“That was entirely your fault you know,” I said to her. “I wouldn’t have bumped into the door if you had not distracted me.” I stood facing her, with my hands in my back pockets. She looked me straight in the eyes. Her left leg was moving around on the floor as if she was scribbling something only she could see.

Her beautiful face widened in surprise. ”Me? What did I do?” she inquired.

“I am sure it is against university regulations to stand around in hallways and hypnotise innocent students into bumping into doors,” I said.

The girl twisted her face in annoyance. “Awa, ska- mphaphela,” she shot back in fluent Setswana. Goosebumps crashed through my spine as she continued in that melodic voice, “You are the one who should watch where he is going. Are you blind?”

My phone saved me at that moment as the 2.10 pm alarm rang, indicating the start of my class. I had to wrap up. “It is still unacceptable behaviour,” I smiled, “Apology accepted though.”

“But I did not apologise!”

“Yes,” I continued. “You will have a chance to apologise properly when we have lunch together tomorrow.”

She broke into laughter. “You are so full of yourself.”

“What else should I be full of m’lady” I asked sarcastically, “If not myself?” I gently took her phone.

“What are you doing?”

“Giving you my number, of course.”

She sighed and allowed me to go ahead. I finished, saving my number and quickly sent myself a text on her WhatsApp so I that had her number.

“My name is Siphila, by the way,” I told her.

”I am Paballo.”

“I will call you Pabbie,” I said as I handed her phone back and looked her in the eyes for just a second.

“Well, pleasure to meet you, Siphila.”
I raised my head and laughed, stole one last look at this gorgeous creature and made my way into the LG7 class. In the corner of my eye, I felt her stare linger on me. I felt her enjoyment, and perhaps even a bit of amusement in her eyes and in the way she twisted her lips.

As I entered class a shocking realisation dawned on me: The writer Roald Dahl had been right! “Those who do not believe in magic will never find it.”

And I had found my magic in a hallway next to a corridor of leaking toilets.

Tell us: Do you think Pabbie and Siphila will hit it off, or he is being over-confident?