The Last Time We Said Goodbye

Family Time

I started preparing supper. Cwenga insisted on cooking with me. He grated carrots while I defrosted chicken. We were cooking mom's favorite meal to thank her for the gifts she bought for us.

My phone rang. It was Akhanya. I'm glad she texted me back. I listened to her voice note. "It's fine, chomie. I forgive you. I'm happy for you, but I want ice cream tomorrow so I can fully forgive you," she said, giggling.

I replied, "Don't worry, lunch is on me tomorrow." Then I continued cooking.

When mom arrived, Cwenga ran to her. "Mom, mom, you're back! What did you bring for me?" he asked, taking her bag.

Mom smiled and handed Cwenga a small bag from her shopping. "I brought you your favorite snack, little one," she said. Cwenga's eyes lit up as he tore open the bag and found a packet of chips inside.

"Yay! Thanks, Mom!" he exclaimed, giving her a big hug.

I smiled, watching the exchange between mom and Cwenga. "How was your day, Mom?" I asked, stirring the pot of food on the stove.

"It was good, dear," mom replied, setting down her bag. "I got all the groceries we needed, and I even managed to get some discounts."

Cwenga, still munching on his chips, chimed in, "Can we eat soon, Mom? I'm starving!"

I chuckled. "Just a few more minutes, Cwenga. The food is almost ready."

Mom nodded. "I'll set the table while you finish cooking."

As we worked together, the kitchen was filled with the delicious aroma of food and the sound of chatter and laughter. It was moments like these that I cherished, surrounded by my loved ones and sharing a meal together.

As we sat down to eat, mom couldn't help but notice how delicious the meal looked. "This looks amazing, kids! You two did a great job cooking," she said, beaming with pride.

Cwenga grinned, "Thanks, Mom! I grated the carrots all by myself!"

I smiled, "And I helped with the chicken and sauce."

We enjoyed our meal together, savoring the flavors and textures of the food. After dinner, we cleaned up the kitchen and sat down in the living room to relax.

Mom pulled out a small gift box from her bag and handed it to me. "I got you something special, too," she said with a smile.

I opened the box to find a beautiful necklace with a small pendant. "Wow, Mom, it's beautiful! Thank you so much," I said, giving her a hug.

Cwenga chimed in, "Can I see? Can I see?"

Mom laughed and handed him the necklace. "Here, Cwenga, take a look."

As we sat there, admiring the necklace and chatting, I felt grateful for this moment with my family. It was times like these that made me appreciate the love and support we shared.

We spent the rest of the evening laughing, talking, and enjoying each other's company. It was a lovely night with my family. The next day was Sunday. We all went to church at the Old Apostolic Church. That's where I find peace and calmness in my mind. After the service, the pastor said something that reminded me about the story I was writing.

I had written a message in our w******p group to remind Akhanya and Sibusiso, but they didn't seem interested. So, I decided to continue writing on my own.

As I worked on my story, I got tired and fell asleep with my book. Mom found me sleeping and gently woke me up. "What's wrong, dear? Why are you sleeping with your book?" Mom asked, smiling.

I rubbed my eyes. "I was writing a story, Mom. I got tired."

Mom nodded. "Why don't you take a break and rest for a bit? You can finish your story later."

I nodded, feeling a bit more refreshed after my nap. "Okay, Mom. I'll take a break."

Mom smiled and handed me a glass of water. "Drink this and come help me with lunch. We're having your favorite dish."

I smiled, feeling happy and energized. "Yay! Thanks, Mom."

As we spent the rest of the day together, I thought about my story and how I could make it better. I decided to finish it soon and share it with Akhanya and Sibusiso, even if they're not interested. Later that day, I decided to finish my story, but I couldn't seem to find the motivation. I worked on it a bit more, but eventually, I had to stop.

The next day at school, I saw Akhanya and Sibusiso during break time. I showed them the story and asked for their feedback, but they didn't seem very interested. Sibusiso said he was busy with other work, and Akhanya just glanced at it briefly.

I felt a bit disappointed, but I didn't give up. I thought maybe they would get interested later.

As time went by, things changed. Sibusiso and I were put in different classes, and we started drifting apart. We stopped talking to each other, and I was left with only Akhanya as my close friend.

Months went by, and I still hadn't finished my story. It was stuck in my notebook, unfinished and forgotten. I sometimes thought about it, but I didn't have the motivation to finish it.

Akhanya would sometimes ask me about it, but I just shrugged it off. "I'll finish it someday," I'd say. But someday seemed far away.I'm now in Grade 9. Akhanya and I aren't in the same class, which is disappointing. However, we've started working together again on our story. We've been writing together, and we've reached Chapter 9.

Our story is about a girl named Natasha who faces many challenges in her life. It's an emotional story that shows how hard life can be sometimes. Through Natasha's story, I learned that life can be tough and that sometimes we go through hard times to test our strength.

Writing this story opened my eyes to different sides of life. I realized that struggles are a part of life, and we need to be strong to overcome them.

We worked hard on our story, and someone even noticed our work. However, things didn't work out as we had hoped. Despite that, I'm proud of what we've accomplished, and I'm grateful to have Akhanya as a partner in this project.

Akhanya and I continued writing our story whenever we could. We'd meet up during breaks or after school and work on it together, pouring our hearts into the characters and plot. Our story was a labor of love, and we were determined to see it through.

One day, while we were working on a new chapter, Akhanya had an idea for a plot twist that completely changed the direction of the story. I was skeptical at first, but she convinced me to give it a try. And boy, was she right! The twist added a whole new level of depth to our story, and we were both excited to see where it would take us.

Despite the ups and downs of school life, Akhanya and I remained close, and our friendship continued to grow. We'd talk about our hopes and dreams, and we'd support each other through thick and thin.

As time went on, I started to realize that our story was more than just a hobby – it was a way for us to express ourselves and tap into our creativity. And even though we hadn't finished it yet, I knew that the journey was just as important as the destination.

Mom supported me with my story and would sometimes ask to read it. She was very encouraging and would often give me suggestions on how to improve it. Her input always made me feel like I was on the right track.

One night, I was studying for my exams with music playing softly on my headphones. Cwenga was fast asleep on his mat, and the room was quiet except for the occasional sound of a car passing outside. Mom came over and gently tapped my shoulder. "Langa, when are you going to sleep? I want to sleep too. This music is disturbing me," she said with a hint of a smile.

I paused my music and took off my headphones. "Just a bit longer, Mom. I need to finish this chapter," I replied, trying to convince her. Mom nodded understandingly and sat down next to me. "Okay, but don't stay up too late. You have exams tomorrow," she reminded me.

As I finished my studying, Mom leaned over and peeked at my notes. "You're doing great, Langa. I'm proud of you," she said, giving me a warm smile. I felt a surge of motivation and gratitude towards her. With renewed energy, I closed my books and we both settled in for the night, the music silence replaced by the soothing sounds of the night.

The next day, I walked to school with my little brother Cwenga. He's now in Grade 1 at Sophumelela Primary School, which is conveniently located just next to my school. As we walked, Cwenga chattered excitedly about his day ahead, telling me about the fun activities he would do in class. I smiled and listened patiently, happy to see him so enthusiastic about learning.

When we reached the primary school, Cwenga gave me a big hug and a smile. "Have a great day, big sister!" he said, before running off to join his classmates. I watched him go, feeling a sense of pride and responsibility as his older sibling.

I continued on my way to school, feeling a bit more energized after spending time with Cwenga. When I arrived at my school, I headed straight to my classroom, where my friends were already gathered, chatting and laughing. We exchanged greetings, and then our teacher walked in, carrying a stack of papers. "Alright, class. It's time to start our Geography task. Please take out your pens and papers," she announced.

The clock on the wall read 9 am, and we began writing our task, the scratching of pens on paper filling the room. I focused on answering the questions, trying to recall the details we had learned in class.