Nangomso is in the car with her mother, Nolutho, who is fussing over her having to go back to school during the covid pandemic. They have been parked outside the school for a couple of minutes. Nolutho needs more convincing that going back to school is a good idea.

NOLUTHO: I don’t know why you insist on going back to school when we could easily arrange for a whole homeschooling situation.

NANGOMSO: Mom, please! We’ve had this discussion already. I want to go back to school. Plus, you came to the school last week to see how they have prepared for this pandemic.

NOLUTHO: I am just worried that you might catch this disease from one of the children darling.

NANGOMSO: Mom stop. Everything is going to be just fine. I will make sure I follow all the rules Principal Naidoo has made.

NOLUTHO: (Sighs) Okay fine. You better make sure you keep your mask on at all times.

Nangomso spots her friend Samkeliswa’s dad parking his car just in front of them and decides that this is the opportune moment to escape.

NANGOMSO: Mom, I promise my mask will stay on at all times. Now I have to go. Look – Samkeliswa is here and I want to walk in with her. I love you. Bye!

She jumps out of the car, slinging her bag over her shoulder. She runs to meet Samkeliswa just as she gets to the gate.

NANGOMSO: Hey bestie!

SAMKELISWA: Hey soulmate!

They hug – but quickly let go, remembering they’re not supposed to be touching each other on school grounds.

SAMKELISWA: So how clingy was your mom this morning?

NANGOMSO: She was the clingiest, which was very annoying.

SAMKELISWA: That’s why I made my mom stay at home, and drove with dad. You know how weepy my mom can get.

They laugh as they make their way into the school. They are stopped at the gate by the security guard who sprays their hands with sanitizer. They are then ushered to the main building foyer where they are met by two more security guards who check their temperature and spray their hands with sanitizer again. They each fill out a government-issued questionnaire that asks them about their medical history and if they are feeling feverish at the moment.

SAMKELISWA: Naidoo isn’t playing any games. He put that private school tuition to good use. The man has us sanitized twice even before we enter his school. (Laughs)

NANGOMSO: Didn’t you read the email he sent? This is only the beginning. We are going to have to sanitize our hands before we enter each classroom. By the end of today, our hands will be the definition of ‘sterilized’!

They laugh as they walk through the school grounds.

SAMKELISWA: You know that technically this is punishment. Literally, during a pandemic and thina, we’re phakathi inside school. Like how is this fair?

NANGOMSO: (Giggling) Don’t you want to pass matric, Samkeliswa?

SAMKELISWA: Low blow Nangomso. Of course, I want to pass; I just wish I could pass from home, without the possibility of catching a life-threatening illness.

NANGOMSO: Well, seeing as there isn’t much we can do about all that, how about you stop complaining? Anyway, we need to get to the back gate. We’re on duty, remember?

SAMKELISWA: You’re such a goody-goody. It wouldn’t kill us to be late.

NANGOMSO: You know Principal Naidoo takes this stuff seriously. Now let’s go.

They make their way to the school’s back gate.

NANGOMSO: Hey, did you see the part in the email about only being allowed to hang out in groups two or three friends at break?

SAMKELISWA: No way!? I wonder if Amanda saw that? Can you imagine how her vanity will suffer without at least 10 girls huddled around, showering her with compliments?

NANGOMSO: She’ll have to deal. And as for those girls – I think they’ll welcome the break. (Giggles)

As they approach they spot a group of boys with their masks lowered, smoking, just outside the school premises. The girls settle a few meters from the gate, keeping some distance between each other.

SAMKELISWA: Why are we posted outside a locked gate, exactly?

NANGOMSO: So the delinquents that go to this school don’t try to jump over the gate when they’re late. Did you even bother reading your emails cos–

Nangomso is suddenly distracted by the group of boys, as they laugh and chatter loudly.

NANGOMSO: Hey Samkeliswa – isn’t that Prince Mhlongo? I thought he wouldn’t be coming back. (She gives one of the smoking boys a longing look.)

SAMKELISWA: You know drool seeps through the mask, right? (Samkeliswa laughs.)

NANGOMSO: That isn’t funny. (Rolling her eyes.)

SAMKELISWA: I’m just teasing. He was going to apply for homeschooling so he and Thabile could do it together. But then she dumped him, and so here he is, slumming it with us regular folk.

NANGOMSO: We are far from ‘regular folk’. (They giggle.) Do you know why she broke things off with him?

SAMKELISWA: Not a clue. He hasn’t even told his friends, cos you know Leroy can’t keep anything to himself. He would have said something about it already.

Nangomso just looks at Prince, quiet and thoughtful for a few seconds.

NANGOMSO: Yoh friend; he and Thabile seemed like couple goals, and now he seems so lonely, even surrounded by his friends.

SAMKELISWA: Shouldn’t you be taking down his name to give to Principal Naidoo for breaking the rules? He and his friends don’t have their masks on properly and they’re smoking. All demerit-worthy behaviour. That is what we are here for, girl: enforcers.

Nangomso is quiet for a moment, thinking about what Samkeliswa just said.

NANGOMSO: No … I think he has been through enough. Don’t you? Give the poor guy a break … he is going through a break-up.

SAMKELISWA: (Sarcastically) Poor darling. So tough … on such a popular guy! A new life experience for him.

They both burst into laughter so loud that the boys turn and look in their direction. They quickly turn on their heels and walk off, just as the bell rings.

***

Tell us: Are your parents/guardians worried about you being back at school during the pandemic?