Infatuation or love at first sight?

I can hardly drink my milkshake. I’m trying hard not to stare at the biker gang. Suddenly, there’s a loud scraping noise as the bikers push back their chairs and start to walk back to their bikes. I can’t help taking another peek as the leather jackets and biker boots go by. Once again, my eyes connect with the biker at the back. I think he has noticed me too.

A few minutes later the roar of bikes fills the air.

“Hey Zoe.” A voice interrupts my private thoughts.

It’s Mike. He’s finished his overtime and has come in to get a coke and chips. He pulls up a chair at my table and once again I see the gold chain on his wrist. He’s taken off his overalls and looks like the cool guy I went to Youth Club with last night.

“Wanna come for a spin in Uncle Sammie’s car later?” he asks.

I’m brought back to reality. Somehow I don’t feel like spending the afternoon with Mike. I decide to make an excuse; it will have to be homework…

“Sorry Mike, I’ll have to take a rain check on that. I have some English homework to do,” I say.

“No sign of rain, but suit yourself,” Mike says as he looks at the sky.

I guess English was not his subject at school.

Then he adds, “Don’t work so hard, Zoe. I never did much at school.”

I smile, not wanting to say anything unkind. Plus, I want to remain a friend because he may ask me to Youth Club again.

“Well, I’ll fetch you for YC on Friday then,” says Mike.

“Great, thanks. I’d really like that,” I say, feeling my heart beat faster. I know that it’s not Mike I am excited about, but the biker boys. I wonder if they’ll be at Youth Club again.

I walk home humming the Black Mambaza song to myself and I realise I am not really “homeless”. I have Gogo’s little pink house to go home to. I have bread and milk for afternoon tea and jam sandwiches. I am really quite lucky.

Gogo is waiting on the veranda and I can see she is pleased to have my company this afternoon. Mrs Zondo is coming over later and the two friends will sit and watch the people on the street and drink their sweet tea.

I will use my homework excuse again and go to my room to think about Flags and motorbikes. And as I lie on my bed and think about one particular biker, butterflies will dance in my stomach. Could I be falling in love?

***

Tell us what you think: Could Zoe be in love with someone she has never properly met?