Thola saw Miss Hadebe, the psychologist, all the way through to the end of her Matric year, all the way through her exams. She’s still seeing her now, eighteen months after Mr Gcaba came into the classroom and caught Mr Nyoka buckling his belt. Soon, she thinks, she’ll be able to go longer and longer without thinking of him, the way he leered at her, sneered at her, his hot breath coming in short gasps, his hands hard on her body.

*****

And now, like a bad dream returning, Thola heard Miss Kunene’s rich chuckle. Miss Kunene and Max. More people breaking the rules for their own pleasure. And this time, there’s no victim. Max is a willing partner, he’s getting what he wants from Miss Kunene and she’s getting exactly what he wants from him.

Are they both going to get away with it?

And, even more importantly, what’s she going to say to Desray about her sleazeball of a boyfriend?

Thola reached the door of her room, and opened the door. There was Desray, crying her heart out. Thola rushed to her bed. “Dezzie. What’s wrong? What happened?”

“Oh, Thols,” Desray wept. “It’s Max. He’s broken up with me.” Then, “I’m not surprised,” she said in a small voice, when she had finally stopped sobbing. “I mean, Thola, he could have got any girl he wanted. I knew I wasn’t good enough for him. I mean, look at me. I’m not pretty, I’m shy, I need to lose some weight.”

Thola stared at her friend, torn. Should she tell Desray or not?

“I never could understand why he chose me.” Desray started to cry again. “Maybe I did something wrong, Thola. Maybe that’s it. But what? What did I do? If I can figure that out, tell him I’m sorry, maybe he’ll take me back. Do you think he will, Thola? Take me back?”

Thola patted Desray on the back. “I hope not Dez,” she said quietly. “I hope you never have to see that guy again.”

“What do you mean?” Desray’s face was confused, her eyes slightly hostile.

“Come on.” Thola tugged her friend’s hand. “Let’s go to the pub. I’ve got something to tell you, Dez, and I reckon you’ll need a drink.”

Three glasses of wine later, Desray was staring at Thola.

“You’re serious, Thola. He really did that? Swopped sex for marks?”

“Yep.” Thola leaned over and hugged Desray. “I’m sorry Dezzy. I didn’t know whether to tell you or not.”

“No, no. You did the right thing.” Desray still sounded stunned. “It’s all a bit much to take in. So what it means is that he was sleeping with her, is sleeping with her, while he and I were…?” Her voice trailed off. “Jeez, Thola. How could I have been so blind? So stupid.”

“Don’t beat yourself up, Dez,” Thola said. “There are people out there who will do whatever they want, take whatever they want.”

“Well Max certainly helped himself with me.” Desray laughed bitterly. “When I think of how much time I spent helping him do his shitty assignments! All that typing up, all that research. And I don’t even take History.”

The two girls laughed.

“Listen, Dez, if it’s any help at all, you’re not alone. I’ve also had a guy take advantage of me. Big time.”

“Really?”

Thola took a swig of wine and continued. “You know I see my therapist once every two weeks?”

“Yes.” Desray’s face filled with concern. “I’ve never wanted to ask you about it.”

“You’re so sweet Dez, I appreciate your tact, I really do. But I don’t mind talking about it. There was a time when I was seeing her twice a week. Let me tell you the story.”

An hour later, Thola finished, saying, “So you see Dez, we all have our share of awful people to deal with. The question is, how we are going to let it affect us?” She smiled at Desray. “That’s what we have to sleep on tonight. Right?”

“I don’t need to sleep on it.” Desray’s voice was fierce. “We can’t let them get away with this, Thols. We have to figure out a way of sorting them out once and for all. Like your Mr Gcaba did. They can’t be allowed to stay in a place where good, hard-working students like us slog away only to have them make it all into a farce.”

The next morning, Thola was woken by Desray bouncing on the edge of her bed. “Wake up Thols. Wake up!”

She lifted a bleary eyelid. “Ohhh. My head,” she groaned.

“Yes, yes, never mind about that, Thola.”

Desay looked so much happier than she had the night before. “I know what we’re going to do, Thola. I know how we’re going after Max and Kunene. There’s a chance it won’t work, but I’ve got to know Max pretty well in the last few months, and I think it’s going to be easy.”

She leaned back against the wall and outlined her plan.

“Dez,” said Thola when she’d finished. “It’s brilliant. Not 100% legal, but brilliant.”

*****

A couple of weeks later, Desray had collected all the evidence she needed.

“Are you sure you want to give him the benefit of the doubt, though, Desray? We don’t want to waste all your hard work.”

“We have to give him one chance, Thola. If he doesn’t take it, then we bust him.”

“OK.” Thola was still dubious.

“Now remember, we only tell him about the conversation with Kunene, nothing else. We don’t want to overplay our hand.”

“OK Dez,” Thola grinned. “You know, you’re wasted in Computer Science. You’d make a great detective.”

Desray grinned back. “Right,” she said. “He should be schmoozing around the Kaff round about now. Let’s do this!”

The two girls looked at each other solemnly. Their footsteps sounded hard and loud as they marched down the corridor, out into the open air, across the quad and into the Kaff where Max liked to hang out.

“There he is Dez, look.”

“Hmmmm.” Desray looked over at her ex-boyfriend. There were two girls sitting opposite him, leaning over the wooden table. As Desray and Thola approached, one of them burst into laughter. “Oh Max. You’re so naughty!”

“Same old, same old,” Desray muttered to Thola. “How does he do it so easily?” Her voice was hard, but Thola could see she was upset.

“You OK, Dez?” she asked.

“Fine,” Desray muttered. “I’m fine. Let’s do this, Thola.”

They walked up to the bench where Max was sitting and Thola had a chance to observe him closely again. Smooth, clean good looks. Blond hair, deep green eyes. A great body. But now that she knew him better she noticed the slight weakness to his chin, the way his smile was quick and tight, flashing on and off. Also, the way his eyes were scanning the room, always on the lookout for someone better to be with, someone more impressive to impress. Instead, they rested on Desray and Thola.

“Max.” Desray’s voice was a bit shaky and Thola looked at her quickly. Was Dez going to be able to do this?

“Max,” she said again and this time her voice was louder, more firm.

“I’m sorry, babe,” he drawled. “I’m a bit busy here.”

“First of all, I’m not your babe. And secondly I think you’ll want to hear what we have to say.”

“Not now, Dez,” Max said, turning back to the two girls. “So, as I was say–”

Thola stepped forward. “You know that little deal you wanted me to be part of, Max?” He looked confused and she continued, “You know, when we were sitting right here and you asked me about–”

“OK, OK.” Max cut her off before she could finish. “I’m sorry,” he nodded briefly to the two girls. “Later, OK?”

“But Max…” one of them whined.

“I said later.”

***

Tell us what you think: What evidence has Desray collected?