chapter 1 continuation
928 Words
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Evening – Luca’s Apartment
The sun dipped behind the towers of Johannesburg, leaving a burnt-orange glow across the skyline. Luca sat on the small balcony of his mom’s apartment in Braamfontein, sketchbook open on his lap and pencil tapping thoughtfully against his knee. A page was half-filled with a portrait—sharp cheekbones, full lips, narrow eyes brimming with sass.
Ayanda.
He groaned and snapped the book shut.
Why was she still in his head?
He’d met girls like her before—loud, confident, magnetic. The kind of girl who commanded attention without even trying. The kind of girl that made boys forget their own names. He’d promised himself when he moved to Jozi that he wouldn’t get caught up in the noise.
“Luca,” his mother called from inside, “food’s ready!”
He went inside, tucking his sketchbook under his arm. The living room was small, cramped even, but homey. His mother, Lindiwe, was plating up steaming bowls of pap and chakalaka.
“How was school?”
Luca shrugged, sitting at the table. “Same as Durban. Bigger campus. More drama.”
She smiled knowingly. “You met someone already?”
Luca choked on his pap. “What? No. Not like that.”
“Mm-hmm.” She chuckled. “What’s her name?”
He groaned. “Ayanda.”
“Oooh,” she said, eyes twinkling. “Pretty?”
“Too pretty. And loud. And bossy.”
“Sounds like you’re intrigued.”
“I’m annoyed.”
“Same thing at your age,” she said, laughing.
Luca rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help the grin that tugged at his lips. “She thinks I’m rude.”
“Are you?”
“Sometimes.”
She chuckled again and reached over to ruffle his hair. “Just don’t close yourself off too much. Let people surprise you.”
Luca nodded, but his mind was already miles away—back in the school hallway, to the moment Ayanda stared at him like she wanted to conquer him.
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Next Morning – At School
Ayanda strutted through the gates in a crisp skirt and a peach top under her blazer. Her edges were freshly laid, earrings gold and small, makeup glowing.
Today was not about attention. It was about power.
“Operation: Show Luca What He’s Missing,” she whispered to TJ as they walked toward class.
“Oh dear God,” he muttered.
First period was Biology. Ayanda made sure to be early and took the seat right next to Luca again. This time, she wore a fake sweet smile that scared him more than her glare did.
“Morning,” she chirped.
Luca sighed. “What now?”
She fluttered her lashes. “Just being friendly. Like a normal human.”
“I don’t believe you.”
She grinned wider. “That’s your problem.”
Ms. Bosman began the class, talking about ecosystems and predator-prey dynamics, but Ayanda was already plotting. She slid her notebook closer to Luca’s, pretending to follow the notes.
“Can I copy your diagram?” she asked sweetly.
“You have eyes.”
“You have nicer handwriting.”
He didn’t reply, just shoved his book an inch closer. She copied it slowly, deliberately dragging her fingers near his page. Luca didn’t flinch, but she could see his jaw tighten. She smirked to herself.
She wasn’t trying to be liked. She was trying to win.
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Break Time – Zoe and Luca
“So let me get this straight,” Zoe said between bites of her sandwich. “She’s trying to flirt with you... by being passive-aggressive?”
“She’s trying to annoy me into liking her.”
Zoe laughed. “And it’s working.”
Luca frowned. “It’s not.”
Zoe grinned. “You keep talking about her.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Because she’s... distracting.”
“Well, maybe that’s a good thing. You’ve been so serious since moving here. Maybe Ayanda is exactly what you need.”
“I don’t need chaos.”
“You need life, Luca. And maybe a little chaos isn’t such a bad thing.”
He didn’t respond, but his pencil was back in his hand, and without thinking, he was sketching again.
Ayanda’s silhouette.
He cursed under his breath and ripped the page out.
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After School – Trouble Brews
As the final bell rang, Ayanda spotted her chance.
Luca was heading toward the school gate alone. She followed, catching up beside him casually.
“Walk home?”
He glanced at her. “Why?”
“I’m curious. About you.”
He shook his head. “No, you’re bored.”
“Same thing,” she quipped.
He sighed but didn’t push her away. They walked in silence past the hawkers and taxis, the city alive with color and noise. Ayanda kicked a pebble and said, “Why’d you move here anyway?”
“My mom got a job transfer.”
“You miss Durban?”
“Sometimes.”
“Why don’t you talk to people more?”
“I do. Just not you.”
She laughed. “You’re so mean.”
“You’re so nosey.”
They stopped at a crossing light. Ayanda stared at him. “You know what I think?”
“I don’t care.”
She leaned closer. “I think you’re scared of me.”
Luca turned, voice quiet but sharp. “I think you’re scared of being alone.”
That shut her up.
The light turned green.
They walked in silence the rest of the way.
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- Writer
