Sesethu:Arranged Marriage

I'm now this side & it will be fulltime , please support. I won't disappoint . 🥺

DESTINED HEARTS
INTRODUCTION

The sun is out and the sky is blazing it. I fix my school uniform by humming a song . I took one last glance at the mirror before heading out of the room . I went to the kitchen and saw my mother cooking her soft maize meal maize meal porridge . I kissed her on the cheek .

Me : Hey mommy .

Mom : hi baby . How did you sleep ?

Me : I didn't sleep at all Ma , just studying .

Mom : but you're energetic.

Me : this is the last day I am being defined as a matriculant and the last time wearing a school uniform . I'm just happy that I will go look for a job for us .

Her eyes dropped back to the porridge . I know she doesn't want me to go look for work but to continue with school and I am not in denial but first things first then the rest can follow .

Mom : sit down , i'll dish up for you now .

Me : well I can't wait .

Mom : you'll learn to have patience Olwam .

Me : but the delicious aroma doesn't do any justice to my stomach .

We both laughed . She took out bowls and dished up for the both of us . I stood up and checked if we had any sugar left and there was nothing in the sugar basin . My mother looked at me with a worried face . I just smiled looking at her .

Me : don't worry about not having it with sugar . The only sweetest thing is that it was cooked by my mother who is my favorite person on earth with love .

A smile crept on her face . I took my bowl and started eating my porridge and had a small conversation with my mother . I stood up to wash my bowl .Thuli walked inside the house as bubbly as she was .

Thuli : hey Ma .

Mom : hey baby , how are you ?

Thuli : i'm fine and you ?

Mom : I am doing fine . Sit down so that I can dish up for you

Thuli : if only we were not going to be late , I was going to dish up for myself and eat because no one can resist your food .

My mother smiled and knowing Thuli could do that . She has always been like this . I quickly went to her bedroom where the mirror is .

Mom : Olwam! hurry up before you become late .

Me : i'm almost done Mom!

I shouted from the bedroom . I wanted to look at myself one more last time before we go . I took my backpack and walked out with Thuli . Like every morning , she always has tea to spill . My friend is a gossiper and if her news isn't about school kids then it's about people around our community . Me here ? I just lend her an ear and listen to her talking the whole way to school .

Thuli : i'm just concerned about her children but why did she do that ? Why ?

Yep that's her , she comes with the news and asks me questions like I am that person right now .

Me : kodwa mngani who are we to judge her ?

Thuli : we are people . She just got off her high horse .

I chuckled as we walked inside the school premises . We first attended assembly before going to our class waiting for the bell to ring . Masande walked inside the class with her minions holding her backpack as always .

Masande : Witches .

Thuli : a witch is your mother .

Masande : askies ?

She asked turning to looking at us .

Me : Thuli

I whispered .

Thuli : you heard me .

She laughed folding her arms . She turned to her minions .

Masande : did she just call my mom a witch ?

They nodded and she turned back to look at us , at Thuli.

Masande : you just called my mom a witch while your mother is the community bicycle .

Thuli charged towards her . I quickly grabbed her wrist .

Thuli : ngiyeke Buhle , I wanna deal with this one .

Masande : heyi! poor thing leave her! I want to see what she can do other than following her mother's footsteps of being a community bicycle .

Thuli : ngiyeke mngani ngimshaye lomthakathi .
- let me beat this witch friend -

I shook my head looking at her . Thuli was breathing heavily because of the anger that shows she's very angry .

Me : You might get disqualified and not write . Remember today you're writing the last paper that will define your future . Don't let her ruin that moment for you .

She looked at me and I nodded .

Masande : hey wena reject! What are you busy saying ? If I were you wena Thuli I wouldn't take any word coming from this brainless stupid rejection . Her father even ran away because he saw that she's ugly and brainless just like her mother .

Those words were directed to me . I decided to ignore her .

Masande : her father went to buy bread and never returned .

They laughed at this lame joke she was sharing with her minions about my father .

Thuli : what's your problem with her father ? You're just jealous that she's more beautiful than you are .

She laughed out loud clapping her hands .

Masande : did she say beauty ?

She asked looking at her minions and they laughed.

Masande : don't make me laugh . Maybe I just heard wrong but this ugly poor thing can never be beautiful . She's just smelling poor–

She got interrupted by the bell rang indicating that we should go to the hall to write . I just took Thuli's hand and we walked out because I am used to those words . We went to the hall where we are going to write .

***
Buhlebemvelo Olwamuthando Mthethwa here , a 16 year old girl doing grade 12 . I'm the only child of Pulane Mthethwa which is my mother and about my father ? Story of another day but right now . I'm taking a deep breath as I am nervous about this exam that I am going to write . I thought I was prepared but I wasn't .