“Hi, are you new here?” the girl asked me. She seemed nice enough. Her school uniform was cut a bit high, but that was how most of the Joburg girls wore them. At least she only had piercings in her ears.

“Yes, I’m new. I’ve been here about a week.” We were in English Literature, one of my favourite classes. It was one thing that was better than in Nokeng, because of the English Lit teacher, Mr Modise. You could tell he loved literature and his passion made you love it too. We were reading Shakespeare’s Macbeth, something I had been sure I’d never like, but I was loving it. So much intrigue and drama. It was better than the power struggles on Isidingo.

“I’m Mosetsana. You seem to be really understanding this Shakespeare stuff.”

“I’m Baleka. Yes, it’s great.”

“Really? Maybe we could study together because, honestly, I’m just not getting it at all.”

“Sure, I can help.”

We agreed to meet after school. There were some outdoor tables at the back near the netball courts. I arrived first and watched the netball team practising. Mmoloki played netball. I wondered how her team was doing. She never mentioned it during our nightly Facebook chats. I reminded myself that I should ask her tonight.

“Hi Baleka!”

I looked up and there was Mosetsana. She was with a boy, a typical Joburg boy. His school trousers dragged on the ground. He had a snake tattooed on the inside of his arm and he was starting some new dreadlocks. At Nokeng High School, we had to have short hair or it had to be plaited. No discussion. Here people came with all sorts of styles.

“Hi Mosetsana.”

“This is my boyfriend Oteng. Oteng this is Baleka, she’s new, from … I never asked you where you’re from.”

“I don’t think you’ll know the place.” By now I knew city kids. They don’t know anything except what lies inside the borders of Joburg, and they don’t care to know about it. This is why I was sure I’d never make any friends here. We’re just too different from each other.

“Try me,” Mosetsana said.

“Nokeng. It’s in the Northern Province, quite rural actually.”

“Cool!” Mosetsana said, then turned to Oteng. “I’ll call you later. We need to study.”

“OK, no problem. Nice to meet you, Baleka.” Oteng kissed Mosetsana on the lips and left.

Mosetsana sat down and got out her books. “You must be really missing your home. Joburg must be a shock.”

“Yeah, it’s been tough. It’s all so crowded here. Sometimes I feel like I’ll go crazy if I can’t find a green place, with some space … and some quiet.” I was surprised I was being so honest with Mosetsana when I’d only just met her, but there was something about her I liked. She reminded me a bit of Mmoloki. She had a calm sensibility about her, just like Mmoloki had.

Mosetsana smiled at me. “I think I know a place. When we’re finished here, I can show you. It’s not far.”

“That would be great.”

We got to work on the English Lit assignment. Mosetsana was right, she really didn’t get Macbeth, but I think I helped her. We finished and packed up our books and she smiled at me.

“OK, now let me show you the place.”

I followed her behind the school. There were quite a few houses and we weaved our way through them. Then there was a hill. We climbed up the hill and on the other side it was as if we had left the city completely. The hooters and the music and the talking of the people disappeared. There was a little woodland with open spaces of green grass. And from the open spaces I could see wide expanses of blue sky. I could breathe freely.

“Thanks, this is perfect.”

“I thought it might help,” Mosetsana said. “I like this place too. And unlike a lot of places around Joburg, thugs don’t come here. The police keep a close eye on it. It’s safe. If you need a bit of quiet, it’s OK to come here alone too.”

We sat down and kept quiet. I could hear birds. I saw two mice chase each other around the trunk of a tree. A blue headed lizard nodded at them from a branch. It wasn’t home, but it felt very near to it. At least it made my heart feel better for a bit.

***

Tell us what you think: Baleka thinks city kids and kids from rural areas are very different from each other. Do you?