CH16

BURNING BLUE.
BY BELLA ROYALTY.
16

[SHAKA 'PRIME' ZWANE]
Peach didn't come down to have dinner with us, so mom asked me to take the food to her.
Dad: Mandisa, if Ntando is hungry, she will come down here and have dinner. I don't understand why we are treating Ntando like she is a child, she's a grown woman.
Mom: Shaka, take the food to your sister.
Me: Yes ma'am.

I took the plate and spoon to her room and I found her crying, leaning on her bed, hugging her knees, the sight just weakened me.

Me: Peach, hey, hey what's wrong? Baby please talk to me! I cannot help you if you are not talking to me.
Ntando: I'm going back to Joburg Shaka.
Me(shocked): What? Ntando you have school here. What do you mean you're going back to Joburg?

Her: Your father hates me okay? Ever since he saw us kissing by the pool, he's made it a point to make my life a living hell and remind me every chance he gets that I currently have no one by my side, look I get that what we did is wrong in their eyes, as a parent he is disappointed, I get that, but this Shaka? The man hates me and I don't know what I did so wrong, I don't see you getting the same flack yet you're the adult here, slapping me was honestly the last—

Me: Excuse me? Slapping you was what?

She swallowed.
Me: When the fuck was this Ntando? When the fuck did he slap you?
Her: In the morning, I slept at Tumelos place, don't worry he was a gentleman, he actually left me there.
Me: I know, he told me, get to the slapping part.

Her: When I drove back home in the morning, he was already waiting for me, he told me that Aunty hardly slept because she was worried about me, how could I do that to her, do I want to kill her or something, and he just slapped me on the face Shaka and demanded that I apologize to Slindile, Shaka I hate it here, I want to go home, my own father has never laid a hand on me and some man that I have no relations with just slapped me?

Me(chuckles): Oh he's going to fuckin' pay.
Her: Shaka, no, he's your father!
Me: He shouldn't have hurt you, nobody hurts you and gets to smile about it, he intimidated you, he threatened you, Peach look at you, do you think I like seeing you like this? I don't!
Her: Shaka please don't do anything to him, he's an elder, if you do something, he will take it out on me, just let him be.

I caressed her cheek and she closed her eyes, a tear dropped on her eye and I wiped it with my thumb.
Me: Let's run away.

Her eyes shot open.
Me: Yes, let's run away together, go and start our life together somewhere, where nobody knows who we are.
Ntando: Shaka we can't, you have school, this is your final year, you have to graduate, Aunty Mandisa will be devastated as well.
Me: Then stay Peach.

She shook her head.
Me: How about I rent you an apartment then? Peach you can't leave, mom will be devastated, I will be devastated.
Her: You are getting married!
Me: If I didn't you'd stay?
Her: You have to marry Slindile you know that.
Me: Peach, I don't have to do shit I don't want, what will dad do to me if I don't marry that girl? He's going to whip out his belt and hit me? Oh I'd like to see him try.
Her: What if you get disowned?
Me: So? I'd still survive, I have my own money, which is why I suggested we run away, I can take care of us and we can be together freely.
Her: Shaka we are cousins.
Me: I don't fuckin' care, we are way beyond cousins now, we've crossed the line Peach, you think I'm just going to stay away from you that easily?

Her: That's the same reason why I want to leave! I won't be able to stay away from you but we have to Shaka, we are not worth it, we are not the drama and disruption we will bring to the family.
Me: Peach, do you love me?
Her: Shaka you know I do, how can you ask me that?
Me: Look at me and tell me that you love me.

She looked at me.
Her: I love you Shaka.
Me: So why is it so easy for you to just want to give up on me? This is called a forbidden love for a reason, it will not be easy, if you're going to rush to surrender and give up easily everytime we encounter a problem, then you don't love me as much as you say you do

She swallowed.
Me: Here I am, trying to find solutions to the problem we are facing, but you're shutting every single one of them down, Peach there's nothing I wouldn't do for you, I'd leave all of this behind for you, risk losing a relationship with my mother and sisters just to be with you, because I love you.
Her: Shaka, I'm scared okay?

I kissed her lips briefly.
Me: I know you are scared baby and that's okay, that's why I'm here, so that we can do this together, if you asked me to not marry that girl I'd do it, if you asked me to hurt my own father I'd do it, that's how much I love you, but Peach I can't always be the one ready to make sacrifices, you have to meet me halfway, I can't fight for you if you don't want me to fight for you.

She looked down.
Me: Now you want to back down just because my father threatened you? So what? Let the whole family find out how I feel for you, let them cast us out, I don't care! So I'm going to give you two days, two days Ntando, make up your mind, you want to be with me or not, whatever you choose I will respect it and never bother you again, eat your food.

I kissed her forehead, I got up and left, to my surprise Dad was leaning by the wall, I chuckled, he's like a stalker now it's giving 'creepy', what did he think we'd do in there?

Dad: You were in there for quite a while.
Me: We had something to talk about.
Dad: Oh really what's that? I hope it was to tell her that whatever it is that you were trying to do, it's over, you're family.
Me: I thought you had already done that when you called her into your office and threatened her, oh wait! You probably did it after you slapped her.

He looked shocked.
Me: Did I not say that I would stay away from her? That I'd marry Slindile? So why the hell would you threaten her? Go as far as slapping her?
Dad: Watch how you speak to me Shaka I am still your father!
Me: Or what tyma? What? You'll slap me too? What if Ntando tells mom? What if she packs up and leaves? Then what huh? How will you explain that to mom? You slapped her! You've never slapped your own children but you slapped someone else's child!
Dad: She was disr—

I punched him hard on his jaw, he stumbled spitting blood.
Dad: Shaka did you just—
Me: You were disrespecting me, angithi that's how we command respect in this house manje? We get violent, right? Because of what you just did to her, I'm not going to marry Slindile, you can fuckin' Marry her yourself!
Dad: Shaka don't you dare!
Me: Or what baba? What? I have no interest in your business, let alone with a shady politician! Find another way to secure deals and tenders! I'm not marrying that girl!

Mom: What the hell is going on here!
Me: Nothing, dad and I were just having a talk, I was telling him that I won't be getting married to Slindile.

I walked out of the house, got in my car and drove off.

[NTANDOKAZI NGEMA]
I kept turning and tossing in bed, I couldn't sleep at all and it was around 1am now, I had way too many things on my mind and that was keeping me awake at night.

I tried listening to music but that didn't help at all, so I started creating fake scenarios in my mind with my eyes closed, but then all of a sudden, I felt something heavy on my mouth, preventing me from screaming, my body immediately went into shock as I remembered the day Leano took my virginity, I felt paralyzed on my waist down.

Uncle Sfiso is the one who was in my room, wearing a glove, pressing my mouth, preventing me from screaming, at 1am!

Uncle Sfiso: Ssssshhhh! Don't make a sound otherwise I will kill you!!

I nodded fast with tears in my eyes.
Uncle Sfiso: I'm not playing with you do you hear me?

I felt something touch my stomach, I said a small prayer hoping it isn't what I think it is, it better not be a gun.

Uncle Sfiso: Will you be a good girl?

I nodded and he removed his hand on my mouth.
Uncle Sfiso: You told Shaka about the slap, that wasn't a clever move do you know that?
Me(crying & pleading): Malume please, please don't hurt me, he assumed and I couldn't correct him, I'm so sorry!
Uncle Sfiso: I heard you!

Oh my God, this man is crazy! Why would he eavesdrop on our conversation? Does he really not trust us that much? He thought we'd kiss again in my bedroom while they were downstairs? I mean we did kiss but it was brief.

Uncle Sfiso: Ntando there's no happy ending for you and Shaka, you won't be running away to the sunset together, you won't be running away back to Joburg either, because you will not hurt my wife like that do you hear me? You will stay here because you being here makes my wife happy! Do you hear me? You will not waste the money we've already paid for your education! Am I clear?

I nodded with tears in my eyes, he brought his gun and ran it over my thigh, my intestines went cold, I don't think I've ever been this scared of anyone before, I am scared of guns.

Uncle Sfiso: You will convince my son to get married to Slindile, do you hear me? I will not lose this deal with the Premier because of you!
Me(trembling): Yes! Yes, I will convince him malume just please don't hurt me!
Uncle Sfiso: I won't hurt you, I'd never hurt you Ntando, you see my son and I are the same, we share similar…

He looked at me.
Uncle Sfiso: Interests. And that's you.

So this is what this is about?
Me(crying); But you have a wife and I am just a kid, Malume Sfiso!
Uncle Sfiso: And Shaka is your cousin yet here we are, you think I wanted this? To fall helplessly in love with my wife's niece? Do you think it's been easy? Living with these feelings, pretending that they don't exist, trying to be a good Uncle? And then I see you and my son locking lips? While I was trying to fight the urge, he didn't, he went straight for what he wanted! And I don't have that luxury!

Oh this man is sick! Isn't he 40 something? Worst of all, he has a beautiful wife! I could be his daughter!

Uncle Sfiso: He will not have you, because I will not have you either, sounds like a fair deal to me.

With his other hand he slipped right under my PJ top and my whole body tensed up as he touched one of my boobs, I closed my eyes, biting my lip to suppress my cries.
Me: Malume, please, please don't do this…
Uncle Sfiso: On second thoughts, if you were willing to risk it with my son, what would stop you from doing it with me? We can have some fun, I promise I'll take care of you.
Me(shaking my head): No, no, Malume please…

Uncle Sfiso: Yes, that's what we will do, we will have fun, Mandisa and Shaka will never know obviously, I'll be your mysterious boyfriend, and if you dare open your mouth, I'll make a call to Cape Town, have them administer a killing drug that will kill your mother, your little brother, Siyakha right? I know where he lives, what time he leaves for school and accidents happen all the time especially to little children crossing the roads, and you? I will make you my bitch, I'll lock you up somewhere and fake your death, while you have my children which I'll bring back here so that Mandisa can raise them, so are we going to play?

I wiped my tears.
Uncle Sfiso: Ooh that feels really good, I can't wait to taste you.

He said massaging my boob and I wanted to die in that instant, there was nothing stimulating at all about this interaction.
Uncle Sfiso: Right, I'll be in touch, remember to be a good girl because if you try anything funny like telling Shaka again, there will be consequences, he can't protect you from me, if you try to run, I will hunt you down and drag you back here, have a great morning.

He said with a smile and walked away, as soon as he closed the door, I screamed into the pillow, is this what Dr. Karen mentioned that if you've been assaulted before, you're most likely to be assaulted again? Sometimes you just meet the worst perpetrator than your first? I cannot stay here, I will take my chances and leave this place! I will not be that old man's dirty play thing!

I am leaving!

I got up and went to lock the door and began packing, nothing much just one suitcase, I will buy new clothes whenever I can, they are not a priority right now, by the time morning came, I was done, I was going to leave everything, my phone, ID, anything that Shaka and his friends can use to track me.

I booked a bus online that was going to Eastern Cape, first thing they will do is track me from any transport that's going to Joburg, so I have to divert attention, start in Eastern Cape and take a taxi to Joburg, something that won't require identification, hopefully by the time they realise I'm in the Eastern Cape I would be back in Joburg, I will have to find a shack in the Squattercamps, it's not easy to find a person in the shacks, Alexandra or Makause to be specific.

I withdrew my money in the form of an e-wallet, after that I took a bath, got dressed and went to join everyone for breakfast, Shaka wasn't here and Uncle Sfiso was the loving husband, the way I was disgusted by him now? He's a pervet! A pedo! And my aunt didn't have the slightest clue of the kind of monster she was married to.

I thought my mother got the wrong husband, no Aunty Mandisa takes the cup!

I pretended all was fine and left them, driving to school, only I wasn't driving to school, I went to withdraw all the money I had sent to myself as an e-wallet, once I was certain they had left the house, I returned, Mam' Zanele was still not back from her family crisis leave, I rushed inside the house, grabbed my suitcase and requested a cab and then flushed my phone and left it on the bed, hopefully this driver doesn't try any nonsense with me this time.

He was actually a gentleman, in no time I was at Durban station, I had on the biggest hoodie I own, I asked for Intercity buses headed to the Eastern Cape and they showed me, the bus was leaving at 8, we hopped in and I took the far back and prayed to the Lord that I really make a run for this.

I wanted nothing to do with either Shaka or Aunty Mandisa, I dont know If Shaka and his friends would have been able to help me this time like they did with the whole Leano debacle, well Leano wasn't as dangerous as Uncle Sfiso and he was definitely not Shaka's father, so there's a bit of a conflict of interest, actually I don't want anything to do with him either right now, I love him, I really do but sometimes love isn't enough, I will not go through what I went through with Leano in the form of an old, greedy pedo man who happens to be my aunt's husband.

It's time to leave all it behind and start afresh.

[TUMELO MORAKE]
Shaka wasn't at school today and we were honestly getting worried about him, he's kind of shutting us out, he hasn't even told us that he's getting married, which isn't like him.

When school was done I went to check on Ntando, I wanted to know if she arrived home well yesterday morning, she never really texted me back.

I saw her friends, Nandi and Buhle.
Me(smiles): Hey ladies.
Buhle: Tumelo hey, just the guy we were hoping to see.
Me: Oh really? What's up?
Nandi: Is Ntando okay? She didn't come to school today. We thought since you're her boyfriend, maybe you'd know? She's not answering our calls.
Me: Oh? She's not at school?

I took out my phone and called her, but she didn't answer.
Me: Let me go and see her cousin and find out what's going on, maybe she's sick.
Nandi: Please ask her to text us, we have an assignment.
Me: Okay.

I was getting worried for some reason, I had this unsettling feeling in my chest, I drove to Prime's apartment, I found him blasting music, room smelling of weed and bottles on the floor, the whole place looked upside down, I saw blood stains on the wall, I caught a glimpse of his knuckles, he must have punched the wall.

Me: Hey buddy.
Prime: Sho.
Me: You good?
Prime: Not really.
Me: Wanna talk about it?

He was a bit tipsy.
Prime: Where do I start? So I lied, about not wanting Ntando, I've wanted her from the very first day we met but because of who she is to me and the consequences of being with her would bring to us and the family, I pretended as if she was delusional, went as far as asking you to distract her, but then got jealous when she gave you a chance and sabotaged your relationship by kissing her even after she confronted me about our chats.

What?

Prime: It didn't end there, I admitted my feelings for her and we…crossed the line.
Me(shocked): You slept with her?
Prime: Yep and I don't regret it, it was probably the best sex I've ever had and will ever have, unfortunately dad was spying on us, so he threatened her, slapped her and forced her to end things with me, and then told me I'm marrying Slindile.

I couldn't believe this, what kind of person is Prime though?

Prime: As if that's not enough, I found out she was planning on leaving.
Me: I think she did leave.
Prime: No, I gave her an ultimatum, asked her to trust me to deal with this, or we could just leave everything and go somewhere where we'd be able to be together. I gave her two days but she's a coward so, I don't think she will choose me.
Me: Prime! She didn't come to school today, her phone is not being answered!

His eyes shot up and he shook his head.
Prime: She wouldn't…
Me: We have to go!

He got up, stumbling.
Me: I will drive, we are taking my car.

We rushed out of the apartment and went to my car and drove to their house, we got there and her car was on the driveway but I was still not at ease, he rushed to her bedroom and I followed.

Her phones were on her bed, he opened the closet and her clothes were still there.
Prime: One of her suitcases is not here.

I checked the phones, no security codes?
Me: She flushed her phone, there's nothing here, even our numbers aren't saved.
Prime: She must have booked a flight to Joburg, she said she was returning to Joburg, check if we can't reach her at the airport and stop her.

I sat down and hacked into their database, checked for flights that were leaving for Joburg from this morning, her name wasn't in any of the lists.
Me: There's nothing.
Prime: Credit card activity?

I checked.
Me: She made about 5 e-wallets.
Prime: Damnit! I shouldn't have told her we were hackers.
Me: Uhm…thats what Information Technology is.

He exhaled.
Prime: Right, she knew we'd be able to track her, for all we know she might have taken a taxi since all her documents are still here, she's obviously trying to lay low so that we don't find her which means she's probably not even headed to Joburg, fuck!!!
Me: Show me the security feed at the gate, she must have requested a cab since she left the car, we will track the driver and he will lead us to where he dropped her.
Prime: Yes! Let's do that!

I followed him to his room where he took out his laptop, and opened the security feed outside the gate.
Me: She first took the car and went to cash out the e-Wallets and then came back, here she is with the suitcase, here's the driver.
Prime: Let me track him down.

He tracked the driver using his number plate and got his information, we requested his ride, in a few minutes he was here.

Driver: Where to gentlemen?

He asked as we got inside the car, I showed him a picture of Ntando.
Me: You picked this girl here in the morning, where did you drop her off.
Drover: You know I'm not at liberty to discuss that because it's against company poli—

Prime had taken out his gun
Driver: Okay, okay, I took her to Durban station on the buses.
Me: You can't book a bus without your identification details.

He got busy on his phone.
Prime: She took a bus to the Eastern Cape? Who does she know there? Thanks man.

He took out a few notes.
Prime: For your trouble.

We got out of the car.
Me: What do we do now?
Prime: We need to get to the Eastern Cape first, when she gets out of that bus, she should find us waiting for her.
Me: Let me check for available flights.

His father drove in.
Prime: Let's drive out.
Me: Shouldn't we tell him?
Prime: For what? He is the reason why she left.