Makukhanye



I thought that it would have been easy for me to settle in, but having to adjust proved to be more exhausting than I had imagined it to be.

I haven’t made one single friend since I started my class and it has been 2 weeks not that I blamed them not wanting to befriend me. I was always the first on in class and the first to leave the class, I never stayed behind like the other students.

I could feel Sthembiso’s presence around but I could never see him no matter how much I looked, I made it clear to him that I didn’t want him around shadowing me all day and he didn’t complain and agreed with a curt nod.

In the last two weeks I have never seen him around the campus, but I always knew that he was around somewhere, watching me. Our communication hadn’t improved also, I could count in one hand how many times we talked to each other and even on those days I would be the one initiating the conversation and in response he would just shrug his shoulders, nod his head or give a one worded answer.

I knew that he was my bodyguard and I didn’t want him like that but it wouldn’t hurt anyone if we were to talk like normal people.

I dropped my bag in the ground, sat down on the freshly cut grass and took out the sandwich that I had made in the morning.

“Hi.”

I was halfway through my sandwich when I got abruptly interrupted, I lifted up my head and looked at the guy standing in front of me with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

“I’m Sabelo.” His smile was warm and kind, making me smile back at him. “Hi Sabelo.”

He laughed awkwardly, while his eyes still trained on me “I stay behind you in Mr Khumalo’s class.”

“Oh okay, I’m Makukhanye.”

“What a beautiful name,” he cleared his throat nervously and nodded his head “Can I take you to a club later on today? Most of the students would be there.”

I was tempted to say no, especially now that I could see Sthembiso eyeing us from a far distance, I was not even sure where he came from and I didn’t care but this was probably my only chance to make some friends so instead of making an excuse I found myself agreeing to the invitation “Okay, you’ll text me the address.” I said after punching my numbers on his phone.