Two-Faced Friends

by Dyer, Dorothy;

  Princess pushed Zikhona and Lelethu aside to face Asiphe and put her hands on her hips. “What did you say, girl?” said Princess. Her voice was sharp.

  “Just joking,” said Asiphe.

  But Princess was angry. She brought her face close to Asiphe’s. “I’ve seen you looking at my boy, when you think I don’t see you. Of course I’m going to the dance with him, isifebe! He’s mine, do you hear? And I’m going to that dance with DJ Diamond, or else someone is going to pay.”

  “Princess, I didn’t mean –” stammered Asiphe nervously.

  Princess ignored her and turned to Pamela. “I will be seeing Siyabonga this weekend. You must do my braids this afternoon.” She looked around and caught Lelethu’s eye. “And our village girl. It’s time we did braids for her too.”

  Pamela was the best at hair – everyone said so. Lelethu had been too shy to ask Pamela to do her braids. So when she heard Princess’s words she was almost too excited to speak.

  But after school, as they were walking out of the gates, she got the fright of her life. Who was standing at the school gate but Pholisa, her home girl. She could hardly believe her eyes. How had she got here? Was she dreaming?

  Then she remembered the last phone call, about Pholisa’s sick granny. Was Pholisa here to see her granny?

  Pholisa had spotted her and was waving and smiling. Lelethu had never noticed how unstylish Pholisa was. But here in the city her unstyled hair and worn-out clothes just screamed out that Pholisa was fresh from the farm. Princess was already nudging her. “Who’s that moegoe? And what is she waving at? I think I’ll go over and tell her I charge just for looking.”

  Then Princess saw Lelethu’s face. “Do you even know that thing?”

  Lelethu looked at Pholisa who was smiling that happy smile she remembered so well. Then she looked at Princess, who was giggling.

  “I forgot you were such a mafikizolo. But we haven’t finished with you yet. You’re not even going to recognise yourself when we’re done with you.”

  “She might be bringing me a message,” said Lelethu. “I’ll come to Pamela’s after I’ve spoken to her.”

  “Well, hurry up,” said Princess. You don’t want to be seen with her, now, do you?” And with that she flounced off.

  Lelethu went up to Pholisa. They hugged, and then Lelethu quickly dropped her arms.

  “I never thought I’d find you,” said Pholisa. “Oh, it’s so good to see a home girl.” She took Lelethu’s hand. “For a moment I thought you hadn’t recognised me.”

  “I – I just got such a shock. I can’t believe you’re in Cape Town.”

  “I came to fetch my gogo,” said Pholisa. “She is still very sick. Oh, Lele, it’s been terrible, I can’t tell you …”

  “Shame, Pholisa,” said Lelethu quickly, “I’m sorry. I want to hear about it, but I can’t come with you right now. I have to go to this other girl’s house. But I will find you later. Do you know where my aunt lives?”

  Pholisa looked at her. “Lele, I’ve spent the last hour looking for your school.”

  “I know, Pholi, it’s so lovely to see you. I’ve got such a lot to tell you,” said Lelethu.

  “Chommie, hurry up,” she heard. Oh no, she thought, there were Princess and her friends waiting for her on the corner.

  “Those girls are going to do my hair,” she said. “I’ll ask them – maybe they’ll do yours as well.” But just the idea of taking Pholisa with her filled her with dread. She knew the other girls could be so mean.

  “I don’t want to go to those girls,” said Pholisa. “I came to see you.” She lifted up her pinkie, in their special salute. Lelethu saw her eyes fill with tears. “My granny’s sick, Lelethu,” she said. “I don’t know anyone here.”

  Lelethu quickly flashed her pinkie, glancing over her shoulder to see if Princess and the others were still there. They were.

  “I know, chommie, it’s lovely to see you. I just can’t spend time with you now, that’s all.”

  Pholisa looked at her with eyes full of pain. Then she turned and started walking away.

  “Come and find me later,” Lelethu called after her.

  She stood there, Pholisa walking away down one side of the street, and Princess and her friends on the other, waiting for her, giggling. She could see from the way that Pholisa was walking with her head down that she was crying. A part of her felt embarrassed for having Pholisa as a friend. The other part felt like hugging Pholisa and not letting go. She was a faithful friend, and right now, a friend in need.

  She ran to Princess. “Princess, something’s come up. I need to go and see somebody.”

  “Oh no,” said Princess. “Just when we were making you into a real city girl, you go running off to the bush again.”

  “And what about the braids?” said Pamela. “We’re not doing it again for you, you know. This is your only chance.”

  Lelethu couldn’t bear the idea of missing out. “I’ll be quick, I promise. I will get there.”

  But Princess was already walking away without a look back. The others followed her example, and Lelethu was left on the side of the road. All she wanted to do was to run after them and enjoy the afternoon. But she knew she would feel bad forever if she didn’t do something. She had to follow Pholisa to see what was wrong. She would try to be quick so that she could get back to the others in time.

  But by the time she got to the corner Pholisa had disappeared and she couldn’t see her anywhere. Well, at least I tried, she told herself as she went back to Princess’s. I did the best I could do. But her heart felt heavy as she knocked on Princess’s door. She felt bad about Pholisa.

  “Look who’s come,” smiled Princess as she opened the door to Lelethu. “I knew I could count on you.”

  Lelethu felt a glow at being so welcomed. But every now and then she would remember Pholisa’s hurt face and squirm inside.

  Chapter 12

  “You look gorgeous!”

  “Who did your hair?”

  Lelethu was enjoying the compliments as classmates admired her braids. Princess walked in with her new hairstyle, and everyone crowded around her too.

  “I’m getting a weave for the dance, though,” said Princess. “The college dance with DJ Diamond. And I’ve chosen my dress.”

  “Who are you going with?” a girl asked.

  “No business of yours,” snapped Princess. But then she batted her eyes. “But if you must know, I’m going to the dance with my boyfriend Siyabonga.”

  “Siyabonga Dike, the one in first year?” said the girl. “He’s my brother’s friend. But he doesn’t have a girlfriend.” She saw Princess’s face change. “Or maybe I just don’t know,” she said quickly.

  “He has a girlfriend, and you’d all better remember it,” said Princess. “And there’ll be trouble if any of you think that he is available. Because I promise you I’ll hear about it.”

  The girls fell silent, and she sauntered away from them. She beckoned Lelethu to come and talk to her. “Don’t hang out with those dumb chicks,” she said. Then she whispered into Lelethu’s ear, “So today is the day, chommie. Are you excited?”

  “What day?” Lelethu asked, confused. “What are you talking about?”

  “Did that village girl yesterday put a spell on you or something?” joked Princess. “The day you get your brand-new cell phone, stupid!” And she put her arm around Lelethu.

  Lelethu’s stomach churned. “Maybe we should leave it – I haven’t come up with a plan yet,” she mumbled.

  “Ah, but I already have a plan, chommie,” whispered Princess. “You can leave it all to me. Just meet me at break.”

  * * *

  At the end of a later lesson the plan began. Pamela knocked on Miss Nombembe’s classroom door, a worried expression on her face. “Miss, please come quickly. I think Sizole has hurt he
rself.”

  Miss Nombembe rushed out to find Sizole, who had a scrape on her arm and was crying. The bell rang for the beginning of the second break and the class barged out. Now Lelethu was meant to slip in to take the phone from Miss Nombembe’s bag.

  She was waiting in the corridor like Princess had told her to. But now she felt sick. She had seen how Zikhona had tripped Sizole, pushing her onto the sharp edge of the broken tiles of a windowsill. How could she be part of this?

  Princess came past. “Hurry up,” she said. “You haven’t got much time.”

  “Thank you so much for doing all this for me,” Lelethu stuttered. “B-but I can’t do it, you don’t have to –”

  “You coward!” spat Princess, and rushed into the empty classroom. Moments later she was back. But as she came up to Lelethu, Bontle passed them both. Princess leaned against the wall, the phone in her hand behind her back. Bontle looked back at them before she turned the corner.

  “She knows,” Lelethu said.

  “You’re such a stupid,” said Princess. “What can she know? She saw nothing. Now take it and go.” She thrust it into Lelethu’s bag, and then walked off, greeting Miss Nombembe politely on her way back to the classroom. Miss Nombembe didn’t even seem to notice Lelethu as she passed her.

  Lelethu stood there, in shock, until Zikhona pulled her down the corridor. “What are you doing, you fool?” she said. “Why are you such a baby? I don’t know why Princess thought you could do it. I always knew you didn’t have the guts. Put it in your pants now and just pull yourself together.”

  * * *

  The next lesson passed in a blur. The teacher droned on at the front of the class and Lelethu sat there with the phone in her pants, feeling like she was carrying a bomb. Meneer shouted at her to stand up and answer a question and she had to clutch at the phone so that it did not fall out. “What’s wrong with you?” snapped the teacher and everyone laughed. But then he let her sit down again, even though she got the answer wrong.

  She struggled to get to the next lesson: Maths. Just as the lesson started Mr Khumalo, the principal, banged on the door and walked in without even waiting. Behind him was a tearful Miss Nombembe. Lelethu was shocked. Miss Nombembe always looked in control. It was frightening to see how sad she looked now, like a child. And Lelethu knew why. She started shaking uncontrollably.

  “Miss Nombembe’s cell phone has been stolen,” said the principal. The class erupted in expressions of shock. “Be quiet!’ he shouted and everyone stopped talking. “Now if anyone knows anything about it, come to my office before the end of school.” He turned to the teacher. “Search all their bags immediately.”

  “Isn’t your phone insured?” one student called out.

  “No,” Miss Nombembe said tearfully. “It was a present. I haven’t got around to insuring it yet. My sister bought it for me, for my thirtieth birthday. She saved for ages.” And she gave a little sob that felt like a knife in Lelethu’s heart.

  The principal looked impatient. “Anyway, that’s got nothing to do with it,” he barked. “Insurance or no insurance, this is a crime. And we will leave no stone unturned until we find out who did it. Any information is welcome.”

  Lelethu thought the whole class would see the guilt in her face, but everyone was too busy discussing the case to notice her silence.

  “I saw Dumile near her classroom at break,” Asiphe said.

  “Oh, it must have been Dumile,” said Princess. “Remember, he took that visitor’s cell phone that time.”

  “So you say Dumile was near the classroom?” the principal asked.

  “Yes,” Princess and Asiphe chorused.

  “Go and tell him to come to my office immediately,” said the principal. “I warned him that next time he was in trouble he would be expelled from this school.”

  And then he and Miss Nombembe walked out of the classroom.

  Lelethu felt like she was being stirred and mixed like thick porridge. Part of her was glad that someone else was suspected, someone like Dumile who already had a bad reputation. Nobody would believe him when he protested that he hadn’t done it. But part of her felt terrible. What if Dumile was expelled? Or even sent to prison? She shuddered.

  The class carried on as the teacher quietly searched their bags at the back of the class.

  “What are they going to find in your bag, Andile? Aren’t you worried?” joked a boy. “Better be ready to call the police.”

  At the end of school Lelethu rushed to the toilet to put the phone into her bag. As she walked out of the gate Princess and the others were giving her meaningful smiles. “Going to have fun tonight on Mxit, chommie?” said Asiphe with a cheeky grin.

  “We can take cool photos again, just like before,” said Pamela. “And you’ll have your very own phone.”

  “You are so lucky to have a friend like Princess,” said Zikhona. “She didn’t tell you, did she, that to be one of us you have to steal something. And she even did it for you because you were too bang. So now you belong to us. You owe us, big time.”

  “Coming over for some fun?” Princess asked her. “My brother has left some drink for us. We are gonna have a party, chommie! I know how you like to drink.” She punched Lelethu’s arm and the girls all laughed out raucously, making people turn and look at them. A week ago Lelethu was proud to be one of the loud girls, who made people notice them. But not today.

  “No, my aunt needs me,” Lelethu replied. It was a lie. Her aunt would be at work. But she just wanted to get away.

  The phone was small and sleek, but it felt like a brick in her bag now, weighing her down. She wished she had never seen it in her life.

  She felt sick, and terribly alone. What should she do? She wanted to find someone who would understand. The only person she could think of was Pholisa. But how was she to find her? She hadn’t even asked her where her gogo was. She walked home slowly, kicking a stone in front of her. All she wanted now was to be back home. But it wouldn’t be the same now anyway. Not with Pholisa in Cape Town, and upset with her. Everything was different.

  Chapter 13

  When she got home Bontle hardly greeted her. Lelethu’s stomach lurched. She knew Bontle had seen them outside the classroom. And now she was treating her differently.

  Or was she was imagining things?

  “How was school, Bontle?” she asked.

  Bontle looked up from her homework. “What do you mean, how was school? Don’t you go to the same school I go to? You know what happened today.” Then she went back to her books.

  She knows something, thought Lelethu. What is she going to do?

  “So, do you know this boy Dumile?” asked Lelethu’s aunt at supper that night.

  “Yes, Ma,” said Bontle. “He is a pain, that one. Always causing trouble – lying, tricking teachers. And sometimes he bullies younger girls. I don’t like him.”

  “He was the one who hit me,” said Lelethu.

  “You didn’t tell us,” said Bontle.

  “Well maybe he won’t be at school any more,” said Auntie. “I know his mother’s sister. She always complains about him. Now he is in big trouble. She says he stole a teacher’s cell phone at school.”

  “Who says that Dumile stole it?” asked Bontle. “I didn’t hear that. Did they find it in his bag? They searched all our bags. Sisipho said it was illegal – they should have got permission.”

  “If they need to search bags to get rid of skollies then they must search bags,” said Auntie. “It’s a pity they don’t beat boys like that. That would teach them a lesson.” She took another bite of her chicken.

  “But maybe he didn’t do it this time,” Bontle said, looking at Lelethu.

  “Who else could it be?” said her mother. “It must be a school student.”

  “I’m sure lots of other students might have taken it,” said Lelethu, hoping
her voice didn’t sound too shaky.

  “But now they are accusing Dumile,” said Bontle, still only looking at Lelethu. “And now his mother will tell his father, and his father will beat him. He will beat him up badly. Dumile once had to go to hospital.”

  “I think he will be expelled this time,” said Auntie. “Maybe they will even send him to prison.”

  “Maybe someone will confess,” said Bontle. “Or someone who knows what really happened will speak up.” She looked hard at Lelethu.

  She knows, Lelethu thought. She knows. What will she do?

  * * *

  Lelethu hardly slept a wink that night. She tossed and turned, listening to Bontle’s even breathing next to her. She envied Bontle for her innocence, for not being the one with a stolen cell phone in her cupboard. Princess had switched it off immediately, and Lelethu had not put in her own sim card, or tried to use it. She didn’t even want to see it.

  She wondered if Bontle would go and tell on her. But what could Bontle tell? They would have to find the phone to prove it. Lelethu’s heart clenched as she thought of the cell phone there in the cupboard.

  Then she thought of Dumile. He had hurt her. Now he would suffer. But somehow she couldn’t feel happy about it. Her old primary-school friend, Khaya, had a father who beat him. It was horrible. And it had turned Khaya into an angry person who was always fighting. A bit like Dumile.

  * * *

  In the morning, early, as the grey light streaked in beneath the curtains, she made her decision. And only then did she fall asleep, to be woken up less than an hour later by her aunt’s shouting. She was exhausted, but she was also much calmer and more certain of herself now.

  Chapter 14

  “So you are saying you just found the cell phone?” the principal bellowed. “Where exactly did you just find it?”

  “Outside the staff toilet, in the grass,” said Lelethu nervously.

  “What were you doing there?” he asked.

  “I was trying to find my cousin,” said Lelethu.