Later at break Joseph bumps into Nozi outside the classrooms.

JOSEPH: Hey, Nozi! Why did you walk right past me earlier? You didn’t even greet.

NOZI: Are you even allowed to talk to me?

JOSEPH: Allowed? I don’t need permission to talk to my friends.

NOZI: From what I hear, you have new friends and a new girlfriend.

JOSEPH: What? Lerato and I? We’re just going to the dance together – maybe. We’re not dating.

NOZI: (laughing) You’re in a relationship and you don’t even know it. Check Facebook.

Joseph takes his phone out and a notification says he’s in a relationship with Lerato.

JOSEPH: This is not right. We didn’t speak about this.

NOZI: You don’t get it, do you?

Silence.

NOZI: Lerato gets what she wants and you have no say in it. Why do you think Keenan broke up with her? She’s a control freak.

JOSEPH: She’s …

NOZI: Goodbye, Joseph.

Nozi walks away and Lerato walks towards him.

LERATO: What did the freak want?

JOSEPH: Why do you have to be like that?

LERATO: Like what?

JOSEPH: So mean?

LERATO: I’m not mean; I’m just honest. And if you’re gonna be with me you can’t hang with those people.

JOSEPH: What people?

LERATO: Those freaks you hang out with – the ugly boy and the loser with glasses.

JOSEPH: Lerato, those are my friends.

LERATO: Not any more. They’ll only hold you back.

JOSEPH: Hold me back from what?

LERATO: From being the star that you are. You’ve been hiding under your big blazer and slouching – trying to shrink yourself and fit in their world. But you don’t belong to their world. You belong up here, with me.

JOSEPH: But you’re asking me to let go of a friendship I’ve had for years.

LERATO: It’s like a band-aid, you just rip it off. It won’t hurt that much. Now I’m done talking about this. Remember we have a fitting later today.

Lerato flounces off.

Tell us: do you think Joseph and Lerato’s relationship will last?