You know!

S’bu decided to play along and not tell Thandi that he knew about Bonga. He will wait for Thandi come back from the village then put his plan into motion. Thandi had not received any calls or messages from S’bu since the day she lied to him about Bonga and was satisfied that he won’t be bothering her anymore. When she got back to the city, she went to see Mandy who had been begging her to come over. It turned out Mandy wanted to be introduced to Bonga whom she found to be very handsome. Mandy would not take no for an answer, so she agreed to help her. When Thandi was about to leave, Mrs J asked her to get her charger from S’bu’s room and asked Mandy to make snacks for them. The last place Thandi wanted to be was in S’bu’s room but she could not refuse an elder, that was considered very rude and besides it looked like S’bu was not around anyway. When she got to S’bus house she started looking for the charger. She looked in the lounge, and the kitchen with no success and decided to look in his bedroom. Confident that she was alone, she opened the door and started looking but she heard the door closing. When she turned, S’bu was standing in front of the door locking it. He had shorts and no shirt on revealing his six packs and great physique. Thandi’s eyes landed on his chest, she blushed looking away. He walked towards her and she instinctively walked backwards but there was a wall behind her and she was trapped between S’bu and the wall.

“MaDlamini, did you miss me that much, you had to come look for me in my room when I’m not even decently dressed?” he asked smiling mischievously.

Thandi swallowed her saliva “I came to get a charger for Mrs J” she said.

He laughed “Why would Mrs J’s charger be here? we don’t even use the same brand of phones. Don’t you have a better excuse?” S’bu asked getting closer to her.

Oh no! did Mrs J trick her or is S’bu trying to confuse her? Thandi thought.

“S’bu, we are both with other people now, you should stop flirting” she said trying to act calm. If she mentioned Bonga, maybe S’bu would be angry or jealous and let her leave.

“How can I forget! I’m curious though” S’bu said getting even closer to her putting his hands around her waist.

Thandi swallowed again, her heart racing. They were so close she was breathing in his cologne and could hear his heart beating.

S’bu bend his head bringing his mouth close to her ear and started whispering. “Does he hold you like this? Can he get your heart racing like that? Do you dream about him?”

“Leave me alone, you are no match to him” Thandi said trying to provoke him. Maybe he will be angry enough and chase her out.

S’bu saw through her, laughed and kissed her passionately on the lips. “No, I’m no match to him but he can’t do this” he said kissing her again. “Cousins don’t get to do this” he added looking at her.

“You know!” Thandi exclaimed. She thought it was safe to visit Mandy because S’bu believed that she moved on, only to find out he kept quite to lure her in when her gut was down.

S’bu laughed “Of course I know. You almost gave me a heart attack though and that story about you giving him your virtue almost killed me. You are going to have to pay for that”he said looking at her sharply.

“But you started it, you used Precious to make me jealous!”Thandi exclaimed. Thandi could not believe that S’bu started the whole thing but now he was acting like a victim.

“How did you figure it out?” S’bu asked curious. Most people believed that he was in love with Precious.

“The way you look at me has not changed since the first time we met in the study. Even when you were with her, holding her hand, it did not change” Thandi told him.

“Is that right?” S’bu asked raising his eyebrows. “How exactly do I look at you?”

“Like...” Thandi hesitated “Like I matter.”

“You do, a lot but I’m tired of this ‘hide and seek’, you are not leaving here until you tell me your true feelings, or I will get it out of you my own way” S’bu said pulling her closer and kissing her neck.

Thandi took a deep breath feeling like she was loosing control of her senses. Her heart started beating very fast and her breathing quickened. She wanted to say something but a moan came out instead.

“You better start talking or I’m going to leave love bites all over your neck everyone will see it” S’bu threatened kissing her neck harder.

“Please stop so I can tell you the truth” Thandi begged. How was she going to explain a love bite to her Aunt and everyone?

S’bu stopped and looked at her expectedly.

“Sbusiso, I do love you. I have tried not to, even tried denying my feelings but failed” Thandi confessed.

S’bu couldn’t believe his ears, Thandi has finally confessed her feelings. He wanted to hold her tight and kiss her but Thandi stopped him because she was not done talking.

“Being in love with you does not mean I’m agreeing to being your girlfriend. You are gonna have to earn me and so far you haven’t and are very far from it. You going to prove that you are worthy of my love, trust and everything that comes with it” Thandi completed her statement with conviction.

S’bu didn’t know whether he should laugh or cry. So many girls wanted him but the one he wanted thought he was not worthy! Nonetheless he was determined to win. He had never lost when he wanted something bad enough. After thinking for a long time S’bu conceded.

“Ok, I will prove myself to you but I have conditions that are non negotiable” he responded. “You answer all my calls and messages, you can not flirt, touch or kiss anyone else but me” S’bu added.

“But these conditions indirectly make you my boyfriend!”Thandi exclaimed. First he cornered her to confess her feelings, now he was giving her conditions. Even though she has never had a boyfriend before she knew what it involved.

“Just be my girlfriend, then” S’bu smiled realising that even though he had to gain her trust first and prove to her that he had noble intentions, Thandi was finally his.

“I have to go back home now” Thandi said looking at the time. She needed to go prepare supper. She walked to S’bu, stood on her tiptoes and kissed him passionately before running out the door. She almost ran over Menzi who was standing by the door. She apologised to Menzi and ran to her Aunts home.

Menzi looked at his brother who had a huge smile on his face. “Sithole, Jobe, Phumela phandle ngoba kufudumele...” he sang their clan names proudly praising and congratulating his brother. “Should we go inspect the Jobe kraal and see how many cattle we short of?” Menzi teased.

S’bu laughed “I know you approve but we not there yet. In fact we far from it. I can’t even call her my girlfriend until I prove that I’m worthy of it. Today is however still a great day, she finally confessed her feelings to me.”