5.

5.

AVETHANDWA SISULU

The date has been going on quite well despite how it started. The food was great and the conversation was flowing. So far he was just talking about his brothers and his work. He's an auditor. He audits all his family companies even though he haven't yet told me how they came to own them but I'm still going to dig. If he and I were ever to date which is highly impossible, I want to make sure I know what I'm getting myself into.

“How come you own these businesses? Did you inherit them?” The wine was sinking in and the meal was hitting the right spots.

“We did. Our parents died and we inherited everything.”

“Is it just the three of you?” Surely there are more siblings, isn't it?

“You haven't answered any questions I've asked about your parents. This feels like 99 questions about my family.” He pointed out.

“It's 100 questions and only one for my family which I answered. What are we doing here if we are hiding things from each other?” This has been useless.

“I could ask the same but it's fine. No family questions.” I'll only stop because I'm not willing to answer any questions about my family. Nobody wants to hear about your other parent murdering the other one. His phone rang and he took it out to answer it.

“Yeah?” His demeanour suddenly changed. He became a different person and was suddenly serious.

“I'm busy. Can't you do it?” He was clenching his jaws and fists. He's definitely hiding something. Why am I even here with him? Oh right Tinyeleti. My grandma used to tell me that there's always something wrong about rich people whose wealth can't be accustomed to and i used to say she was exaggerating that people actually goes to school to study and then graduates and work and build big houses but as I grew up, i realised that it's possible to be rich without school and not every wealth was acquired through the right processes like the Mboyo wealth. I have a peaceful life. I'm not trying to find myself in the middle of a shady one.

“I'll come.” He hung up and stared at me. “We have to go.” Say no more. I stood up and collected my phone and bag. He also stood up and picked up his phone and car keys.

“Aren't you gonna settle the bill?”

“I own the restaurant, sweetheart. It's taken out of my tab.” So arrogant.

“Right, good to know.”

“You can always come to eat here and they will put you on my tab.” I was now following him outside.

“No thanks. I'll stick to what I can afford.” We got in his car and he drove in silence. I was deep in thought that I didn't even realise when we had reached my place.

“Um... thank you for today but I don't wanna ever see you again.” I don't have to smile or be polite, my honesty is enough.

“Ouch. Why? Was it the food?” He's seriously gonna ask that?

“I don't have to answer that.” I opened the door and walked out of the car to my own apartment. I switched on the lights and almost screamed when I saw Tinyeleti eating ice cream in the dark.

“What the hell?”

“You're early. Why am I surprised? So how was the date?” I sighed and walked to the couch and threw myself on it.

“Terrible.” I took off my sneakers. You'll think I made a little effort to look pretty but I was just in my jeans and some black fancy top from Tinyeleti. I looked casual.

“It couldn't have been that bad.” She laughed.

“Trust me it was. One moment we are eating and the next moment he's answering a call and then he tells me we have to go. How long do you have to wait before you catch feelings for someone?”

“It just happens.” She leaves her ice cream. “I think you're just uninterested. You don't want to let anyone in so you find faults in them. You do know that I'm the only person who isn't family that you actually let in? And you don't even treat me like a friend.” She had this look of pity on her face.

“I consider you a sibling.” She smiles and hugs me randomly.

“I think I love you Ave.” I push her off me and she laughs. “But honestly was the date all that bad or you just didn't want to go out with him?”

“It was that bad. Can we speak about something different, please?” She rolls her eyes and backs away from me. There's too much space on the couch anyway.

“Mom says our Star girl is growing.” Star girl is her baby. Her name is actually Gracie. It's a little old-fashioned name but she was named by her grandma.

“When is she visiting us?” I'm not fond of kids but I'm definitely fond of her daughter. I was there when she was born and I have been attached since then.

“Not anytime soon. I want to forget that I'm someone's mother for a while—oh before I forget, my brother is throwing a little get-together next weekend. It would be great if you could come.” I've met her brother once or twice and well let me just say that I don't have a type but her brother is handsome. He's such a good-looking guy that you never stop staring at him but he never sees me which is fine because what am I gonna do with a guy eight years older than me?

“Not that smile please.” She was irritated with me. She thinks it's gross that I kind of have a crush on her brother.

“What smile? I'm just happy to be invited somewhere.” I stand up.

“My brother is not your soulmate trust me. He's just a womaniser. You deserve better.” It's good that she thinks best of me but hey, I'm still just a girl who sleeps with a vibrator sometimes. Being weird and awkward doesn't take away all the horniness.

—

I'm not expecting anyone and Tinyeleti never knocks, she always bulldozes in so I get a little surprised when I hear a knock on the door. It's a Friday night and there's honestly so much I could watch on the TV. I take my ass to the door and open it to see who is knocking at this time of the night.

“Hi?” Mbuso waltzes in holding a pack of Savanna. He wasn't kidding the other day, was he?

“Your day was that boring?” I close the door behind him and follow him to the couch.

“It was, princess. You don't wanna know. You're my only entertainment at this point.” I sit down next to him and grab the TV remote.

“What do you wanna watch?” I scroll on Prime Video for a movie that may catch my attention.

“Do you always wear these small shorts when you're alone?” He was staring at my shorts. Yes, they are very short but I'm at home.

“Eyes on the TV, pervert.” He should stop staring at me. He isn't getting inside these shorts anyway.

“I'm just appreciating nice things. My brother told me about your date yesterday.” Great, another person.

“How about Picture This?” I stare at him and he stares at the screen.

“It's romance. What if they start having sex? Who's gonna help me if I get a boner?” I glare at him.

“Do you want to leave?”

“I'm just kidding. Do you ever smile or laugh? Except for when you're drunk?” His smile irritates me. He just makes me so angry sometimes and surprisingly I don't hate him.

“No. I eat little boys for dinner.” I grab the remote from the couch and continue with my quest. “I'm gonna settle with To Catch A Killer. Maybe they'll teach me something about m.urdering a friend.”

“At least I'm a friend.” I roll my eyes and stare at the screen. He opens the six-pack and offers me a Savanna. I take it. I'm gonna drink this one only. No getting drunk this time. It's good that there's a bottle of water here.