Zanokuhle

Chapter 4

ZANOKUHLE
Chapter 4

I lotion my legs and thighs as I have my leg on top of the bed as I am getting dressed. It has been a just two weeks since I have lived here and I am getting the hang of this place and also how things are done. Last weekend we went to a Club and it felt good drinking and coming home after that. I even vomited and Tusani slept next to me that day and we woke up that morning. My head was throbbing but we had an amazing sex. I haven’t seen his friend or spoken to him since the day he said I am a dish. I don’t appreciate what he said to me about being that. I know that Tusani and I are not together but I feel that maybe one day we would be, maybe we are just exploring what we have right now and he is teaching me how to be, normal for once.
I finish up putting some lotion on my body and then I grab my dress and get dressed. I look at myself through the mirror. I look a bit yellow but better than before. I used to be very pale but this getting the sun from time to time helps. I am still always in doors and I haven’t read anything since I finished the books that I have here. I hear a knock on the door as I look at myself through the mirror trying to part my hair to start applying my nice smelling creams.
I quickly move from the mirror and make my way to the door and I open it without checking.
I look at him as he stands in front of me as he looks at me. He has a wrapped gift in his hand as he stands there in front of me.
“Hi Zano”
“Hi”, I say and look at him.
“I am sorry.”, he says and I look at him to see if he is being sincere or not and he seems so.
“You hurt me”
“I am sorry, I was just trying to look out for you.”, he says and I nod my head lightly.
He looks down then at what he has in his hands.
“I  brought you something just to apologise”, he says and hands the present to me and I smile.
I have never really gotten a present before.
“For me?”, he places his hands in his pockets.
“Yes”
I open it and it’s chocolates and a note that says “I am sorry”, I smile.
“Thank you so much, I forgive you”, I feel excited.
I got my very first gift.
“I am glad you like it”, he says.
“I do like it. Do you want food?”, I ask and make way for him to walk inside the  house. His scent lingers and leaves something as he walks through the place.
He smells good, I like the way he smells. So as Tusani. I like the way they smell.
I open the chocolate box and pop a chocolate in my mouth and make my way through closing the door behind me.
“What did you make?”
“A sandwich. Tusani didn’t eat it so I have a lot”, he presses his lips and nods.
“Zano tell me something”, he turns to me and looks at me intensely.
“Yes”
“What do you hope for from everything that you are doing?”, I frown and look at him before I loosen my frown.
“I don’t know yet”
he steps closer to me.
“You want to experience being normal right?”, he says and I nod my head.
“Yes”
“Then come, I will show you how it is like and I am not taking no for an answer”, he says.
“Uhm okay”, I am scared a bit but I only trust Tusani so far so I should maybe give him a fair chance at trusting him.
“Go and wear shoes”, I listen  to him and go to my room to wear my shoes  I quickly tie my hair and wear a doek over it covering it and then I move out of the room leaving my chocolate there.
I will eat it later when I come back.
I find him on his phone and he looks at me and frowns.
“Why did you cover your hair?”
“I don’t like it”, he shoves his phone in his pocket and he comes towards me and he removes the doek.
“What are you doing?”, he looks down on me, he is too close to me too.
“You look great without it. Let your hair loose Zano. Let loose and be yourself”
“Oh, okay”
“Come”, he throws the doek on the little couch in the room and pulls me as I follow behind him/
His strides are 3x my walking distance. I have to take a few steps before I could reach where he is and.
“You walk too fast”, I say when I cant keep up with the steps anymore.
He slows down and now we are walking at an almost similar pace.
“Can I ask you a question?”, he asks
I nod my head yes.
“Why do you say you are slow when you can cook? How do you learn the ingredients and you can have some conversation with someone”
“I always failed my grades so it took time for me to learn things. With cooking I just mix things like when I see them on tv and taste them and they taste nice”
“You are really good at it”, we get to his car and he opens the door for me. It’s a Ford Ranger this time. I know it because I like how high it is.
He helps me inside and I thank him. he goes around and gets inside then starts the car and drives off.
“You know, my mother is a retired chef. She loves cooking just like you and she does it so well”, he says.
“Really?”, he nods his head and catches a glimpse of me.
“She has a farm where she gets her fresh ingredients from”
“That is nice”, I say.
Wow ,that must be really nice. Being known as a chef. I would consider myself that when I am cooking sometimes and imagine with that big puffy hat.
“Where are we going?”, I ask.
“Have you ever went to the beach?”
“When I was little to Durban with the school”
“We will go there today”, he says and I nod my head.  Now I feel a bit excited.
I take out my phone and hold It up and take pictures of the road as the car is driving by, watching the city of Cape town. I saw the people in the club we were in doing the same and it is said to capture the moment and watch it later. I want that too.
Music plays inside the car and I like this song. I bobble my head back and forth a little to the beat as I close my camera and focus on the road.
“What are you?”, I ask and he takes a glimpse of me.
“In what way?”
“The work you do”, I say and sit on my side just to look at him.
Driving seems to look easy but the work on the foot seems much more complicated and I don’t think I would like to learn how to do that.
He smirks and I notice a small dimple just on his lower cheek, his skin compliments him and I wonder if my skin compliments me that way. I mean I am used to it anyway.
“I do a lot of things Zano”
“Like?”
“I own a Club and also I work in a family business”, he says.
“You have both of your parents?”, I ask.
He looks at me.
“Yes”, I nod my head. Must be nice with a sibling on top but having Nomfundo in my life just never made me desire to have a sibling and I am glad I didn’t have one.
“Where are your parents?”
“I don’t know them, my dad died. I don’t know him and my mother is married somewhere from what my family has mentioned”, I say.
“I am sorry about that”
“Why are you sorry for something you didn’t do?”
“It’s common thing to say to someone when you sympathize with what they are going through. You don’t have to say sorry only when you are apologizing”
“Interesting”, I say.
The drive commences and we soon get to the beach. I unbuckle my belt and then he hops out of the car and rushes to my side to help me out. I thank him as he still has his hand on my waist while closing the door behind me.
“Come”
“Okay”, I see people cycling around here and some walking their dogs.
Minding their own business.
“I have never ridden a bicycle before”, I say.
“Why?”
“I am scared. I didn’t play outside”, I say and he looks me.
“You will learn that now”
“You play?”
“No,I am a tough man to be playing but I can try for you to have fun”, I smile.
“Okay, come let’s go to the water”, I let go of his hand and pick up my dress.
I have read how beaches are fun in some books. How to go about it being there and some have picnics.
“Does the beach offer picnics?”, I ask.
“You bring that on your own”, I nod my head.
“Take off your shoes before you take off”, he says and I do so. He takes my shoes and I run down to the sand and it feels warm from the sun. I rush to the water and stand by the sand and wait foe water to come to my feet. I feel the cold water on my feet and I giggle. It feels nice. The view is even more beautiful, it feels like Heaven.
I go on my knees and wait for the water to come again and the cold water comes in contact with my skin and it feels cold. I giggle. My dress is getting wet but I like this. I sit there and watch the view.
“You are going to catch a cold soon”, I look up and see that it is Bhungane.
“It feels nice and cold”
“What do you think?”
“It is beautiful.”, I say.
He keeps his silence and it is silent between us.
“Come Zano”, I get up taking his hand and he helps me up. My dress is now wet.
“We will get you a new dress”, I nod my head.
We move to get me a new dress and then we go and get some ice cream. Well I am the one who got ice cream. He said he doesn’t have a sweet tooth. I think he just doesn’t like it.
“It is starting to get cold now”, I say as I am having my ice cream. The wind was there and it was making me feel cold.
“Let’s go to the car”, we go to the car and I get inside with his help. He hands over my ice cream cup and I thank him.
He smiles and I return the favour.He goes around and gets in his side. He drives off and I keep on eating my ice cream and I am enjoying it. Soon we arrive at where I live and he parks the car. Helps me out and closes the door and looks down on me and keeps his gaze.
“I am glad you relaxed a bit”, he says.
“It was nice”, I say.
He nods his head.
“What are you doing tomorrow?”
I think for a second before I respond to him.
“I will be inside the house”, I say.
“Can I see you tomorrow?”, he doesn’t stop staring and I stare back at him.
“Why do you like looking at me?”, I find myself asking lowly.
“Like what?”, he replies softly as a tug comes through my stomach and leaves me a little crippled.
“Like that”, I say and he smirks and his abnormal dimple appears again.
“I like to”, he says and I look at him and I tilt my head to the side and he does the same and I frown a bit.
“I will see you tomorrow”
“Mmh”, I say.
“
“Bye Zano”, he says and I step away from him and turn before running to where house 32 is.
My heart is racing very fast that moment and get inside the house.
I hold my chest and my heart is still beating very fast.
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Tusani called me today and asked me what I will be doing today and I told him I will be doing what I usually do. I cannot rely on what Bhungane said yesterday and so I have nothing much to do.
Tusani mentioned that he will not be coming to see me today as he is held up at work and I get that. I am okay with anyway as I need a breather from him too. He has been stuffing me with sex too much lately and at times he is a bit rough that I don’t like it. It hurts.
I have cleaned the place and cleaned myself too. I made a sandwich for myself and I have ate. I took the chocolates from yesterday and had some for myself. I like them and they are very nice too. I am setead on the floor licking the chocolates when a knock comes from the door. I look towards it and stand up making my way there. I open and he stands there in front of the door.
“You visit a lot”, I say.
“I am the only friend you have beside Tusani”, he says and I sense him not being nice with Tusani being my friend.
“Mmh”
“Can I come in?”
“Where are you taking me today?”, I ask with a small smile.
He returns it and places his hands in his pocket before he leans against the door way.
“Where do you want to go?”, I think and I don’t really know where to go.
“I don’t know”
“Go and wear your shoes”, he says and I rush off to go and wear my shoes. A tug of excitement there on another journey. Maybe we are going to the beach again.