Chapter 8

‘I think your date has arrived, let me open for him.’ Anna said while shoving the last pictures into the rubbish bin.

I took a deep breath while looking at this new girl in the mirror, a girl that my parents would hardly recognize, a girl that I always yearned to look like. She was a very beautiful girl. And that girl was me.

‘Hello, how are you?’ That was Anna, opening the door for Billy.

‘I’m good, is she ready?’ Billy asked from the outside.

‘Just a minute, I will call her.’ Anna told him as she came to fetch me.

‘Chomee, come.... hey, smile, you are beautiful.’ Anna whispered to me in an assuring manner. She led me to the front door, and I tried my level best to walk the stilettos perfectly.

Billy brought flowers. His mouth opened as soon as he laid his eyes on me, his jaw dropped. He took his time inspecting me, admiring me with his eyes. He didn't say a word. He just kept on staring at me like I was his flat-screen television. I could see his Adam’s apple moving up and down. He was trying to swallow my beauty and when he couldn’t, he finally broke the silence.

‘I have never seen such beauty.’ I believed he was lying. Billy’s female friends didn’t need Maureen and Anna to be beautiful. It just happened to them. Maybe he meant that he has never seen ME so beautiful.

‘Thank you’. I said with my perfect smile.

‘Oh, these are for you.’ He said, handing me the red roses.

‘Chomee look, they match your dress.’ Anna said with a bright smile.

‘Yes, they do my friend. They are beautiful and they smell good too. Thanks, Billy, you are too kind.’

‘You are welcome, sweetheart. Shall we?’ Billy said as he extended his arm to me.

‘I will see you later Anna.’

‘Have fun, you guys.’

I was very ecstatic about everything. The way I looked, the flowers, Billy looking at me the way he did a while ago. I really thought it was all a dream, that I needed somebody to pinch me. But there was something that didn’t sit well with me. Billy. His clothes and my clothes were for totally two different occasions. My clothes said, ‘I am going to a dinner date’ and his were ‘a wild night out partying’ He was wearing a total opposite of what I was wearing. T-shirt, jeans, a pair of All Star takkies and a jacket. ‘What if I am over-dressed for the occasion?’ I thought to myself.

‘Uhm... Billy, who else did you say is going clubbing with us again?’

‘Just a few of my buddies. Fabian, Tebogo, Mark and their girlfriends. why?’

‘Nothing, I just wanted to know. ‘I lied glibly.

‘Did I tell how you beautiful you look?’ Billy asked looking deep into my eyes. For a second I thought he was going to kiss me. I wanted him to kiss me. I even wondered how it would feel. Especially if he had reached down and we made love right in his Mini Cooper. I eventually snapped out of it.

‘Yes, you did. Twice already.’ I accompanied my statement with a shy laughter.

‘Well I am telling you again, beautiful is an understatement.’

‘Thank you again Billy. So, do you always travel like this? With your own personal driver?’

‘Ah no. Moses is my home boy; we are just going to drop him off at Fabian’s house. Most of the time I prefer driving... alone.’

‘So you pretty much keep to yourself? Because most of the time on campus you are sitting by yourself with your headphones on.’

‘Yeah I do. I find keeping to myself healthy. I reflect on a lot of things in my life.’

‘Oh ok. Would you mind if I ask what kind of things you reflect on?’

‘Just stuff. Not that important.’ Billy said without looking at me. ‘You are one curious cutie, aren’t you?’ He said fiddling with my chin. That felt very good, although his fingers gave me Goosebumps and I felt my cheeks burn, I still liked it. The drive to Fabians house was a bit longer than I expected. It was in North cliff suburb. The biggest house I have ever seen. I wondered if Fabian’s home was this huge, then Billy’s must be humongous. ‘Some people live the life some of us can only dream of.’ I thought to myself.

‘Are you okay?’ Billy asked. He seemed concerned about me more that I gave him credit for.

‘Yeah, I’m good.’ I replied with my shy smile.

‘Okay, I’m just going inside to get everyone, we won’t all be travelling in the same car though. I will be back before you know it.’ He said with a smile while giving me a kiss on my already burning cheek. I was kind of relieved to hear that we won’t all be traveling in the same vehicle. I was really not a fan of Billy’s friends. Just a look at them or a mention of their names made me feel very small. If Billy was my boyfriend at that time, I could have told him I didn’t want to go clubbing with his snobbish friends, especially Fabian.

‘Are you serious dude? The girl from college? The one with huge eyes?’ I heard Fabian’s voice from a distance.

‘Yes, that one, her name is Petunia and please be nice. Don’t say anything that will make her feel uncomfortable. She is very sensitive.’ At least prince Billy came to my rescue.

‘Sensitive? Dude come on! How long did you know this girl for? Three seconds and you already know what type of a person she is.’ Fabians voice was even more rude than I remember. I was disgusted.

‘Just be nice Fab. Don’t mess up my girl okay?’ Billy said with an intense voice this time.

‘Okay okay Mr. Lover-Lover. I will be nicer than spice.’ He said jokingly. At least that’s what he thought he was doing. Joking. I looked through the window and I saw the girls. They looked flawless I must say. They were dressed differently from what I was wearing. One of the girls had a pink crop top on, accompanied by tight high waist leather pants that hugged her round voluptuous figure and some very nice pumps. The other one had a white tank top matched with blue jean shorts and white sneakers. She layered her look with a blue thin jean shirt.

Then the last one had a short jump suit with different shades of color accompanied by some nice red wedges. To my relief, one of them was wearing high heels as well, wedges. And there I was, wearing a cocktail mini dress. Right there and then, I felt way out of place. Stilettos and a clutch bag, God I was so embarrassed, even before they met me. I felt an immediate need to go back to my place. So immediate that I was ready to be a party-pooper, but I thought of the main purpose. My priority was to win Billy and if I was going to be a fun-snatcher, then I was going to lose him even before I got him. I decided to just be tolerant.

‘Hello......err... Petunia.’ That was Fabian.

‘Hi’. I replied back with boredom in my voice.

‘You look cute.’ He said. Cute, that’s all he could say. Isn’t the word -cute- used to admire kindergarteners? And the idiot decided to indirectly compare me to a kindergartener. He didn’t even ask me how I was doing or at least give an adult compliment. He was just in a hurry to belittle me.

‘Thank you.’ That was all I could say as well, even though I felt like he didn’t deserve it.

‘Oh, this is my girlfriend, Lerato.’ At least he was nice enough to introduce us.

‘Hi Lerato, it’s nice to meet you. I am Petunia.

‘Hi Petunia, just call me Lira.’

‘Okay, Lira.’

‘Oh, this is Ntombi and Carol.’ Lerato introduced me to the other girls. She sounded nicer than her arrogant boyfriend.

‘Ntombi is Tebogo’s girl and Carol is Mark’s.’

‘Nice to meet you guys.’ I said shyly.

‘Same here.’ Carol said. ‘So, you are Billy’s new girlfriend?’

‘Not really, we are just friends.’

‘Oh okay. You will be. Billy’s ‘just friends’ always turn into more than friends. No wonder his relationships don’t last’

‘You’re so right, just not too long ago he was involved with some older girl.’ Ntombi added to my dismay. The girls started talking about Billy among themselves, as if I wasn’t even there. I was just standing in front of them like roast chicken and I was filled with embarrassment.

At that moment, Billy came to us. I was very relieved. The girls got me a bit worried though. The things they said made me wonder how many girlfriends Billy can have in just a one month period. But I was not going to let that come between Billy and me.

‘Okay guys, I am going with Petunia, who else is riding with us?’ Billy asked everybody.

‘We can join you guys. I am not in the mood for Fab's boring music.’ Ntombi said with a little laughter

‘Girl come on, leave my man’s car alone, I will ride with him.’ Said Lira.

‘Hahahahaha like you have a choice.’ The girls seemed very fond of each other. They also looked less rude, unlike Sharon.

‘Okay Billabong (that’s how Billy’s friends called him sometimes), we will follow you guys in my car.’ Fabian said.

I was nervous about starting a conversation with Ntombi as we were both sitting in the back seat. What could we possibly talk about? We are two different people from two different surroundings. Although she seemed like a nice girl, she still made me feel small. Especially because we had a different dress code.

‘So, are you also going to the club with us or are you and Billy going on a date? Ntombi broke the ice with a polite voice.

‘We are also going to the club. Why do you ask?’

‘Uhm... nothing hey. I just see the way you are dressed.’

‘Is there something wrong with my outfit?’

‘Not at all. It is beautiful. Very beautiful. I just hope you going to be able to keep up.’

‘Keep up?’

‘Yeah, Friday nights, we paint the town pink.’ Gosh, I didn’t even know what that meant.

‘Oh, I see.’

‘Yes girl, we are moving from club to club and we dance until the sun comes up. We explore the night. It is going to be fun; you will see.’

‘Sounds fun. But don’t you guys get tired?’ I was very curious.

‘Not at all, we have a boost. Don’t worry girl, you going to have fun. So, where did you guys meet? You and Billy?’ The girl sure asked many questions. But it was no problem since she knew exactly how to break an awkward silence.

‘We met on campus.’

‘Oh, you go to the same college?’

‘Yes. Which college do you go to?’

‘Oh, I actually go to varsity. I go to Wits in Braamfontein.’

‘Oh! Okay. Where do you originally come from?’

‘Girl, I can't really say I know hey. I grew up around here. I’m a city girl. I live in Fourways.’

‘Okay, that’s nice.’

‘And you?’

‘I live in Turffontein with my roommate, but I am originally from Limpopo. A place called Ga-Sekhukhune.’

‘Oh, you are a farm girl…… nice. How long have you been in Johannesburg for?’

‘It has been three months now.’

Farmgirl? Did she just call me a farm girl? Why was it that the city people think everyone from Limpopo lives on farms? She was not the first one who called me a farm girl. That is stupid, yes, I come from a rural area, that is governed by a chief, not a farmer.

‘I’m not a farm girl hey.’ I told her.

‘Oh sorry, did I offend you?’

‘Don’t worry about it.’

‘Okay ladies, are you ready to party?’ Tebogo, Ntombi's boyfriend asked.

‘Oh yeah baby, we are painting the city pink pink pink.’ Ntombi responded with her jolly voice. She was a very nice girl, even though she called me a farm girl, I let that go.

Billy got into the parking lot of the club in Newtown and Fabian followed suite. When I got out of the car, everyone was looking at me. At that time, I felt very nervous. My shoes were, unfortunately, longer than I thought. I was a bit uncomfortable in them and I think the crew noticed. Lira even came over to me and asked if I’m going to be okay in them and her arrogant boyfriend made a joke out of it. But Billy reassured me that he will have his arm around me all night if I need him. He made me feel better. He was the sweetest human being I have ever met.

We eventually went inside, and it was my very first time in a club. It looked absolutely nothing like the tavern I once went to back at home. There were about three floors, each with a stage for a performer, I guess. I was amazed by all those lights, the vibe, the music, the people. Everything just sent chills down my spine. I was very excited, so much that I almost forgot that I was over-dressed for the occasion.

‘I am going to get drinks for everybody. What can I get you ladies to drink?' Fabian asked us (the girls).

‘You can get us some strawberry daiquiris babe and keep them coming.’ Lira answered. I knew what strawberry daiquiris are. Cocktails with alcohol in them and I didn't drink. I was not determined to be a bore, but alcohol wasn’t part of plans either.

‘Uhm... just get me an orange juice, I don’t drink alcohol.’ I told Fabian. Everybody looked at me with shock. I don’t understand why they had to be shocked, I mean earlier on Ntombi called me a farm girl, she should have known that farm girls don’t drink alcohol. Billy also looked shocked, more embarrassed than shocked.

‘Girl come on. In this day and age? You can’t come to one of the hottest clubs in the city and sip on orange juice, you should have just gone to Wimpy instead.’ Lira said, to everyone’s amusement. I was embarrassed and close to tears.

‘Yeah, what the hell, I will have what everybody else is having.’ I responded, pretending I wasn’t embarrassed.

‘Babe you now you don’t have to drink alcohol if you don’t want to.’ Billy said.

‘No Bills, we came here to party. There is always a first time for everything.’ I was now trying to fit in with the rest of the girls.

‘That’s my kind of girl.’ Ntombi said as she gave me a high five. Fabian mumbled something that I couldn't make sense of as he went to get the drinks and everybody stood up to dance, except me of course. My shoes gave me some sort of time limit when it came to dancing. Plus, I was very shy, I didn’t even know how to dance, at least not the way they do.

‘Here are your drinks ladies.’ Fabian came back sooner than I had expected.

‘That was fast, thanks Fab.’ Carol said, ‘I would like to propose a toast, to a great night out. We are painting the city pink pink pink.’

‘A great party.’ Everybody shouted.

The cocktail tasted good. It wasn’t as bitter as I thought it will be. I actually enjoyed it. The more I drank, the more I got confident.

‘Ladies, can we go powder our noses?’ Lira said and she blinked at us. I didn’t want to powder my nose simply because I didn’t even have any make-up on me. There was nothing in my clutch bag, except for my lip-gloss.

‘Uhm... Ntombi, I am fine, I don’t need to powder my nose.’ I gently pulled her aside and told her, but the rest of the girls followed us. At least I told them away from the boys, I was tired of being a laughingstock already.

‘Girl are you serious,’ Lira asked with the most belittling tone ever, ‘first you come to the club dressed like you are going to a matric dance, then you don’t want a cocktail, now you don’t even want to come to the bathroom simply because you don’t have make-up! Where are you from? Kruger National park?’

‘Lira please, that is not funny,’ Ntombi interrupted her, ‘I will share some of mine with you farm girl.’

‘Thanks’ I was not in the mood to argue about the farm girl name.

‘We are going to powder our noses boys, don’t miss us too much.’ Lira said with a giggle

‘Err... babe’, Fabian called Lira, ‘Are sure you are satisfied with your make-up?’

‘Yes my love, we have enough’ Lira said as she gave him a long kiss.

That just made me wonder. Why would Fabian be carrying his girlfriend’s make-up around? Wow! That was a first.