The diary of an African man

CHAPTER 14

"Sthandwa Sami" I said while my colleagues were stuffing their faces with food, some looked at me with triumphant smiles on their faces.

"Nkosana" she replied softly

"How are you holding up?" I asked and she released a resigned sigh in return. Mandla whispered something to the rest of my co-workers.

"Hi Zama"

"Hello"

"We miss you"

"I love you."

I scowled at Bandile and threw a pen at him and he scurried away which led to Skhumbuzo being hit by the pen. He sent me a glare and threw the pen back at me.

"But it's true nje, I love her." Bandile whisper yelled although he did a very bad job at trying to not be heard by Zama since she lets out a small chortle.

"Tell whoever that is that I love him too." She said which resulted to my skin burning in jealousy.

"Bandile, Zama told me to tell you to mind your damn business because she does not love you." I said coldly and he just rolls his eyes at my jealous state.

"I have to get my beauty sleep, it's 23:34"

"Okay, ulale kahle maNdosi." I said while Bandile made kissing sounds and the rest were chuckling and I threw them a glare.(sleep well)

"Usebenze kahle nawe uhm." She goes silent for a few seconds, "Mdletshe?" She squeezed.(work well)

"Hawu, Zama you ruined it." I said playfully

"Mana phela, I'm going to Google phela angizazi izithakazelo zakwa Mdletshe."
(Wait, I'm going to Google, I don't know the Mdletshe clan names)

We wait for a while longer until she clears her throat dramatically "Usebenze kahle nawe Msindazwe." She said in her naturally soft voice. I turned around so everyone in the room faced my back and let a small blush creep up my face.(work well)

I cleared throat and returned to my stoic face."maNdosi" I tasted the name once again.

"Msindazwe" she said yet again. We said nothing, we let our silence speak for itself and the silence said something I didn't want to admit.

In all this time I have spent with her, I wanted nothing more than to be next to her. I wanted nothing more than to talk to her with every spare minute I had. Yes, I admit I like her but I wanted to offer her a promise I know I would probably not keep at some point in my life, I wanted to....to

Snap out of it Nkosana. It's just a phase, it can't be that deep.

*******

I stood outside Zama's apartment with a shaky breath and a scattered mind. I knocked on the door twice already so I was expecting her to open at any moment but the turmoil that was forming withinthe pit of my stomach dreaded that moment.

My emotions were confusing and I hated being confused, my eyes looked at anything and everything to keep myself busy and my eyes took notice of the door flying open revealing a grinning Zama who immediately flung her arms around my torso.

"You came." She stated the obvious with her head buried in my chest. I finally recovered from my shocked state and wrapped my arm around her too.

"Someone missed me." I said playfully

"No, I just thought you were someone else." She defended which gave me a small pang of jealousy but I chose to ignore it by changing the topic.

"How are you feeling?" I asked with a bit too much concern for my liking.