The lift’s

S’bu made sure he was back home early for the whole week but was disappointed. Mandy went to other girls homes for studying and got back when it was supper everyday.

That day grade 11’s had just come out of the exam. They were walking home discussing the Physics paper they just wrote when an exquisite car stopped next to them.

“Ladies and a gentleman” S’bu greeted them with a smile.

“What are you doing here” Mandy asked her brother suspicious.

“Mom sent me to the shops and asked me to look out for you and give you a lift home. Your friends can also come” he said still smiling.

Before he knew it Pretty was sitting next to him in the front passenger seat, Cindy was in the back with Mandy and there was one space left. Thandi and Sthe stood outside.

“We won’t all fit in, Sthe and I will walk. See you tomorrow girls” Thandi said.

Sthe looked at Thandi and smiled. This is what he’s been waiting for, it was perfect. He’s always wanted to confess his love to Thandi but they were never alone.

S’bu noticed the expression on Sthe’s face and his heart sank. It was easy to read males. He had waited for two hours outside the school in order to get a chance to see and speak to Thandi again but in the end he created an opportunity for someone else! How did this happen? He had done his research and knew that Thandi was Mandy’s best friend. He assumed that Mandy would call Thandi in first but Pretty and Cindy just got in before anyone could react. He was so irritated and did not want to talk to the girls that kept asking him trivial questions. When he got home, he went straight to his room,kicked the door and punched the wall.

He did not notice Menzi who was lying on the bed.

“What’s going on with you these days?” asked Menzi. He’s knew his brother better than anyone and this past week he had been acting strange.

“What are you doing in my room?” S’bu asked avoiding the question.

“If I didn’t know better I would say it’s a girl.”

“Well, you do know better” S’bu said as he walked to his cupboard taking out his karate gear and putting it on. “Excuse me, I need to go practice” he said walking out and went to the gym at the basement of his home. He needed time to clear his head and vent out his frustration. He kicked and punched the boxing bag until his whole body was sore. All I need is time with her, is that hard to ask?

The following day he told Menzi to drive and took Amahle with him to wait for the girls outside the school gate. Menzi thought his brother was behaving very odd but did not ask any questions . He was curious in knowing what S’bu was up to so he played along. S’bu insisted on sitting with Amahle at the back with windows down. After 30 minutes of waiting the girls came out of the school gate. That day they were a group of 8. As soon as they appeared Amahle shouted “Mandie, Tadie!” She was so excited she almost got off the window but S’bu managed to catch her in time.

“Amahle was missing you two, so we came to get you” S’bu said with a straight face.

Menzi coughed, he had figured his brother out.

The other girls looked at the two handsome Jobe brothers and could not stop blushing but were disappointed when realised there were only two spaces in the car. It was Mandy’s brothers after all so one space was definitely for Mandy. S’bu just said they came because of Amahle and they all knew whom Amahle wanted. In the end Mandy sat in front with Menzi and Thandi had to sit at the back with Amahle and S’bu on Amahle’s order’s. After greeting the two brothers Thandi was busy the whole journey attending to Amahle’s questions and making faces and giggling. She did not notice that someone was starring at her the whole time until she got off at her Aunts place.

“You know if you come clean with me I might help you. Mandy and I get on very well and she’s her best friend” Menzi said looking at S’bu with a serious face.

“I don’t know what this is, I just need time alone with her” s’bu responded. Menzi had figured it out, there was no point in hiding now.

“Ok”

“Ok”

“Mandy, my dear sister Mandy....”

“What do you want Menzi?” Mandy asked suspicions.

“I can’t talk to you now unless I want something? we use to be close, what happened to us?” Menzi sounded hurt.

“Of course you can” Mandy soon let her hit down. She quarrelled a lot with S’bu who was her immediate brother but was actually very close to Menzi who was her father’s older brothers son. This was very common with siblings. She and Menzi and chatted about school, teachers, exams and friends. Thandi being a best friend was mentioned a lot in this conversation. Menzi asked subtle questions and Mandy revealed a lot of information about Thandi unknowingly. By the end of the conversation S’bu who was sitting quietly on the sofa listening to every word now knew Thandi’s schedule better.

It was a Friday afternoon, grade 11 exams were done and Thandi was going to her granny’s house in the rural areas. It will be at least two weeks before she comes back again for formal school closure and collect her grade 11 report card. she was carrying her bag with her clothes inside, walking to the taxi rank. Her granny’s house was an hour away but it will take at least an hour for an 18 sitter taxi to get full. She was walking and texting on her phone, paying less attention to her surroundings.

A car stopped next to her “Hello Princess” a familiar voice said.

She looked up “hello S’bu”

“Where to with such a big bag? I hope you not running away from home!”he said teasing. He already knew that she was leaving to the rural area today. He heard it when he was listening to the conversation between Menzi and Mandy yesterday so meeting her here was not a coincidence.

“I don’t think I will ever have a reason to run away from from. Going home actually” said Thandi.

“Please come in, I will take you home.”