He Kept Coming

I stood in the empty classroom, listening to Lucas's footsteps fade down the corridor.

I should have forgotten about him the moment I left Room 4 ,but Instead, I kept thinking about the way he'd looked at me, as though I was more than the cleaning lady's daughter.

I didn't know it yet, but Lucas Franklin had just stepped into my carefully hidden world and nothing would ever be the same.

I told myself he was just being polite. That was all I thought about as he just waited for the rain to stop, spoken to me and left. It meant nothing.

Boys like him didn't suddenly become interested in girls like me.

At least, that was what I wanted to believe.

Wednesday morning arrived too quickly.

When I woke up at 4:30, Lucas's words were already running through my mind.

Because it's your life, Keitu it is only you that should decide who knows about it.

I folded my mattress, tucked it behind Mma's bed and helped her prepare for work. By 6:45, I was entering through the main gate, pretending I've come from the neighborhood(Nakazane) like other children.

I had almost managed to push Lucas out of my thoughts when I spotted him beside the Grade 12 block, laughing with his rugby teammates.

I lowered my eyes and hurried past.

"Keitu!"

I stopped.

I suddenly spoke in my thoughts,slightly closing my eyes _Please, don't let that be me._

"Morning."

I turned slowly.

Lucas was walking towards me, his schoolbag hanging over one shoulder.

"Morning," I replied.

"How are you?"

"Fine thanks you?."

"Good thanks."

He stood there, smiling.

I then looked at him with a suspicious look .I waited

and Nothing.

"Is there something you need?" I eventually asked.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Must I need something to greet you?"

"No,But you walked all the way here just to ask how I am?"

"Maybe I wanted to make sure yesterday's storm didn't wash you away."

A laugh escaped before I could stop it.

His smile widened, almost as if he'd been waiting for that exact reaction.

"See you later, Keitu."

And just like that, he walked back towards his friends.

I stood there for another second before Refilwe appeared beside me.

"What was that?"

Olerato followed, looking equally amused.

"He was just greeting," I answered, adjusting my schoolbag.

"Just greeting?" Refilwe repeated. "Girl, that boy came looking for you!"

"Maybe he was greeting everyone."

"Everyone? Keitu, we were watching. He walked straight past three people to get to you."

Olerato tilted her head.

"Interesting ."Olerato said with a little chuckle.

"Nothing is interesting. Can we please go to class?"I said while walking forward.

Refilwe laughed as we walked.

"Whatever you say, my friend. But something tells me Lucas Franklin has discovered a new hobby."

"Which is?"

"Disturbing your peace."

I shook my head, but I couldn't deny what had happened.

Lucas hadn't simply greeted me.

He had come looking for me.

And I couldn't understand why.

---

By break, I'd almost forgotten the encounter,Almost.

I was sitting beneath one of the trees with Refilwe and Olerato, sharing a packet of chips, when a shadow fell across our books.

"Hey."

I looked up.

Lucas,again I shouted.

Refilwe nearly choked on her chips.

"Can I ask you something?" he said,looking directly at me,holding a piece of a paper with an unsolved problem.

I raised an eyebrow.

"You're in matric. Ask your mathematics teacher."

"She's busy."He said

"Ask your friends."I quickly said looking down 

"They're useless at maths," he replied, glancing over his shoulder.

One of his teammates shouted from a nearby bench.

"We heard that, bro!"

Lucas ignored him.

"I wanted to ask about question seven. You explained something similar in class yesterday."

I frowned.

"You were listening to our lesson?"

"I was passing your classroom."

"Several times?"

He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Okay, maybe I just wanted to ask you."

Refilwe covered her mouth, trying to hide her laughter.

I took the mathematics textbook from him and looked at the question.

It was something we'd covered the previous day. I explained the method, showing him where to substitute the values.

He listened carefully, occasionally nodding.

"Got it," he said when I finished.

"Good."

"Thank you, teacher."

"You're welcome, learner."

He laughed.

Then he smiled at Refilwe and Olerato before walking away.

The moment he was out of earshot, Refilwe turned towards me.

"That boy is up to something."

"Maybe he genuinely needed help."

"Keitu, that boy gets distinctions. You're telling me he couldn't solve question seven?"

Olerato laughed softly.

"Maybe he wanted a different kind of lesson."

"Please, both of you."

But I couldn't stop the small smile forming on my lips.

The truth was, I didn't believe the mathematics excuse either.

---

On Thursday, I found him at the library.

I was revising English literature when a chair scraped against the floor opposite me.

I looked up.

Lucas pulled out the chair and sat down.

I stared at him.

"Do you have a timetable for following me around?"

He grinned.

"Not yet. Should I make one?"

"There are about twenty empty tables."

"This one has good lighting."

"So do the others."

"Are you always this difficult?"

"Only when people disturb me."

He chuckled and opened his textbook.

For the next fifteen minutes, we studied quietly.

At least, he studied.

I tried to concentrate on my work, but I kept noticing little things about him. The way he tapped his pen against the desk whenever he was thinking. How he frowned when he encountered a difficult question. How he occasionally ran his fingers through his neatly cut hair.

Away from his teammates, he seemed different.

Less like the perfect rugby captain everyone admired and more like an ordinary boy trying to survive matric.

I was beginning to wonder whether there was more to Lucas Franklin than I'd assumed.

Then a small folded piece of paper landed beside my textbook.

I looked at him.

He was pretending to read.

Curiously, I unfolded it.

Do you always look so serious?

I picked up my pen and wrote beneath his question.

Do you always disturb people who are studying?

I folded the paper and pushed it back.

He read it, smiled and quickly wrote another reply.

Only interesting people.

My cheeks warmed.

I immediately crumpled the note and pushed it into my bag.

"Both of you!"

We looked up.

The librarian was standing a few metres away, glaring at us.

"Is this a study room or a place for passing love letters?"

My eyes widened.

"Sorry, Ma'am," Lucas said, looking completely innocent.

I buried my face in my textbook.

I wanted the floor to open and swallow me.

Lucas, however, seemed to find the entire situation amusing.

When the librarian finally returned to her desk, he leaned forward slightly.

"You're blushing."

"I'm not."

"Okay."

"Lucas."

He laughed quietly.

"Fine. I'll behave."

I returned to my notes, but I couldn't focus anymore.

This was becoming dangerous.

Not because Lucas had done anything wrong, but because I was beginning to enjoy his attention.

And that was something I couldn't afford.

Mma had always taught me that people with little to their names couldn't afford to be careless with their hearts.

Lucas had a future waiting for him.

I was still fighting to build mine.

---

That afternoon, I went behind the school hall to fetch a cleaning cloth for Mma.

I was about to enter the storage room when I noticed someone sitting on the low wall nearby.

Lucas.

He was scrolling through his phone, one leg stretched out in front of him.

The moment he noticed me, he put his phone away.

"There you are."

I stopped.

"Why are you here?"

"Waiting."

"For whom?"

He gave me a look.

"Keitu."

I tightened my grip around the cloth.

"Lucas, why do you keep coming here?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"First detention, then my classroom, then the library. Now you're behind the hall."

He stood up.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Anything."

I stared at him, trying to understand what he wanted from me.

"Listen, Lucas. I'm not interested in becoming a joke for you and your friends."

His smile disappeared.

"A joke?"

"Maybe this is some kind of challenge. Maybe you want to see how long the poor girl takes to believe a rich boy likes her."

For the first time since I'd met him, Lucas didn't have an immediate answer.

He looked genuinely hurt.

"Is that what you think of me?"

I swallowed.

"I don't know you, Lucas."

He nodded slowly.

"You're right. You don't."

He picked up his bag from the wall.

"But I'm not playing a game with you, Keitu."

I looked away.

He waited for a moment, perhaps expecting me to say something.

When I didn't, he walked away.

I watched him disappear around the corner.

A strange feeling settled in my chest.

Part of me felt guilty for speaking to him that way. Another part felt relieved.

Maybe I'd been too harsh, but I couldn't afford to forget the difference between us.

He had everything.

I had my education, my mother and a dream of making something better out of our lives.

I couldn't allow a boy to distract me from that.

Especially one like Lucas Franklin.

---

That evening, I was helping Mma prepare supper when someone knocked three times on our door.

Mma was stirring the pot on the small two-plate stove.

"Keitu, please check who's there."

I wiped my hands on a dishcloth and walked towards the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's Lucas, Mma. Sorry to disturb you."

My blood turned cold.

Lucas?

I opened the door slowly.

He stood outside holding a brown envelope.

"Hi, Keitu."

I stared at him, completely confused.

"What are you doing here?"

"Lucas?" Mma called from inside. "Come in, my boy."

He stepped inside.

"Good evening, Mma."

"Good evening, Lucas. How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you."

He handed her the envelope.

"My father asked me to bring these documents for you to sign before Saturday."

Mma accepted it.

"Thank you, Lucas. You could have brought them tomorrow."

"I know. I was nearby."

Nearby?

His home was in White River.

Our little backroom was behind the school hall in Malwela.

I folded my arms, trying not to look at him.

Mma opened the envelope and checked its contents.

"Your father always has paperwork," she said with a small laugh. "That man never rests."

Lucas smiled.

"Tell me about it."

Then his eyes shifted towards me.

"Hi, Keitu."

I gave him a small nod.

"Hi."

Mma looked between us.

"Do you two know each other?"

My heart began beating faster.

"We've spoken at school," Lucas answered.

"At school?"

Mma's expression changed.

She placed the envelope on the small table and folded her arms.

"Why would a Grade 12 boy suddenly be looking for my daughter?"

"Mma, it's not—"

She raised one hand.

"Let him answer."

Lucas glanced at me.

For the first time since I'd met him, he looked nervous.

He took a breath.

"Because I want to get to know her."

Silence filled our tiny room.

I wished the floor would swallow me.

Mma stared at him, her expression unreadable.

"Does your father know you're interested in the cleaner's daughter, Lucas?"

My stomach tightened.

Lucas looked down briefly before meeting her eyes again.

And in that moment, I realised something.

He might have been brave enough to approach me at school.

But getting close to me would be much harder than he'd imagined.

Especially if my mother had anything to say about it.

And judging by the look on her face, she had plenty to say.