Ruji was a thirteen year old girl who lived in the city with her Auntie, Mama Rebecca. You wouldn’t really call that place a city, it was an improved “Village”. Mama Rebecca had three children, one boy and two girls who were almost age mates with Ruji. Masline, who was twelve years old, loved to hang out with Ruji and they seemed to make a great team as they would complete their duties within two hours after waking up. On the other side, Maria who was fourteen, seemed to dislike Ruji and always found reasons to get her into trouble with Mama Rebecca. Ruji was a dark skinned girl, had long hair and had beautiful eyes. Ruji was beautiful but the way her Auntie treated her, made her seem so repulsive.

It was early in the morning, Ruji and Masline knew what they had to do before having breakfast. They had to clean their own room, then Maria’s room, the bathroom and the living room. Their final job was to quickly wash the dishes and clean the entire kitchen. This didn’t seem like heavy work, especially when Ruji had Masline by her side.

Normally, Ruji did all the house chores during school terms since her Auntie has forbidden her to attend school. So she was lucky to have some help from Masline. After they have done the chores, Ruji made breakfast for Sis Maria, Masline and Mama Rebecca. Once she was done serving them, she went to make her own food and sat on the kitchen floor to eat.

It was Wednesday, so Ruji knew that she had to do the laundry. Although there was a washing machine, her Auntie preferred her clothes being hand-washed. Life was living hell for the little girl and she cried almost everyday. She did wash the clothes and as soon as she was done, she had to prepare lunch. Sis Maria ordered Ruji to always ask her what she should prepare for lunch. Today she wanted rice with fried chicken and salad.”The ingredients for the menu are not enough, Sis Maria, I was suggesting that maybe I prepare…” Before Ruji could finish, Sis Maria threw R200 on the floor and snapped at her, “Now you go and get those ingredients and stop suggesting nonsense!”

“But Sis Maria, the shops are so far and Mama Rebecca asked me to iron her clothes. She said she was heading to town tomorrow and she needed her favourite pink dress to be ironed.” Despite the reasonable response, Sis Maria still ordered Ruji to go to the shops.

“I don’t understand, why is my family like this. I have enough problems already, my mother wanted to abort me because she thought I was a mistake child, or was it because I’m all ugly? Why did she leave me in this cruel world? Why did she believe it when my father said he loved her? I’m here now, battling for my survival. My Auntie is cruel, she doesn’t want me to attend school, she uses me as a maid, no what am I even saying? I’m a maid in that house and no one likes me, besides Masline. Now my Auntie says she wants me to get married to a thirty year old man just for money…. I don’t think I can, I can’t…. take it anymore…”

As she was about to reach the shops, she realised that she was crying and because the road was so rocky, she tripped and fell on her knees opening up a huge scar on her right knee. She should have seen the road, her crying just made the rocky view blurry. She cried in agony and drew attention to herself. She wasn’t embarrassed, she was hurt, but not necessarily from the falling, from her horrible life…

A sixteen year old boy approached her, in attempt to help her get up. He seemed so cool and flashy ,. and rich too. She really didn’t want any help but she didn’t hesitate when the boy helped him stand up. He supported her to walk to the shops and back home. Who was this boy and why would he choose to help Ruji ? She wasn’t used to be treated like a human, she never felt like one

*Do you think the boy mentioned at the start of the story has something to do with the boy who helped Ruji?

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