THE OTHER BROTHER
CHAPTER 5
KHANYISILE
Resting days are over and I am back to reality. I still have a cast on my arm. The doctors will say when it is safe to remove it. I am seated on my bed saying a silent prayer. Those three days at home, everything has been rigid in this house. I sometimes thought I was somehow in the wrong environment. But in actual fact I am at home with my family. Thabi has been leaving very early for work and coming back very late at night. She doesn’t want to see the rents and with that I completely understand her situation. Maybe it was me I would have moved out and rent somewhere. She is still very much disappointed in them, I also, I am disappointed in their poor decision making. Who still makes such decisions for their kids?
“All set now waiting for you.” Thabi says. I take yet another deep breath and grab my school bag. “Don't want to go?” She asks.
“Miss Nkambule will be at it again.” I tell her. Tears invade my eyes and I quickly wipe them before they fall. I hate feeling weak, but weak is me. How do I fight it off?
“I will have a word with her, okay. Come now, let's go before they find me here. You know the situation and your parents.” I wonder for how long she will be hiding from them. At the end f the days she will get married to that man. I walk out of my bedroom and close the door. No one is in sight; I believe they are still asleep. But it’s so unlike mum to sleep till this late. I pass by the kitchen for a bottle of water and some fruits. I don’t need lunch. I have money. I wonder what Miss Nkambule has in store for me today. That woman always has something vile to with her mouth.
Arriving in school I find Amanda already waiting for me. I texted her on the way. Her face brightens we she sees my face. Okay, someone missed me. I wonder why she didn’t come to the hospital. I seem to have forgotten she doesn’t have a phone. I will need to make a plan for her. I have a lot to share with her, just afraid of giving them to her. She comes to my side and opens the door. Ready to attack me with a hug but stops herself when she sees a cast on my arm.
“Ntombazane!” she squeals rubbing her palms together.
“Yes girl.”
“You are alive.” She says grinning. “Sisi Thabi.”
“Please teach your friend to call me Sisi and not by name. How are you?”
“Now that my friend is here – I am all good.” She replies. I got out of the car with her help. All eyes are already looking in our direction and I hate it when people stare.
“Is Miss Nkabinde here?” My sister asks making my body cringe. I know how vile she can get. Thabi can behave like a deranged person at times.
“Yes, I saw here with that plastic fake wig of hers.” Amanda adds salt to the wound. I see my sister's nose flare. Okay - I don’t like it when her nose does that.
“Let's go to the office.” She leads the way. Our parents don’t even know that we are here. God, I don’t want trouble on top of the trouble I have with that teacher.
We find the principal seated in his office having coffee and some biscuits. He looks puzzled looking at me. The shock on his face cannot be missed.
“Nkanyezi.” He stands up and welcomes us. That is how he calls me. I will forever be light in his eyes.
“Principal.”
“Please, sit down.” He offers. We all sat down. I take a deep breath. My heart is beating abnormally against my chest.
“What happened to you?” He finally asks.
My sister takes a deep breath. “My sister is in this condition because of Miss Nkambule. That teacher has been bullying my sister for as long as I can remember. I don’t know why she dislikes my sister this much.”
“I don’t understand.” He pushes his cup of coffee aside. He is now suddenly full.
“Khanyisile was knocked down by a car because one of your teachers was bullying her in class making fun of her eye condition. Is this how things are being done in this school. To humiliate kids that can't fight back? I was thinking of taking this to the minister of education. But before I do, I would like to hear your input. What are you going to do in this situation?”
“Khanyisile, for how long has this been going on?”
“For years sir.” I speak. I look down on my feet. I hear him sigh loudly.
“Why did you not come to me?”
“I was afraid.” I respond. Another sigh drops out of his mouth. I feel tears threatening to come out. And a few tears dropped out. After this I know that my life will be hell in this school. Just two months before I finish. I will hold on. Will I even be able to hold on?
“I will have a word with her.” He says. “You can go to your class.” He tells me, I know this is her period I'm afraid to enter that class with her throwing comments every direction. I stand up with nothing to say. My heart feels heavy. I walked out of the principal's office and found Amanda standing beside the door. Why is this one still here? I thought she was long gone.
“You are still here?” I ask in shock. She smiles and stretches her hand out.
“Couldn't go alone in class. And it's her period.” I see Thabi approaching. She is mad.
“I am not happy with how the principal handled things; I wanted him to call her so that I could give her my peace of mind.” She says already fuming.
“She is in class already. It’s her period.” Amanda and her big mouth. I trust the principal when he says he will have a word with her. I don't want to be the topic of the year.
“Take me to your class.” Thabi. I look at Amanda who just shrugs her shoulders and side smile. She is enjoying this to the fullest bloody hypocrite. We pass by the garden hoping to see Skhosane but he is not sight.
“I heard he resigned.” Amanda whispers to me. This is all new to me. He has been giving me some distant cold vibes lately. I wonder what is wrong with him, I should pass by his house later. We approach the class. Here she is teaching like she is the sweetest of them all. Thabi is talking on the phone. Miss Nkambule stops teaching and looks at me and Amanda.
“Weh, yazi if only you died the time that stupid car knocked you down. I don’t know why you are still breathing. People like you don’t exist here maybe in the Allien world you do.” The class buzzes with laughter as usual. I am thrown at the edge of life. My shoulders slumber back. I turn to walk away but my sister pushed me back inside the class. My heart is rising to the worst nightmare. Why does this woman hate me so much?
“Is this how you have been treating my sister?” Thabi asks through her greeted teeth.
“Excuse me?” She looks rather shocked.
“I believe you are not dumb. I asked you a question and I request for an answer!”
“And who are you?” The attitude in Miss Nkabinde’s voice.
“Your worst nightmare.” I don’t know when and how Thabi jumped onto Miss Nkambule. Still fazed in shock. I open my mouth trying to scream but my voice seems to be drowning down my throat. Amanda on the other hand is screaming her lungs out. The next thing I hear is ‘pero, mushaye.’
It then dawns on me that Thabi is beating the day lights of Miss Nkambule. My feet won’t move. Miss Nkambule is failing to fight for herself, but her mouth is watery like a running stomach. I didn't know that Thabi had it in her.
“What the hell is going on here!” The whole class goes quiet. The principal finally manages to pull Thabi off her. I have never seen Thabi this livid.
“Call the cops and I swear I will haunt you till you decide to take your life, this is my sister, and no one messes with her.” She fixes her shirt and walks out leaving everyone stunned. I looked at Amanda and she had that smug look on her face. She enjoyed all of this.
“I’m afraid I will have to call the cops.” Says the principal...
