C H A P T E R  T W E N T Y - T W O

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Mature Content
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I couldn't keep the smile off of my face as I walked out of the assembly hall and on my way to the library the next Wednesday morning. Other students smiled and offered a word of congratulation as I walked past them and I nodded with a 'thank you' already poised on the tip of my tongue.

That morning, I, along with nineteen other grade eleven students had been elected as prefects for the next year. It was a prestigious honour in our school.

The prefects wore a special uniform and went away to prefect camp for a weekend at the beginning of the year and went on a five-day vacation to either Cape Town or Knysna after final exams. Prefecthood meant privilege amongst the student body and classroom and it had its own plethora of responsibilities.

I was overjoyed that I was among the few to be chosen as I hadn't been expecting it in the slightest. I assumed that there was someone better suited for the role than me and I rationed that perhaps it was my sportsmanship that had gotten me the position?

My grade average had gone up from 68% to 73% and maybe that had something to do with it too, but now that I'd gotten it, there was no use in obsessing about the finer details.

I'd taken to reading these days and the library, I'd found out had a great selection of fictional books. Sometimes I'd take a book out and read outside in the sun.

Other times I would curl up on one of the bean-bag chairs in the library and read as much as I could in the hour off that we got.

It didn't take me long to find a book of my fancy and I was soon engrossed in the story before me, I almost didn't hear my phone when it vibrated with a text.

Manda🖤: Congratulations on the prefect nomination ✨

Pait👑💖: thanks Manda, congrats to you too, i always knew you'd get it.

Manda🖤: Thank you.

I knew the conversation had ended there and I put the phone away.

Manda had been the first to text me last week and we had a few words here and there, nothing dramatic. She was still so awkward with me and a part of me feared she was still weirded out by what had happened in Durban and another assumed she was trying to make amends and didn't know how to go about it. Manda had never needed to befriend me, she'd known me for almost her entire school life – not being close to me was weird for her, for us.

I always let her make the first move and I let her lead the conversations because the last thing I wanted to do was to make her uncomfortable.

I saw the 'typing...' appear under her name and soon after, a follow-up text appeared:

Manda🖤: You don't know this but I always imagined us being prefects together even though you were convinced you wouldn't get it. I'd known since Grade 8 that you would 🙈

Pait👑💖: really? i guess you are always right haha, i really didn't see this coming.

Manda: Well they don't say I'm smart for no reason. I Know Things.

Something about this particular conversation began to feel familiar and the old ache in my chest returned.

I didn't quite know what to do from here so I sent her a 'lol, true. text you later xx' and put my phone down and tired really hard for the next half hour to focus on the words in my book.

October whirred by in a blur of final revision classes in school, exam preparation and hours of private studying.

I was caught up in it all and I'd be lying if I said the nearing final exams weren't freaking me out. It was like I could see the beginning of my future at the end of the tunnel that were these examinations and I had to do well.

My only problem was that everything was a struggle for me and I for the life of me couldn't get my things into order.

Maths Literacy Paper 2 gave me stomach aches and no matter how many past papers I practised, my results always came out looking horrible. I'd yet to score over 40% in any of them. It was in the middle of these practice papers that I got an incoming video call from Anna one day.

I'd been close to crying out of sheer frustration and Anna must've sensed the despondency on my face as soon as the call connected because her smile melted into a concerned frown.

"What's wrong?" she asked and surpassed the usual greeting.

"Maths," I replied.

"What's going on?"

"I'm just struggling. I've been working on maths paper two and I'm just not getting it. I think I'm going to fail," I said.

"You're not going to fail," Anna replied, her face set into resolute lines.

"I've done all that I can and I'm still not getting Anna, what else am I supposed to assume?" I said.

"I'm coming over," she said.

I checked the time: 19:00. She must've just gotten home from work. She was still in her work clothes; her hair was still tied into a tight, neat bun at the nape of her neck and her makeup was still in place.

"What for?"

"To help you with your maths of course. I was serious when I said I wouldn't mind helping you."

"Anna, it's a weekday. I can't expect you to come over, it will inconvenience you."

"Seeing you will never be an inconvenience, Paiten," she replied.

The resolution on her face in and in the tone of her voice made a pink tint tinge the apples of my cheeks.

I licked my lips, "okay."

"Is your father home?"

"No, he's working late."

"Okay, I'll be there in twenty minutes."

She kissed the screen and disconnected the call.

For a while, all I could do was feel my fingertips buzzing with electricity. I touched a hand to my forehead, feeling feverish with anticipation. I tried to internally chastise myself for feeling so nervous for Anna's visit but it didn't work.

There was no escaping the fact that Anna coming to my house for the sole purpose to see me was making me feel all sorts of things. She'd been to my house countless times but it had never been like this before, her visits had always been for other reasons: to see my dad and to babysit me.

While I waited for the call from the security gate, I went upstairs and moved all of my study material to the sitting room. I laid out my maths jotter book, my textbook and the stack of revision papers my teacher had given us along with my stationery.

It occurred to me that my appearance may have needed a bit of a touch-up. I ran back into my room to change out of my current sweatpants into a pair of lavender cotton shorts, re-tied my hair into a pony-tail and popped two pieces of Dentyne bubble gum into my mouth. Somewhere within my mind, a voice reminded me that I was whipped.

Anna indeed did arrive twenty minutes after the call. I rubbed my sweaty palms against my shorts before I opened the door to let her in.

"Hi," she said.

"Good evening," I replied.

"It is now that I'm here with you."

My face felt hot and I blinked rapidly to get myself back onto axis.

"Well, uhm, make yourself comfortable, you know where everything is," I said as we walked into the foyer. "I'm just going to get drinks, is there anything you'd like?"

Anna placed her hand on my arm, effectively stopping me from heading to the kitchen.

"Come here," she said.

I let her pull her closer to me, my feet felt as light as feathers and it felt as though I was floating towards her.

Her hold on me was as snug as a blanket as she wrapped her arms around me and pulled me into her so that her soft curves melted into me.

She cupped my face and I felt my heart threaten to explode as her lips intertwined with mine. I felt dazed by the time the kiss ended and a little weak in my knees.

"I'd really love a glass of water," she whispered against my lips and in a flash, she'd withdrawn from me and had sauntered to the sitting room.

I took a few minutes to regain my composure once I was in the kitchen and poured Anna a glass of fridge water while I poured a fresh glass of 100% juice.

It was hard to concentrate while I had Anna sitting so close to me. Her denim-covered thigh bore into my bare legs while she explained concepts to me and all I could think about was how soft she felt against me and how wonderful she smelled.

Eventually, Anna promised me that if we could work through three chapters, she'd reward me with kisses and that alone got me to channel my focus back into my academics.

She was a phenomenal tutor. Not only did she help me understand the theory behind certain operations, but she also showed me many ways of working out problem sums. The thing about Maths Literacy was that it had no set formulas.

It was hard to figure out how to work something out, especially since I was terrible at problem-solving.

Two hours later, I felt a whoosh of relief rush through my body because some of the work had finally started to make sense. I was writing maths in the first week of November, so Anna promised me she'd help me out with some of the other content.

My favourite part of the night though was when Anna and I spent half an hour making out on the couch. She had me on my back while she was pressed in between my legs, kissing me as if I was the air she needed to breathe.

I had my fingers buried in her hair, cradling her close to me. She broke the kiss at some point with an airy laugh against my lips and told me in her sweetest voice that I made her feel seventeen again.

My final exam was on Friday 18 November. My last paper was Afrikaans Paper 3. It was a creative writing paper so I hadn't bothered with studying because I knew it would be a breeze.

I'd woken up that day with a genuine sense of relief washing over me. It was all going to come to an end. I was excited also for what was to come after I'd written the exam; Anna had invited me to sleepover for the weekend.

I'd been on the phone with my mother on Wednesday and she'd told me she wouldn't be able to come down until next weekend. I'd casually mentioned it to Anna while we were texting and then the next thing I knew, she was inviting me over. I was far more excited than I was nervous. I'd told Dad I was sleeping over at Manda's.

Anna was knocking off early so she could pick me up as soon as I finished writing at 13:30. I didn't spare an extra minute on school grounds the moment I finished with writing. As soon as we were dismissed I'd gotten my school bag with all of my clothing essentials for the weekend and left.

Anna was parked outside waiting for me and as soon as I spotted her car, my heart began to beat really fast. I saw her first so when I tried to pull the door open, the car was still locked. I knocked on the window and smiled when she recognised me. We set off as soon as I was settled and strapped in.

Anna's studio apartment was the most aesthetically pleasing thing I'd ever seen. The entire place was decorated in light grey and plywood. There were also potted plants everywhere and the entire place was so open and airy and I loved everything about it.

As soon as we entered the apartment I went straight for the double bed covered in white sheets and an accompanying bedding. I stripped out of my uniform and settled into a pair of cotton shorts and a crop top.

Anna ordered roast lamb and wedges from a nearby restaurant and we settled in front of the TV while we waited. The rest of the day passed by in an eased blur.

Anna and I ate and drank chilled wine while I rested against her chest and we watched romcoms on Netflix. It was early evening when we had migrated to her bed and we were cuddling. The night was still outside and it was dry.

The TV was off and Anna had a playlist blasting through the speakers. She had her arms wrapped around me from behind and I felt wonderful nestled between her cool sheets and her warm skin.

Her hand had been trailing up and down the outside of my legs and my skin tingled in response to her light touches. I tried to keep my breathing even so I couldn't give myself away as we spoke.

It didn't take long for Anna's hand to wedge itself between my thighs and I shuddered at how bold she was being as her fingers were roaming under my loose shorts.

I had known that this was coming the moment she'd asked me to sleepover, hell, I'd fantasized about this a thousand times since our ice-cream date.

There was no denying that I had missed her touch, missed the way she'd made me feel. Her fingers brushed past my underwear and skimmed down. I jerked backwards in response.

"Is there something wrong?" Anna asked and the lilt in her voice let me know that she was doing this on purpose.

"N-no. Absolutely not. Everything is fine," I replied although my voice was strained.

"Good to know," Anna replied just as her fingers pressed down and rubbed me over my underwear.

The other hand trailed up my body, under my shirt and groped at bra-covered breasts. I was sure that if I took the chance of holding my breath for just a second, I'd pass out.

A pair of soft lips came into contact with my neck and I shuddered at the combined sensation. My own hands travelled down to my hips and I tried to tug my shorts down.

"Don't," Anna murmured against my neck.

We then changed positions so that she was hovering above me while we kissed. I could feel my entire body heating up with every minute Anna spent kissing me senseless as her hands roamed over my body.

I was breathless when she pulled away from me in favour of tugging my shirt off. Her hands were equally as quick and nimble to remove my shorts and bra until I was left only in my underwear. I gasped when her hands covered my breasts and her fingers went to work, tweaking my nipples while she sighed appreciatively against my lips.

She herself was still in her shorts and tee shirt but she wore no bra underneath. I was tempted to return her touches, to slip my hands under her shirt and to fill my hands with those full breasts. My thought process was cut short when I felt her hands slip underneath my underwear and without warning, she was circling her finger against me and all I could do was whimper.

Perhaps it was the fact that I hadn't done any of this in a while and I was incredibly sensitive, or maybe Anna was just really good at what she was doing (it was probably a combination of both) but I felt my body getting flustered. I didn't think I could endure any more teasing. I flexed my hips upwards and reached for Anna's arm.

"Please," I murmured.

Anna nodded and leaned down to kiss my lips as she brought her hand down to the mound between my legs and lubricated the rest of her fingers. She was inside of me within the next breath and I gasped at the sensation of being filled.

Her fingers were quick and fervent and in no time, my breathing had gotten erratic and I was sweating down my forehead.

I came with a whimper of Anna's name with my body suddering so intently I felt it in my fingertips.

Anna leaned down and kissed my cheek while I settled. When I finally opened my eyes I still felt very woozy and everything around me, except for Anna's intense brown eyes was a blur.

"How do you feel?" she asked with a lopsided grin.

"Like my body is made of jelly," I replied and she giggled and braced herself over me.

She placed a chaste kiss against my lips but it was too fast and not enough. She sat up and took off her own shirt and watching me with an amused smile as I ogled her perfect chest.

I couldn't help but sit up and bury my head in between her breasts and shower them in kisses and soft bites while she ran her fingers through the tendrils of my loose hair. I heard her sigh appreciatively. I felt her cup my cheeks and I stopped my ministrations.

"Lie down," she said. I obliged. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her face as she trailed her hands down my body once more. I surveyed her rosy cheeks, her dishevelled hair, her pouty lips, the lust in her eyes that blew them to a midnight black.

Her fingers hooked into the waistband of my underwear and then she was pulling it down. Her lips kissed any skin they could reach as she travelled downwards, leaving butterfly touches on my stomach and hip bones. When I looked down again, she was pressing a soft kiss into my thighs and my heart caught in my throat.

Oh god. It was going to happen. She'd never gone down on me before but that was only because I hadn't been ready for it, but I felt ready now.

"I want to taste you," she murmured against my skin and my heart threatened to implode, "is it okay if I do, do you want me to?"

I could only manage to whisper a shaky, 'yes,' and before long, that heavenly mouth was working its magic on me. I lay in suspense as her tongue reached into depths that I had never known were possible.

Her nose bumped against my clit continuously as she continued to eat me out like she'd been starved in a desert for weeks and I was her first meal.

She used one hand to stabilise herself and the other travelled up to play with my breasts. I didn't know how she managed to be so passionate yet gentle with me.

I was squirming and breathing as if I'd run a marathon and my mind was racing a kilometre a minute as I felt a second orgasm approaching.

This one felt so much more intense and it felt as though it had stemmed from someplace deeper within me.

When I came, I cried out and melted into the bed. I felt Anna's lips on my forehead, on my chin and my damp cheeks – and with a start, I realised that I was actually crying.

When I looked up I realised Anna was also crying too and my heart nearly stopped. I'd never felt so connected to someone in my life, I'd never felt so pure.

"Are these tears of sadness my love, or are you so extremely happy like I am?"

"Happy," I replied and I kissed her passionately soon after, tasting myself on her tongue.

"That was incredible," I said.

"You don't think I'm done with you, do you?" Anna asked and I released a gasp when I felt her hand returning to my centre once more.

×

I was unaware of how much time had passed but by the ache in my legs, I knew it must've been hours. I was completely content with letting a few hours more pass because with the way I felt right then, with Anna underneath me, scissoring against me for the third time that night, I didn't want to stop any time soon.

Anna was a mess below me, covered in sweat and whimpering as I drove myself more passionately against her. She too was covered in bites from her neck to her chest, all courtesy of me.

Anna's legs had begun to tremble underneath me and I smiled in triumph, knowing that she was close. I never imagined she'd let me take control so easily but the past three rounds had been about me bringing her all the pleasure that I could. It was so rewarding to see her so weak and at my complete mercy.

I knew that it wouldn't be long until she came again and because I was intent on bringing her all the pleasure I could, I tightened my grip on her thighs and ground more intensely into her.

I loved the wet sound of our bodies meshing together and the symphony of sexual sounds Anna was making. Without warning, she let out a cry and her hips flexed upwards as she gushed against me.

"Jesus Christ of Nazareth," she breathed out as I untangled myself from her and laid down beside her.

She tilted her head to kiss me for the millionth time that night and I revelled in the warmth and softness of her mouth once more.

"I think I need a break," Anna said and I laughed.

"Me too, I'm hungry as well."

"There's still some leftover wedges and roast lamb in the fridge right?"

"Yeah, there should."

"Good," Anna said and rolled into a sitting position. "Wow, my entire body hurts," she said as she got out of the bed and slipped on a short silk gown.

"Doesn't that mean that the sex was good? " I said.

"Of course it does," she replied with a playful smirk.

I watched her walk over to the fridge, she'd just gotten the food out when the loudest knock resounded from her front door.

"What in the world?" Anna said and she looked back at me.

"Anna, open up, it's Robert!"

Suddenly the mood shifted and a panic overwhelmed me. Why in the world was my dad outside Anna's door? Without thinking, I grabbed the nearest possible cover which was a towel and sprinted into the bathroom.

I could hear their voices from where I was sitting.

"What's going on Robert?"

"I left many messages for you, I thought you knew I was coming, but that's beside the point. Paiten has gone missing."

"What do you mean?" Anna asked and I could hear the anxiety in her voice.

"She told me she was sleeping over at the Ncube's house for the weekend and I got a call from Ntombi saying that the obligations that had tied her down to the hotel for the weekend were dismissed and she could come to see us. I wanted to surprise Paiten.

I went to the airport and picked Ntombi up and I called Noma to tell her I was on my way to get Paiten and to my surprise, she tells me Paiten is not with her! Amanda was home and she too admitted that she and Paiten hadn't made any plans to see each other. She said she last saw her when they wrote Afrikaans this afternoon. Ntombi's back at home and we're both worried sick."

"Oh Lord, I-, I am so sorry Rob," Anna replied.

I could hear the shame in her voice and something inside of me coiled up in disgust for myself. I was so ashamed that I had put everyone through so much turmoil.

My dad must've taken her reply as an empathetic attempt to relate to him because he said, "I came here because I hoped that you might know something, anything. I'm at my wits end here and if I don't find her within the next few hours I will open a missing person's case. Lord knows what has happened to my baby, it's like she vanished from thin air. It's so unlike her."

I knew I couldn't let my dad continue to think I was in danger, especially when he was planning to go to the police. I couldn't let Anna lie to my dad in a bid to buy me more time, but nor could I let her confess to our affair on her own.

No, this was my dad and I had to face the music and come clean to him. This wasn't how I'd planned it would go but there was no backing out now.

With a deep breath, I opened the bathroom door and I stepped out into the hallway. Anna saw me first and her face twisted into a look of sheer anxiety, I was sure it mirrored mine. My dad hadn't seen me yet. With a bravery I had to fake, I forced my feet to carry me over to the living area.

"Dad?" I said. He turned around and he looked at me.

"Paiten!" he said and I could hear the relief in his voice but it didn't last long because his smile gave way to a frown. With a lifted eyebrow he asked, "how long have you been here?"

"All afternoon," I replied, "Anna picked me up from school."

He took another look at me, he saw the fact that I was covered in only a towel and love bites littered my neck and the visible parts of my shoulders. He looked at Anna who was also just in a gown, covered in the same marks.

"What's going on here?" he asked. His tone was so eerily calm that I felt a chill run down my spine.

A long silence passed.

"Paiten, what's going on here?" he asked again. I felt my shoulders shake. I'd never been so scared in my life.

"I-" I started but then shut my mouth. The words wouldn't come.

"Answer me, girl!"

"I'm sorry, Dad," I replied as the first tear ran down my cheek.

"You're supposed to be at Amanda's house, but you are here, naked with my ex."

"Dad, please-"

"How long has this been going on, huh?"

"I'm so sorry, I'm sorry," I cried, unable to form any other words because it felt like my world was falling apart. I'd never seen him so angry with me and I was so scared that he'd hate me now.

"How could you do this, Paiten?" he asked.

"Rob, please, it was never our intention to hurt you."

"How could you do this? That's my daughter, my seventeen year old daughter."

"I'm sorry," I said again.

"I hope you know that you had us worried sick today. We looked everywhere for you," My dad continued on, "and your mother was so keen to see you this weekend."

"I can still see her, can't I? I'll come home," I said.

"I can barely stand to see your face right now, what makes you think I want you in my house?"

"Dad, don't do this," I answered, the panic manifesting a hundredfold.

"Your exams are done now so I have no obligation to house you. You will come to get your things tomorrow and I think it will be best if we don't see each other in a while. There are no words to describe how disappointed I am in you."

 I wished that I was someone else in that so I wouldn't have to experience the pain of losing my father's trust.

"I hope this was all worth it, I'll let myself out."

I'd never forget the sound of the door banging, the sharp impact of wood against metal and with its closing came an end to the relationship I'd had with my father.

I don't remember how I'd migrated to the bed, I'm sure Anna had probably helped me there because after I'd slid down to the couch in despair, I had no recollection of moving from it.

Anna held me like a baby that night. And the next morning after I'd gone home to pack my belongings in an empty house (I suppose my parents deliberately left so they wouldn't have to face me), I was back in Anna's apartment with my phone charger in tow.

When I powered my phone back to life I saw all that I had missed: five missed calls from Ma Ncube, eight from Mommy, twenty from Dad, and thirty-nine SMSs from Amanda.

I'd forgotten to charge my phone last night and it had been on 12% when I wrote my exam so obviously by the time my dad had wanted to check in with me, it was long dead. I read through Amanda's messages first.

Manda🖤: Your dad says you told him you were staying over at my place and we didn't discuss it? What's going on?

Manda🖤: Where are you?

Manda🖤: Are you safe?

Manda🖤: Paiten, please 😭. Tell me where you are I just need to know you're safe. Our parents are freaking out, we are all worried.

Manda🖤: Look, Paiten I know that I might not be the person you want to hear from right now but I am losing my mind. I wouldn't be okay if you were in danger and you had the opportunity to reach out but didn't because of what happened between us and what I did to you. If you're in danger and you're seeing this please give me a sign, anything. I still care about you so much more than you can understand, I'm going crazy here.

Manda🖤: That's why I tried to reach out to you, Paiten, I realise that what I did to you was so wrong. You didn't deserve to have me walk out on you like that. I thought I was doing the right thing but I realised too late that I was being a selfish fool. I kept on telling myself I didn't deserve your forgiveness or hell, even your friendship and I certainly don't deserve you. I've been an awful friend but please let me make it up to you by helping you right now. If you can see these, please, please, for the love of God Almighty, reply.

Manda🖤: I'll never be able to live with myself if you really are in danger and I never got to sort things out between us.

×

The next few days passed by in a slow limbo, Anna kept me company every night that she came home and we'd cuddle and watch TV. She'd hold me and remind me about how much she cared for me at every chance that she got.

I was torn with how things had ended with my dad but I didn't regret anything about what had happened between Anna and I. We'd reached a new place in our relationship, a new understanding and I wouldn't have given it up for the world.

My dad asked me to come back home after twelve days.