Gabbie and Gibberish

Today Thandi was not feeling well. She had very bad cramps and could not help it but hold her tummy and wince now and then.

“What’s going on with you?” asked Mandy concerned. The two of them never quarrelled again but were not very close. Her desk mate looked like she was in pain and she couldn’t help but feel sort for her.

“Dysmenorrhea” said Thandi still holding her tummy.

“What?” Mandy raised her eyebrows.

“Period pains, I get bad ones”Thandi clarified.

Mandy opened her bag took out some painkillers and gave Thandi two. “Here have these, I get migraine headaches so I keep these in my bag” Mandy said giving tablets to Thandi.

Thandi looked at them and said “these can give you ulcers”.

“They can also take your pain away, do you want or not?” Mandy was getting impatient

Thandi took the tablets fast and swallowed them.

“Next time just say thank you, you idiot” this is what Thandi said to her before and she had waited very long to say them back to her.

Thandi looked at her and had a mischievous smile. “Why are you helping me. Just say what you want. Is it money, job for your parents,Gebbie or Gibberish?”

Mandy laughed so much tears were rolling down her face. Thandi was using her words against her and it was so funny. She stopped laughing and asked Thandi if her bothers names were Gebbie and Gebberish.

“I don’t have brothers, I just can’t remember the names you asked me.”

“So you came up with Gebbie and Gebberish?” Mandy started laughing again. She was laughing so hard that Thandi couldn’t help but join in.

“Mandy I’m sorry I called you stupid. I was wrong, you are very smart” Thandi said sincerely

“I was mean to you first, I’m sorry too” Mandy responded.

It was the beginning of a lifelong friendship. Soon the two of them were inseparable. Tell could not stop talking about each other to their families. They had sleepovers, spent weekends and holidays at each other’s homes.

Two years later they were closer than sisters. Having decided to do quantum physics together, they made it their goal to get the best grades and collected every award there was in the school.

Grade 11 examinations and the study group was meeting at Mandy’s home that afternoon. Mandy tied up the study on the first floor and placed extra chairs for her friends.

Downstairs Sbu, Menzi were sitting on the sofa playing video games. University year was over, they had completed their first year, now was time for them to be carefree.

Mandy stood in front of the screen blocking their view.

“Mandy!” they both shouted in unison.

“My study group is coming in few minutes time, you two better behave and stop making noise” Mandy warned them.

“Study group you say, is it girls?” asked Sbu.

“Are they pretty?” asked Menzi.

“Mom” shouted Mandy. “Please tell these two to leave now.”

“Don’t tell Mom, we will behave” they pleaded

Mandy was not having it, she called her Mom again and asked her to chase her brothers away. Mandy knew them well. Not only were they popular with girls, they delighted in flirting with every female they met no matter how old. The two of them had managed to mess around with about every friend she had in the past. These were her school friends and she wanted her brothers gone.

Mrs J came out and asked what the matter was. Mandy told her that her brothers wanted to ruin the study group.

Mrs J knew what these two were capable of and chased them away.

In the end they went to play in Sbu’s room and promised to stay there.