CHAPTER 3: FRIENDS WITH HIS FRIENDS

So she ignores. She walks past him in KHS corridor like he is air. He is standing with prefect book, white shirt still has light milk stain from yesterday because his mom washed but stain stubborn.

"Amanda," he says.

She doesn't answer. She keeps walking, pink socks up today both, blazer tied around waist. She goes straight to his friends' wall. Thato and Jay.

Thato and Jay are Grade 11, popular but funny. They sit at the wall near tuckshop every break. Everyone wants to sit there but only cool kids sit. Amanda doesn't ask — she just sits. She is not cool, she is crazy, but they like crazy.

"Yoh Thato, yesterday your friend chased me like I stole his mom's chicken," she says loud so Kwena hears.

Thato laughs: "We heard. Whole KHS heard. AMANDA!!!"

Jay: "You left milk river in corridor. Cleaners still looking for you."

She touches Thato's arm when laughing, big laugh, kasi laugh. She knows Kwena is watching from far, near Science block.

Kwena comes from soccer practice. Sweaty, white shirt off, black vest, ball under arm. He sees Amanda sitting with his best friends, touching Thato's arm, laughing. Something hot in his chest. Not anger. Jealous? He never felt jealous before. Girls always come to him. Now his friends laughing with milk girl?

"What is going on here?" he says, standing over them. Voice serious.

Amanda looks up, shield ON. Rude mode.

"Mind your own business, popular boy. I talk to who I want. You not my father. Go clean your shirt, still has milk."

She stands, walks away, not looking back. But her heart beating. Did it work?

Thato looks at Kwena after she leaves: "Yo bro, you jealous?"

"I'm not jealous. I just— she spilled on me yesterday, now she acts like I don't exist."

Jay smiles: "She likes you but hides with rudeness. If she hated you, she wouldn't look at you at all. She looks too much. When you came, she sat straight, fixed her blazer. I saw."

Kwena sits, looks at where Amanda went, near Grade 10C. He is confused. He is Grade 11A, prefect, popular. Girls bring him water during soccer, write him letters. Amanda brings him milk stain and insults.

Same time, Amanda with Palesa and Busi behind hall.

"Did he look jealous?" Amanda asks fast.

Palesa: "He looked like he wanted to take Thato's chair and sit."

Busi: "Girl, why you rude to him if you like him?"

Amanda: "If I'm nice he will think I'm like other girls who bring him water and say 'Kwena you so good at soccer.' I don't want to be like them. I want him to chase. I'm not easy. At KHS, easy girls bring water, hard girls spill milk."

Palesa: "He already chased you to girls bathroom. That's chasing."

Amanda smiles big: "Then he must chase again."

Next period, Maths. Amanda outside again. Ma'am Ndlovu: "Amanda, X is waiting inside, not outside."

Amanda leans on wall, sees Kwena passing with prefect book. He doesn't look at her this time. He walks straight, ignoring back. Her plan worked too well.

She feels small pinch in chest.

At last bell, she walks home alone, pink socks dusty. Thato runs after her: "Kwena said to tell you— if you want to be friends with us, you can sit at wall anytime. Even if he is there."

She acts rude: "I don't need permission."

But inside, butterflies again.

That night, Kwena texts Thato: "Is milk girl coming tomorrow?"

Thato: "Why you ask me? Ask her."

Kwena: "I don't have her number."

Thato sends number.

Kwena stares at phone, types: "Hey it's Kwena. Thanks for... not spilling today."

Deletes. Types again: "Hey."

Deletes.

Puts phone down.

In her kasi room, Amanda also staring at phone, waiting for unknown number. Nothing.

Both fall asleep thinking about wall.

*END OF CHAPTER