ZINANDE was a seventeen years old girl who lived in a small village called Zabalaza. She was an orphan therefore she lived with her aunt and her three cousins.Zinande’ life was not any girl’s dream but for her it was all she had and appreciated.

Her aunt took care of her and her three cousins the best way she could but in some ways she really lacked showing equality and love to the teenage orphan.MaSibisi, Zinande’s aunt couldn’t show love to Zinande, she was always shouting at her with belief she was instilling rules and respect but all she did was make her niece feel alone,a burden and unwanted .

Zinande in some moments understood that her aunt had lot of responsibilities and all was a little too much for her that why she took her anger out on Zinande ,but in some moments she felt sad and unloved.

Regardless of how her home situation was ,she made sure she excelled in her school work and was in her last year” MATRIC YEAR!!” she would say with a smile as she woke up every day to school.

Life in school was also tough for Zinande she had only one friend Sandile who was known by the name Sandy because her full name sounded boy like.Sandy was very pretty,bubbly ,a people’s person and loved attention,on the other hand Zinande was pretty but too introverted ,one would wonder how they became friends. Well the bullies who would tease Zinande would say Sandy was her friend just to copy her school work and pass to the next grade.Zinande didn’t believe that but she also wondered why Sandy chose to be friend her since the fifth grade till their last year in high school.

With the unanswered question in Zinande’s mind ,she was happy with her best only friend atleast she was nolonger bullied as she was when she was alone.This time she had a shoulder to hold,cry ,laugh and in some situations hide behind.