Beautifully Broken

The Wrong Boy

Chapter 3

Bandile Shezi's hand was still on her wrist.

Warm. Gentle. Not like Lwandle who always grabbed like he owned her.

"Zamo, you okay? Ngempela?" Bandile asked again, eyes akhe agcwele concern.

Lwandle saw it and his jaw tightened. "Bandile, shiya. It's between me and her."

"Between you and her? Wena you left her," Khethelo snapped, stepping in front of Zamo. "Now you want to control who talks to her? Hayi bo!"

The whole club felt small suddenly. Ayabongwa pulled Zamo back to their table, but Zamo's heart was beating too fast. Not because of Lwandle. Because of Bandile. She never noticed him before. He was always just... Lwandle's friend in the background.

At the table, Nomkhocy was furious. "Zamo, don't. Don't you dare fall for another one of his friends. These boys bayafana."

"I'm not," Zamo whispered, but she was lying. Even to herself. "He was just being nice."

Lindokuhle, who never talks about boys, said quietly, "Bandile is different though. Ever since first year, he never... he never plays girls like Lwandle and Minenhle."

Outside the club, the air was cold. The girls were waiting for their Uber when Minenhle and Olwethu came out laughing.

"Yoh, Zamokuhle! You came to make Lwandle jealous and it worked!" Minenhle teased. He was always the loud, rude one.

"Jealous? Ngeke. I came to enjoy myself," Zamo said, crossing her arms. "Not everything is about Lwandle. Some of us have moved on."

Olwethu Cele, the calmest of the boys, looked at her dress then at her eyes. "You have, hey? You look... happy. Finally."

That word hit her. Happy? Was she?

Before she could answer, Bandile came out alone. He had taken off his jacket.

"Zamo, your Uber will take time here. Let me drive you girls back. My car is just there," he offered, looking only at her.

"No need," Khocy said quickly. "We already ordered."

"Khocy, please," Zamo surprised everyone, including herself. "Uber is R300. Let's just... let's go with Bandile. It's safe."

The car ride was silent but strange. Khethelo and Minenhle were fighting in the front seat about music, Aya and Olwethu talking quietly behind, Lindo asleep, and Khocy watching everything like a detective.

Zamo sat in front with Bandile. He didn't try to touch her. He just drove.

When they reached res, he stopped and looked at her.

"That dress," he said softly. "It suits you. Not because it's beautiful. Because you finally look like you know you're beautiful."

Zamo felt tears coming, but this time not sad tears.

"Ngiyabonga, Bandile," she whispered.

Behind them, Lwandle's car pulled up. He had followed them.

And he saw everything.

End of Chapter 3