The Scent of a Lie

"Some moments feel like fate... until the truth unravels."

Siphosethu Zulu

My toiletries were almost finished, so I had no choice but to go to the mall and stock up. Nthabiseng had gone home for the weekend, which meant I was completely alone. The quietness around me felt heavier than usual, but I tried not to think too much about it.

I kept my outfit simple and comfortable—just a pair of grey tracksuit pants and a matching top, paired with my black sneakers. Nothing fancy, just enough to get by. I had recently unbraided my hair, so now I was rocking my short, natural look. It felt refreshing, even though I was still adjusting to seeing myself this way in the mirror.

I called a cab, and after a few minutes, it pulled up outside. I got in, put on my earphones, and quietly watched the familiar streets blur past the window as we made our way to the mall.

When I arrived, the first stop on my list was Clicks. I needed essentials—body lotion, toothpaste, roll-on, and maybe a few extra things if the prices were friendly. I wasn't in the mood to rush, so I took my time browsing the aisles, comparing brands, and mentally checking things off my list.

As I moved through the aisles, mentally ticking off my list, I turned the corner to the skincare section—and bumped into someone. Hard enough that my elbow lightly hit a shelf, and a small bottle of shower gel slipped from my hand, clattering onto the floor.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," I said instinctively, lowering myself to pick it up, not even looking up.

"It's alright," the person said. His voice was deep, calm, and oddly comforting. I still didn't look up, too focused on picking up my things and avoiding further embarrassment. I kept my eyes low, catching only a glimpse of black jeans, clean sneakers, and the corner of a hoodie.

his scent

It lingered in the air like a soft whisper. Not too strong, not too sweet—but clean, masculine, and strangely comforting. It was the kind of scent that made you turn your head, even if the person was already gone.

I never saw his face. Just a silhouette, a voice, and a scent that stirred something I couldn't explain. It was so quick—so small—but it stayed with me.

I moved to the next aisle, brushing it off, but every now and then, I caught myself smiling for no reason. Something about that moment had shifted something inside me. I didn't know who he was, or if I'd ever see him again... but part of me hoped I would.

Katlego Moeketsi

It happened so fast. Faster than I had imagined.

One minute, I was browsing through body lotions, casually placing a few into my basket, and the next, I bumped into a girl. Not just any girl. Her.
She let out a soft, "Sorry," her voice gentle and angelic. The kind of voice that could calm chaos. She barely looked up at me, mumbling her apology before quickly kneeling to pick up the items she dropped. It was as if she wanted to vanish before I could process what had just happened.

But I saw her. Sethu.

She didn't recognise me—at least, not right away. She seemed distracted, maybe even flustered. But I knew it was her. I never thought I'd get this close to her—let alone bump into her in Clicks, of all places.

The universe favoured me today.

She slipped away before I could say anything more, so I walked through the aisles, trying not to seem too eager, but searching for her. Eventually, I found her again, standing by the skincare products, reading labels like her life depended on it. She looked effortlessly beautiful, even in a simple tracksuit, with short natural hair that made her look bold and real.

I took a breath and approached.
"Hi," I greeted casually, standing a little to the side of her.

She didn't respond. Either she didn't hear me, or she was pretending not to.

So I tried again, a little louder, "Hi."

This time, she turned to look at me.
Her eyes widened. Recognition kicked in.

She seemed frozen for a moment, like her mind was racing to make sense of the situation. I could tell she didn't expect someone like me to just randomly talk to her. But I didn't want this moment to slip away.

"So, uh," I said, picking up a bottle of face cream and pretending to examine it, "do you know anything about skincare? I'm trying to find something perfect for my skin, but I'm lost here."

She gave a small laugh—awkward at first—but it melted some of the tension.

"I mean, it depends on your skin type," she said, finally engaging. "You can't just pick anything."

I smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that. Looks like I found the right person."

We spoke a bit more, mostly about random things. I made jokes, half bad and half decent, just to keep her talking. She loosened up, though she still had that guarded energy, like she didn't quite know what to make of me.

Before she could leave, I made my move.

"Hey," I said casually, "I have a younger sister—she just started studying medicine at UP. You kind of remind me of her. You wouldn't mind if I asked you for some advice or tips to pass along to her?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Medicine? At UP?"

"Yeah," I lied smoothly. "Her name's Refilwe. Super shy, like you. Struggles with balancing everything."

She chuckled softly. "I don't know how much help I'd be..."

"But I'd appreciate it," I said. "Maybe we could exchange numbers? In case I forget anything, she asks me."

There was a pause. She hesitated. I saw it. She didn't trust easily. But eventually, she nodded and gave me her number. Victory—not just because I got her digits, but because I got through to her.

"Thanks, Sethu," I said, gently. "This was... nice."

She nodded again, her lips forming the faintest smile.

As I walked away, I didn't even look back. I didn't want to ruin it by seeming too eager. But inside, I was grinning like a fool. I had her number, and something told me—this was just the beginning.

Siphosethu Zulu

As he walked away, all cool and casual, I just stood there. Frozen in the middle of the aisle, holding a tub of face cream I didn't even need.

And that's when the questions started to flood my brain.

How does he know my name?
Was that Katlego?
What are the chances of bumping into him at Clicks, of all places?
Was this random? Or did he... plan this somehow?

I shook my head and tried to focus, but it was impossible. His scent still lingered faintly in the air. Smooth. Clean. Addictive.

As I walked out of the store a few minutes later, still trying to make sense of what just happened, I whispered to myself:

"This day just turned into a story I'll never be able to explain."

*******************************************

Later that evening, I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling, still holding onto the Clicks packet like it held answers. The face cream I didn't need? Still unopened. My brain was on a loop—rewinding, replaying, questioning every detail of what had happened.

Eventually, I couldn't keep it in anymore. I needed someone to talk to. Someone who knew me. Someone who wouldn't laugh—well, not too hard.

So I grabbed my phone and hit video call.

"Nthabi, pick up. Pick up. Pick up!" I whispered like it was a life-or-death situation.

Her face popped up on my screen a few seconds later, her bonnet tilted to the side, and a slice of toast in her hand.

"Dude, it's late. Why are you—"

"I saw him!" I blurted out before she could finish.

Nthabi blinked, confused. "Saw who? Did you finally bump into the security guy that you keep dodging?"

"No! Nthabi!" I held my forehead. "Katlego. As in Katlego Moeketsi!"

Her eyes widened instantly. "Lies."

"I swear! He was at Clicks. We bumped into each other. Like—our shoulders touched, Nthabi. His scent still lives in my jacket!"

"Wait, wait, wait," she said, placing her toast down and adjusting her bonnet like it would help her focus. "You bumped into Katlego Moeketsi at Clicks? "

"Yes!"

She leaned closer to her screen. "And you're sure it was him?"

I nodded furiously. "He even talked to me! Made small talk on the skincare aisle. He was so calm, like it wasn't a big deal. He asked for my number—said he had a sister studying medicine at UP."

"Wait, what?" Nthabi's tone suddenly shifted, and her brows drew together.

I blinked. "Yeah. Why?"

Her face pulled into this weird mix of suspicion and disbelief. "Sethu..."

"What?"

"Kat does not have a sister."

My heart did a little dip. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," she said slowly, " he's an only child. No siblings."

I sat up straighter, my breath catching. "You're serious?"

She nodded solemnly. "Dead serious."

Silence. I stared at her, and she stared back, the weight of what she said settling between us like an unanswered question.

"But... he said Refilwe was his sister," I whispered.

"Maybe he lied," she said quietly. "Or maybe he made her up. Or maybe..." She paused, eyes narrowing, "...he just really wanted your number."

My chest tightened. "But why lie?"

"I don't know, Sethu," Nthabi said, eyes scanning mine like she was searching for clues I didn't even know I had. "But it sounds like you didn't just bump into Katlego Moeketsi today... You walked straight into a mystery."

And just like that, the questions returned. Louder than before.

Who was he?
What did he want from me?
And if Refilwe didn't exist, then why go through all that trouble?

I ended the call a few minutes later, but I couldn't sleep. My brain was awake, heart restless, and gut unsure. The one and only Kat had entered my life in a blur... and just like that, left me spiraling.

This wasn't just a story anymore.

It was the beginning of something I hadn't seen coming