Beautifully Broken

Boys Will Be Boys

Chapter 4

Lwandle didn't even park properly.

He jumped out of his car, eyes red from alcohol or anger, no one knew.

"Bandile! What are you doing with my girl?" he shouted, pointing.

Zamo froze at the res gate. "Your girl? Lwandle, are you drunk? Wena you posted 'finally peace' 6 hours ago! I am not your girl!"

Bandile stepped out slowly, hands up. He was taller than Lwandle, calmer, but you could see he was tired of this.

"My brother, relax. I just gave them a lift. Nothing more. Why are you following us?" Bandile said.

"Because I know you! You always wanted her! From first year!" Lwandle was shouting now, the whole res was starting to watch from windows.

Minenhle and Olwethu tried to pull him back. "Bro, shaya amanzi, you're embarrassing yourself," Olwethu whispered.

Khethelo was not having it. "Embarrassing? He's always embarrassing! Zamo cried for weeks, Lwandle! WEEKS! And you come here now acting like you own her?"

Nomkhocy pulled Zamo inside the yard. "Let's go, Zamo. Asidingi le drama. Let boys be boys."

But Ayabongwa stayed. Soft Aya, who never shouts, shouted.

"Enough! Lwandle, hamba! You broke her! You don't get to come back when she finally looks happy! You had her when she was soft, when she was kind, when she would wait for your calls! You left! So hamba!"

Silence.

Lwandle looked at Zamo — really looked at her in that gold dress, standing with her girls, not running to him.

"Zamo... I just... I thought you would wait," he said, voice small now.

Zamo laughed, tears finally falling but different tears. Strong tears.

"Wait? For what? For you to find peace with another girl while I was dying here? No, Lwandle. Angisalindi. I'm done waiting for people who left."

She turned and walked into the res building, her friends behind her like an army. Bandile watched her go, fists clenched — not from anger at Lwandle, but from wanting to go after her and knowing he shouldn't.

That night, Zamo took off the gold dress, hung it carefully, and sat on the floor with her girls.

"Girls... what if I'm still broken?" she whispered.

Lindokuhle hugged her. "Then we stay beautifully broken together. But we stay rich, we stay glowing, and we never, ever wait for boys who left."

Khethelo added, "And tomorrow, we block him. All of them. Except Bandile. Bandile can stay, he drives nicely."

Everyone laughed, even Zamo.

Outside, Bandile was still sitting in his car, looking up at her window light.

And Lwandle? He was finally understanding what it means to lose a good girl.

End of Chapter 4