CHAPTER TWO

'I don't like you doing this job.' Nkokheli says as we walk through the streets of our township. The sun is setting, so its not yet dark and yet Nkokheli insists on accompanying me. I now know that if he had a car, he would drop me off at the entrance and if he had his way, I would not be working as a bottle girl. 'I don't either but I can't complain much, the pay is good.' I shrug my shoulders, trying to console myself with the amount of money I come home with after every shift. Every time I come back home after a shift, I feel like I have lost a part of myself. Multiple big spenders ask me to leave with them and the fact that my boss encourages that, is not helping the situation. When they touch us, we have to let them and not overreact. I must admit, the first two weeks of working there made me feel like a glorified prostitute but now, I just leave things be.

'But if mama knew where the money came from, she would not want it too.' I come to an abrupt stop as I take offense in his words. He stops as well and looks at me with his head tilted to the side. 'Are you going to tell her?' He chuckles and shakes his head. 'What do you take me for, you little psycho?' I know he pretends like this doesn't bother him but I can't begin to imagine what it feels like to be hated by the whole community, so much so that your mother refuses to take the money that you risked your life to get. Although I understand her as well. Nkokheli technically chose the easy way out, stealing from hard working people and benefitting from their blood, sweat and tears. 'Funny how we were raised in a Christian household but one of the children is a criminal and the other is basically a stripper.' I laugh at the realization I have made a long time ago.

Before I know it, we are at the main road and Nkokheli is hailing taxis for me. 'Ah sho sho Mashesha.' He greets his taxi driver friend as he opens the taxi door for me. I don't know why he insists I sit in front, knowing very well that I hate it. This friend of his uses every opportunity he gets to talk to me. And I find it quite odd that he passes by here around the same time whenever I have to go to work. 'Does your friend know that you are lusting after his sister?' He chuckles lightly as he begins to drive off. He has his claws so deep that he even knows my shifts by head and I haven't even been working for more than a month and a couple of weeks. Staying in the city was better because I could work at top end restaurants but when you are at a township, you are limited to clubs.

'I always tell you that I'm going to marry you and you always think I'm joking.' Mashesha says with a sly smile on his face. And yes, he never fails to remind me that I will be Mrs Mngomezulu and I would like to disagree. He's not at all a bad looking man, he's actually quite good looking but I dislike how taxi drivers are notorious for all the wrong reasons and Mashesha is no different from all the others. 'Right, you can marry one of your many girlfriends who are STD carriers.' I mumble as I look out the window and watch as the sunlight completely disappears from the sky, bringing rise to the cresent moon. If it were up to me, I would have studied Astrophysics and I would like to believe I would have made the cut, with my results but it would take too long and my parents never believed in that anyway. So when my bursar came, I just accepted their offer and moved on with life.

And the thing about bursars is that you have to study something in the line of work that the company that will be funding you is in, because you will somehow have to repay them. Nothing is really free in this world and we should have all realized the truth in that when we started paying for everything, even for other living creatures. Now I wonder how life would have turned out had Eve just stayed away from the serpent and the forbidden fruit, it was forbidden for a reason. 'Sho sho makoti wakwaMngomezulu.' Mashesha says as he opens the door for me and extends his hand for me to hold on to as he helps me out the taxi. I thank him with a small smile before walking away from him.

Blue Moon is a well known club in our neighboring town. Anyone and everyone who wants a good time will be found here. It has shut down many other clubs because they couldn't measure up to its standard. 'Hi Menzi,' I greet the bouncer as I make my way in, he just give me a quick thumbs up and a little smile as I make my way in. The club is already packed and its not even seven pm yet and that's how I know its going to be a busy night. I work from Friday night through to Sunday night, Sunday night being the least busy of them all. And if you work at a high-end club, you will know that Friday nights are for men who work nine-to-five jobs, usually married and are enjoying their off days and chasing after fresh pussy. Saturdays are usually for varsity students who are looking for one-night stands and Sundays are for what we call amaGrootman, where the money really is.

They usually come around five pm and leave before midnight because Monday is a business day and they have to get that bag. They are not heavy drinkers, they usually order the expensive drinks that taste like hell. They don't really like slay queens and we get to have all their attention. The VIP section is always full then and I have the liberty to serve them. A lot of my fellow bottle girls hated me for that because I was new and already hitting the VIP section while some have been here for way much longer than me and have never set foot there. Tonight was Saturday and I can only wish it was Sunday because then the atmosphere is much calmer. There is way less sexual harassment, fighting and the vibe is just nice. Even the music is calm, there's nothing hectic.

Usually just the smell of cigar, expensive whisky for the gents, nice and calm deep house music and just good company. Men are men, they'll obviously touch when they see something they like but none of them have personally ever pressured me to sleep with them. I guess there's something about matured and rich men, that's where its truly at. Taking my trench coat off, I put it in my locker, along with my handbag. 'Get ready for a crazy night of spoilt brats and entitled fucks,' my friend, Lele says as she walks into the locker room while shaking her head. I laugh at her complaining but sadly, that's the truth. 'Well we told ourselves that we'd secure the bag so there's nothing we can do.' I tell her as I shrug my shoulders. I fix my hair and apply my lipgloss. 'Lucky for you, with your internship, you won't have to do this for much longer.' Lele is one of the many girls who would do anything for the bag.

I don't judge her really, and these girls don't really care. She told me that the longer you stay working here, your perspective will change and you become more greedy and end up doing whatever you have to do for more money. And that, is my biggest fear. She now even has regulars, the guys that she can always count on to fund her lifestyle. And she has one contact on the VIP section, and that's why she can wear Renè Caovilla to work while I just wear heels from Legit that I don't even know the name of. As I step outside of the locker room, I say a mini prayer to God just so he can give me the strength to get through this night safe and sound, and not forgetting, sane.