Between Us

Chapter 8: Unconventional

Njabulo Nkosi sat with his legs wide open, facing a view of the ever-beautiful Edgeview. The school sat atop a hill so it had many amazing views but that particular spot was his favourite. It was on the highest floor of the science building, tucked away in the corner of the supply closet. No one could find him here unless they were looking.

It was just after his Physics class meaning he was exhausted, and he needed a bit of relief. He popped two pain meds that were for his migraines. Slowly he felt the stress leave his body.

He could afford to stay out after school for a little while longer. Being a senior at school granted him that pleasure. He no longer had anyone to report to back at the hostel. His comings and goings were his business unless, of course, he was leaving the school premises. He was okay with that, he had nowhere to go anyway. His family was far from here. Even after four years of living on school grounds he never got used to the homesickness.

"Njabulo..." A voice whispered behind him. He chuckled.

"Are you trying to be scary?" Njabulo asked his friend.

"You could have pissed your pants you know." Siya, the whisperer, replied. "I could have been a ghost."

"If you were a ghost you'd be Casper," Njabulo said slowly.

"Casper's friendly, I'm friendly. I don't see the difference."

Did we watch the same movie? Casper is not friendly, Casper is creepy." Njabulo stood up so his friend could take a seat on the chair they stole from one of the classes. Instead, he opted to sit atop the blue railing meant to protect them from falling four flights to imminent death.

Safety first.

He dug through his blazer pockets and emerged with a joint. He lit it, taking a few puffs and blowing them up in the air. He then passed it on to his friend because ganja is to be shared. Siya placed the joint that was as thin as his friend in between his lips and drew one long one, he needed it.

"You okay man?" Njabulo asked his seemingly stressed-out friend.

"Hhmh? Me? Yeah, I'm good. Are you okay?" He mumbled.

"Yeah, just missing home." He responded, shifting slightly to get more comfortable.

"When last did you call them?" Siya asked, genuinely concerned for his constantly homesick friend.

"It's been a week." A week was way too long when it came to Njabulo calling his family back home. There was no one in this world whose love could compare to the love he got from them. In all honesty, his family was a bit unconventional. He had seven siblings; his parents were an interracial couple and to top it all off they were both females. Rachel and Nuru. The way they met sounds like it came out of a romance book. Both Nuru and Rachel were volunteering at impoverished primary schools around Southern Africa, providing the children with reading and writing material. They talked and clicked, but they were so engrossed in one another that they completely forgot to ask for their contact information before they parted ways.

A year went by and the encounter turned into a beautiful memory that they would treasure forever. That was until whatever drives this Megabus we call the universe brought them together again. At no other place than a pride march in Sydney, Australia. It had all those beautifully cheesy moments. They saw each other in a crowded area and their eyes locked on each other, they pushed past said crowd until their hands touched and their fingers interlocked. They got to talking again. Their beautiful spark glowed brightly once again. They have been joined at the hip ever since, and seven children and many years later they looked more in love than ever.

Needless to say, Njabulo grew up surrounded by love and freedom. This is actually why he ended up moving to Edgeview. His parents gave him the choice to pick any high school that he wanted to attend in the country. Were they surprised that he chose one that was hundreds of kilometres away? Yes. But they let him be since he said he wanted exposure to different areas as soon as he possibly could. Siya still could not understand why he chose Edgeview High School of all places, but he was glad to have made a lifelong friend in him.

"School break will be here before you know it and you'll be back home," Siya said, attempting to cheer up his friend as he passed the small remainder of the joint back to him. Njabulo drew one last pull and snuffed it out.

"I should get going, I'll video call them before dinner," Njabulo said as he jumped off the railing and dusted off nonexistent dirt off his butt and hands.

"It's nice that you can stay out longer after school now. Matriculating has its perks," Siya said, as he got up and prepared to go home as well.

"Yep, the perk of this soft-life ending sooner than we'd like and the hardships of the real world staring at us hungrily and waiting to swallow us and never spit us out. I cannot wait." Njabulo walked with his head facing the sky and his eyes closed, a lone tear falling from his eye.

"Damn dude, what are you doing to my head. Are you alright?" Siya asked his friend.

"Lol, yeah. You know how I get into my feels sometimes," Njabulo said to his friend, quickly wiping the tear away.

They eventually got to the main gate of the hostel and parted ways with a meticulous handshake that was composed back in grade 9.

¤¤¤

Njabulo made his way up the many stairs that led to his dorm. He found the door open. That meant his roommate was around. His roommate was in grade 11, so he constantly got himself into trouble by not showing up on time after school. Njabulo assumed he was with his girlfriend who was a day scholar. The things we do for umjolo.

"Njabulo, sup." Roomie greeted cheerily.

"Yeyy wena. Don't be so transparent." Njabulo laughed, "Bekumnandi neh? You're always glowing when you come late for lunch or after school." He asked.

"It is what it is bruv." He responded and threw himself onto his bed with a big, glowing smile plastered onto his face.

"Just be careful Lloyd, we're still in high school, don't wanna fall too hard. 

~~~

AN

There can't be more than one Lloyd in the same school right?