CHAPTER 14

"Sthandwa Sami" I said while my colleagues were stuffing their faces with food, some looked at me with triumphant smiles on their faces.

"Nkosana" she replied softly

"How are you holding up?" I asked and she released a resigned sigh in return. Mandla whispered something to the rest of my co-workers.

"Hi Zama"

"Hello"

"We miss you"

"I love you."

I scowled at Bandile and threw a pen at him and he scurried away which led to Skhumbuzo being hit by the pen. He sent me a glare and threw the pen back at me.

"But it's true nje, I love her." Bandile whisper yelled although he did a very bad job at trying to not be heard by Zama since she lets out a small chortle.

"Tell whoever that is that I love him too." She said which resulted to my skin burning in jealousy.

"Bandile, Zama told me to tell you to mind your damn business because she does not love you." I said coldly and he just rolls his eyes at my jealous state.

"I have to get my beauty sleep, it's 23:34"

"Okay, ulale kahle maNdosi." I said while Bandile made kissing sounds and the rest were chuckling and I threw them a glare.(sleep well)

"Usebenze kahle nawe uhm." She goes silent for a few seconds, "Mdletshe?" She squeezed.(work well)

"Hawu, Zama you ruined it." I said playfully

"Mana phela, I'm going to Google phela angizazi izithakazelo zakwa Mdletshe."

(Wait, I'm going to Google, I don't know the Mdletshe clan names)

We wait for a while longer until she clears her throat dramatically "Usebenze kahle nawe Msindazwe." She said in her naturally soft voice. I turned around so everyone in the room faced my back and let a small blush creep up my face.(work well)

I cleared throat and returned to my stoic face."maNdosi" I tasted the name once again.

"Msindazwe" she said yet again. We said nothing, we let our silence speak for itself and the silence said something I didn't want to admit.

In all this time I have spent with her, I wanted nothing more than to be next to her. I wanted nothing more than to talk to her with every spare minute I had. Yes, I admit I like her but I wanted to offer her a promise I know I would probably not keep at some point in my life, I wanted to....to

Snap out of it Nkosana. It's just a phase, it can't be that deep.

*******

I stood outside Zama's apartment with a shaky breath and a scattered mind. I knocked on the door twice already so I was expecting her to open at any moment but the turmoil that was forming withinthe pit of my stomach dreaded that moment.

My emotions were confusing and I hated being confused, my eyes looked at anything and everything to keep myself busy and my eyes took notice of the door flying open revealing a grinning Zama who immediately flung her arms around my torso.

"You came." She stated the obvious with her head buried in my chest. I finally recovered from my shocked state and wrapped my arm around her too.

"Someone missed me." I said playfully

"No, I just thought you were someone else." She defended which gave me a small pang of jealousy but I chose to ignore it by changing the topic.

"How are you feeling?" I asked with a bit too much concern for my liking.

"I'm.." she heaved a sigh and tightened her arms around me "trying, I guess" she finally said after a few moments of silence. I give her a reassuring squeeze and placed a small peck on her forehead.

"Get dressed we're going out." I said and she loosened her hold around me and faced me with her eyebrows furrowed and eyes narrowed but I ignored her quizzical stare and carried on with what I was saying "preferably something casual like a pair of jeans and a shirt."

She reluctantly nodded and got into her apartment with me following suit. She dissapeared into the house and busied myself with my phone while I waited for her. After fifteen minutes of waiting impatiently she appeared with her hair puffed up. She wore a white long sleeved shirt with puffy sleeves along with a green ditsy floral skirt that went below her knees and sandals.

My eyes raked her body while she nervously stood, awaiting for my approval. The room suddenly felt suffocating and the golf shirt I was wearing felt too tight and too hot on my skin. I could feel a few blood cells crowding themselves in my groin. I fought the urge to release a groan but instead I exhaled the unholy thoughts that were littered in my mind.

"I can wear something if-" she said while shifting from one foot to the other.

"No, you look fine." I interupted with a lack of better words to say.

Really? Fine? Nkosana, that's all you could come up with.

We left in awkward silence, I could tell she was disappointed by my choice of words. I didn't blame her, I was too. My eyes accidentally caught sight of her thigh that was revealed by the small slit of her dress when she was seated. Control yourself.

I cleared my throat and she tore her gaze away from the nowhere she was focused on and faced me. "You look beautiful by the way. " I said while starting the ignition and  she muttered a small thank you.

Twenty minutes into the drive and Zama had asked exactly twenty-five questions about where we were headed and I would pretend as if I hadn't heard her. I drove into a familiar road and her eyes shot out.

"Nkosana, why are we going to your workplace?" She questioned and for the first time I decided to answer her.

" You see Zama, when your father passed away he hopefully went to heaven." He didn't "so I will take you to my little heaven and you will take me to whatever place that makes you feel happy." I said with my eyes fixated on the road.

I parked my car and got out to open her door and she looks around as if she had never been to my workplace.

"So you love being an engineer so much that your workplace is your little heaven?" She asked with a tone that begged me to say no.

"Correct." I confirmed with a snap of my fingers and she just shook her head in disappointment.

I scanned my ID card for entrance, fist pumped the guards and proceeded to my working station.

"What do you actually do here?" She asked, still looking around.

"I'm a crane mechanic." I resplied with a tad bit of pride.

"So you always wanted to be a crane mechanic?" She further interrogated.

"No, I wanted to be a car mechanic but it's still a win since I still fix cars for my enjoyment." I said

"You fix cars for your enjoyment!" she exclaimed, "I'm starting to get really worried for you." She added.

I dismissed her last statement and carried on to greeted those who were on shift and introduced them to Zama. I showed her around and the different types of cranes while doing  so one of the workers requested that I help her with a system breakdown and so twenty minutes later, Zama looked as if she would point herself with a gun at any moment. She blinked lazily at everything around her and shifted from one foot to another.

I finally shifted my attention to her and she immediately slumped her shoulders and complained about how boring my little heaven was and how sad my life was because of how much I loved my profession which later on ended up in an argument about whether mechanical engineering was boring or not. After giving up on the argument or losing rather, she faced the window with her arms folded across her chest.

"Where are we going?" I broke the silence.

"I'll give you the directions" she said, still facing the window and I sighed in defeat.

Prince Kaybee buzzed in the car while Zama gave me the directions to wherever we were going. A Ferris wheel comes in sight and I could see excitement bloom in her face. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion but my confusion immediately shattered as I tilted my head to get a full view of where I was.

My hands suddenly clutched onto the staring wheel and my body immediately begged for me to take a U-turn.

"The amusement park." She announced in excitement and an additive smile spread across her face

Good God help your dear son

Authors note

I'm so sorry guys please be patient with me. Writer's block is not a joke, the thing is real. I promise to give you another chapter by the end of the week.

Anyways, how was your December, do drop your answers on the comments. I  had to attend three weddings 😂😂

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