After school Khosi was still completely distracted.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do if I can’t find my cell…” she said to Thumi.
Thumi shrugged. “Sorry I can’t help you,” she said.
She knew it was mean, but she felt jealous about Khosi having a boyfriend. Now they wouldn’t hang out together. And she wanted a boyfriend too. It wasn’t fair! Then she thought of K – maybe that was all about to change. No, she wouldn’t tell Khosi about her mystery caller, she didn’t want her friend to ruin it for her. And was she such a close friend after all. Would a close friend keep as big a secret as a new boyfriend?
“Can I come borrow your cell later? I’ll bring airtime,” pleaded Khosi.
“I’m going out later,” said Thumi, “I have a date.”
“A date?” Khosi looked at Thumi suspiciously now.
“Yes, a date… is that so unbelievable? Well, believe it girlfriend,” said Thumi.
“So, what’s his name then…?”
Thumi was beginning to enjoy this. “I’m not saying,” she said as she got on the taxi. “All I’m telling you is that it begins with a K…”
The gaadjie closed the door before Khosi could reply. But when Thumi looked out of the window she saw her friend standing there staring, with her mouth open in shock. She looked like someone had hit her in the stomach.
When Thumi got home she took out her cell. She would reply to K. She would sms Sure…L8r…”
But the phone had died and her mom had taken the only charger they had to work with her. She would have to wait for her mom to get back. Then she had to get to the tavern? But how? Her mom would kill her if she found out. Jake’s was rough. She had been there once on a dare with Khosi and some other friends. They had left when the older guys started trying to chat them up. Now she was planning to go alone! Was she mad!
When her mom came back she plugged her phone in to charge. There wasn’t much time now. She needed an excuse. At seven she packed a bag and tossed in some homework books. “Ma, I’m going to Khosi’s house, we have a test tomorrow and we are going to study together,” she lied.
“Don’t be late,” said her mom. “And remember you will have to still do your chores.”
As she left her mom called after her. “Be careful. Mavis’s daughter was mugged by a skollie at the taxi stand. He took her cell.”
What if K was a skollie – like some of the guys who hung around the spaza at the taxi rank watching the school girls. Maybe he had been watching her. He had seen her new braids. He had seen her nice cellphone and he wanted it. What if he was waiting to steal it at the tavern? She knew she shouldn’t go alone. But she couldn’t stop herself. She needed to know too badly. And a little voice in her heart was saying, “What if it’s Katlego… what if… what if…?”