Distanced but Destined(A South African love story)

Chapter 3

"One day someone will walk into your life and make you see why it didn't work out with someone else" - Unknown

The Queen's tea party was in the afternoon. On our way there my mom kept on telling me one thing "Behave". I was irritated by the dress, I was dressed in a ball gown for a tea party, and the make up on my face. My kind of make up was light, simple make up. My mom's idea was 'paint-your-face-like-a-circus-clown'. The make up was heavy and irritating. I sat in the limo waiting, while texting Percy and blaming him for convincing me to go. My mom wanted to strike a conversation but she was too nervous to, nervous after what happened the previous night.

We got to Swaziland and as we stepped out of the limo, hot air pounded on my face. I knew this make up wasn't going to last forever unless the Queen had air-conditioning units. We stepped into the palace and the maidens offered to take our handbags, my mother gave up hers but mine had my phone so I wasn't going to do that. We all gathered at a huge table waiting for the Queen. I spotted Lesa who joined me next to her mother. Her mother went to these tea parties every single year and she knew what to do. Another familiar face was Sinothando. She was a curvacious and beautiful girl who I sometimes got jealous of. I didn't know her properly but we had met at a business summit my mother once went to.

The Queen entered the room and everybody stood up. She was as classy as my mother, I'm sure my mom looked up to her. She greeted everybody one by one with their children but her smile grew when she got to my mother and me. "Sindiswa and Nompilo Sono. Welcome. Nompi I was looking forward to meeting you, your mother didn't mention how beautiful you are" I fake-smiled. "Thank you your highness". She stood at one end of the table. "Excuse me ladies, my son should be here anytime now. This year Nkosinathi is joining us and not Nhlakanipho" Just as she said that a tall handsome man walked into the room. At first I was uncertain about his age but I was sure that he was my age. "Now that is my kind of man! Rich, handsome and royalty!" Lesa whispered next to me. The Prince smiled at everyone. I guess the girls were right when they said he was good looking, he really was. "Ladies you may take your seats" the Queen said and by ladies she meant everyone.

We were twenty minutes into the dinner and the Prince was staring at me. At least I think he was. I wasn't sure since Lesa was sitting next to me and she was noticeable more than me. I excused myself from the table because my make up was slowly wearing off, I needed to renew it. One of the maidens led me to the bathroom. She left me right outside the passage. A long corridor leading to the bathrooms. As I walked I noticed pictures of the King and Queen. Nkosinathi and his brother Nhlakanipho. One of them in the bathtub, I chuckled. "We didn't like those pictures but my mom forced us to take them" I heard a voice say. I looked behind to see the Prince starring at me. "Oh uhm, good afternoon my Prince" I bowed. I was really embarrassed. He laughed and picked me up. "I'm not a King, you don't need to do that" I cleared my throat. "I'm sorry" "So why do you seem unhappy and being here? I know this is also my first tea party but all the other girls seem happy" he said. "How did you know it was my first?" I asked. "You know how every year my brother Nhla comes to these things? Well I'm only here this year because I need a date, for my matric dance, so I get to pick between the beautiful ladies sitting there" "Oh well good luck, excuse me. I need to go to the bathroom" I continued walking but he stopped me. "Do ever feel like your mother is forcing you to do things? Things that will benefit her?" He asked. "Uhm I'm sorry but I don't plan on sharing my life with you, I barely know you" I responded. "Fair enough. How about I take you out on a date, just to get to know you better" "No thank you" He took my phone from my hand and saved his number. "Call me if you change your mind. And believe it or not I will have your number by tonight" he said. I quickly got into the bathroom and fixed my make up. I was glad that the tea party was almost over. I hated this.