Beautifully Broken

He Came Back

Chapter 7

Success smells sweet. And boys who left can smell it from far.

Friday. Pop-up market at the campus. Beautifully Broken table was the busiest — pink gloss, gold glitter, girls queuing.

Zamo was glowing, hair done, white top, talking to customers like a real CEO.

Then shadow fell on table.

Lwandle Nkosi. With flowers. Cheap Shoprite flowers.

"Zamo, can we talk?" he said, voice low.

Khethelo rolled eyes so hard she almost fainted. "No. No talking. Buy or bye."

"Five minutes, Zamo. Please," Lwandle begged, ignoring them. "You blocked me everywhere."

Zamo kept selling, "R50 each, R120 for three, sisi." Then looked at him, cold.

"Why are you here, Lwandle?"

"I saw you. You are... you are amazing now. I was stupid. That girl... it didn't work. I was wrong to leave you like that. You were the best thing I had," he said, pushing flowers forward.

Ayabongwa whispered, "Zamo..."

Zamo took flowers. Everyone gasped.

Then she dropped them in the bin next to table.

"These? R30 flowers after you broke my heart for 3 months? Lwandle, I cried until I had no tears. You posted 'finally peace' while I was dying in res. Manje I'm making money, I'm glowing, you want me back?"

Lwandle was embarrassed, students watching.

"Zamo, I still love you," he said.

"You love the glow, not me," Zamo answered. "When I was dark, sad, waiting for your calls, you left. Now that I'm shining, you come back. No. I don't want a boy who loves me only when I'm shining. I want someone who stayed when I was dark."

From behind, Bandile, Minenhle and Olwethu were watching. Bandile stepped forward.

"Bro, she said no. Hamba," Bandile said, calm but firm.

Lwandle looked at Bandile, then at Zamo. "So it's him now? You moved to my friend?"

Zamo laughed, "I didn't move to anyone. I moved to myself. To my girls. To my business. You are just a chapter I closed."

Lwandle left, flowers in bin, pride broken.

That night, sales: R6,000 in one day. Their biggest day.

Khethelo shouted, "Who needs love when we have money!"

But Zamo looked at Bandile who was helping them pack boxes, staying late, not asking for anything.

Maybe... maybe she could have both.

End of Chapter 7