Chapter 21
1105 Words
Luke…
“Ficelle she’s loaded.”
I feel like a horrible person for even saying this out loud.
“Who, Sindi?”
“No. Michaela.”
“Oh my god you’re a gold digger.” My twin sister feigns disgust.
“It’s not like that. My feelings for her are really genuine.”
I’m trying to convince myself that my plan isn’t wrong. It’s just a means to an end.
The means don’t necessarily have to justify the ends and this Michaela we’re talking about. She just doesn’t care how she gets things done. She does whatever it takes. She would definitely get it.
“Feelings, wow (a chuckle). I never thought you had those.” She gives me a look I can’t quite decipher.
“I’m not all those things they say I am.”
“Oh please you don’t really think I buy all that crap do you? Well anyway it’s not that. What if she finds out and she breaks up with you then it’s back to square one. Actually square zero. No, square negative interval…”
“Stop panicking please. Her dad is hosting the party on Saturday.”
Genuine shock materialises on her face. She’s at a loss for words.
“She is the daughter of…”
“The one and only Mr Sangweeny.”
“It’s Sangweni.”
“You’re not all that perfect.”
“Yeah well atleast I try.” She scoffs. “But are you sure?”
“Positive. Affirmative and all the big words. Her surname says it all. And I was in his presence yesterday. She talks to him like he’s just an ordinary man.”
“And I thought you were at Sindi’s place.”
“I did go but I kinda just felt lighter as I walked over to her house.”
“Luke Dis gevaarlik.”
“Wat is so gevaarlik aan iets wat my beter laat voel?”
“So ons laat jou slegter voel?”
“It’s not like that, Ficelle y’all are so fussy and fidgety. I can’t even breathe sometimes. She let’s me be.”
“Dis omdat sy jou nie ken nie.”
“I tell her more than I tell my therapist and yet Sy behandel my nie soos ‘n eier wat op die punt staan om te breek nie!”
“Dis hoekom die terapie nie werk nie. Jy is nie…”
“Die terapie werk nie as gevolg van jou pa nie.”
“Luke Jy kan nie jou tekortkominge op pa blameer nie.”
“Dit kom altyd terug hier. Alles wat ek sê. Dan is dit ‘n lesing oor nie hard genoeg probeer nie. So dan lieg ek. Ek praat oor jou, Ma, en die beste oor Pa. Ek maak dit so geloofwaardig sodat sy nie kan sien ek is nie kook binne. Nou saam met Michaela kan ek enigiets sê. Voel verlig sonder oordeel of ondersoek of een of ander soort waarneming. Ek dink sy verstaan dit.”
“I don’t know Luke. I never do. I don’t like Blue. I don’t like your situation. I don’t like how we are as a family. We don’t see eye to eye most times but you know I got your back. I’ll support your decisions but I still want what’s best for you. If you need space…”
I don’t need space. Especially not from Ficelle. It’s not even biologically possible with us. We’ve been together since conception.
“I don’t need space. I need Michaela. Ficelle you’re my best friend. You’re heaven sent. When all else is gone I know I’ll have you. Through the worst of times, you’re always there. If this scheme fails you’re gonna be there. I’m however still a bit mad at you for deserting me for Blou when we were kids.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t know she was such a b…”
“Taal! Anyway she thinks only the best things about you. She can’t even wait for y’all to be skoonsusters.”
“Oh that pretentious b…( I give her an admonishing look.) girl.” She says and rolls her eyes.
“Pa sal jou nek breek.”
“Ek sal hom rooi maak voordat hy dit doen.”
We both laugh.
It’s actually funny. The image of my red dad is never not funny. Even our childhood drawings of him have bits of red here and there. It’s a very hard job to not laugh when it happens in real time. If we do, it makes it worse then my mother has to intervene. She has also admitted that it is a bit funny, but it worries her still.
My dad is getting old. His temper is not good for him, or anyone else for that matter. Atleast the rest of us are considerate of his health but we can’t say that much for him.
“Hey, can I spend the rest of the night in here.”
“Cool. Only if you bring enough snacks and I pick the movie and we watch it in silence until the end.”
“You’re the one who usually talks over a movie.”
“If I’m asking for silence then that means I will be silent. Just get the snacks.”
She grumpily and grudgingly does as I say.
The movie ends without either of us saying a word. Neither of us seem to be feeling sleepy either.
“I’m not going to school tomorrow.” I say as the credits roll out.
“I wish I was you.” She drops a popped corn in her mouth.
“You don’t. Yeah I know it has it’s perks but you don’t.”
Nobody really wants to be me. Yeah they want some sort of escape from their systematic daily lives but mine isn’t the better alternative. They just want the perks but not the fluctuations.
“I invited her to the party.” I say after a short while if silence.
“Why would she need an invite if she’s Mr Sangweni’s actual daughter?” She asks lazily.
“We’ve been over that already. I know what I saw, I’m not crazy.”
“I’m not saying you’re crazy, Luke. I’m just pointing out that maybe she’s probably already invited, she doesn’t even need an invite.”
“Okay. Besides, I was just asking her to be my date”.
She goes silent. It’s as if she’s stopped breathing or she isn’t even in the room. The silence is deafening. It makes me feel like I’m breathing out too loud.
- Writer
