on earth is going on here?”

It was Miss Langley, and a crowd of students, all standing, looking with horror at the scene in Nikita’s room.

“Mr Wilson? Please explain what you are doing here. And Sipho?”

Nikita pushed Kamvi away and stood up angrily.

“He was trying to rape me Ma’am,” she said, pointing at Sipho, with tears running down her cheeks. “If Steve had not heard me screaming and come to help me I know he would have succeeded.”

Miss Langley turned to look at Steve. She frowned slightly. Kamvi could see that there were more questions that Miss Langley wanted to ask, but she thought better of it.

Nikita looked from Miss Langley to Steve. “I had asked Steve to let me know when he was available for extra English lessons,” said Nikita softly, turning back to Kamvi, who put her arms around her, and held her close

The police were called; a case of attempted rape was opened against Sipho and he was expelled from the school immediately. Security to the girl’s wing of the hostel was tightened up. No-one but the girls and the female teachers had keys to that part of the building.

Steve, meanwhile, gave a month’s notice and resigned from the school. “You need to finish your Matric without anymore trouble,” he had said to Kamvi, one afternoon, when Kamvi had stayed behind to do ‘extra lessons’ and exchange some books.

“But what will you do?” she asked, tearfully. “Where will you stay?”

“Well,” said Steve thoughtfully, “I have a permit for a year. I guess I will explore Africa a little and,” he paused and kissed Kamvi lightly on the cheek, “I guess I will wait for you.”

Kamvi smiled back.

“I always thought I hated America,” said Kamvi with a smile, “but maybe I should reconsider. I want to take a year to travel before I start university.”

Steve nodded, “Will you be okay on your own for a little while?”

Kamvi shrugged. “If I have enough to read I should be. And I think I might be free during the holidays …”

Checking to make sure that there were no students passing by, Steve and Kamvi hugged each other.

“I’ll wait for you, Kamvi, you know I will.”

“Yes,” said Kamvi. “And there’s always the Matric Farewell to go to. Nikita has plans. That should keep me busy for a day or two.”

*****

Tell us what you think: Is there any future for Kamvi and Steve? Did he do the right thing when he left the school?