In the dead of the night,the howling wind rattled windowpanes in
the bitter,dump night outside,I twisted and turned under my thin
covers. My teeth chattered in chilly air around me. My sweat
dripped down on my forehead and my heart was pounding like a
drum in my chest. A hand reached up and touched my lips. I
blushed at the way he called my name. Under any
circumstance,he would never call me Princess like the rest of my
schoolmates. The scene,the man beside me was one of a
kind,cutting me down into pieces with his smile,i felt elation
mounting in my chest, a heavy burden lifting off from my
shoulders. I have never felt these feelings before. Feelings of love.
"Suzy,you are mine." The man's melodious voice full of honey
whispered giving me electrifying gaze. I too,at the moment was
having the time of my life. I turned skyward,looking right at his
dimpled face. Oh my God that adrenaline that rushed through my
entire being revealing my thoughts. Few seconds elapsed and a cold hand managed to procure my shoulder,my eyes fluttered
open. I looked around,all i saw was darkness that surrounded me.
"Wake up,we have a morning class." A familiar voice uttered with a
jaunty tune.
"Edward!" In disbelief i was,i stretched my hand to reach the switch
which was within. Darkness faded away. I once again touched my
lips and stared at the figure near me. "Mona!"i muttered between
my teeth. Consciousness returned and i aroused only to realise
that i was having a hallucination of my own. May be my endless
flirting with Edward piped and obliged the dream. I sat down on my
bed with a grin on my face. I was ashamedly happy though it was
just a delusion. My feet swayed swiftly. If only i was able i could
pause it and proceed with it the other day or perhaps replay it time
and again.
"Mona,you shouldn't have waken me up from a happy dream."
"You have been acting so conspicuous ever since you became
close with Edward,you even talk in your sleep....hmm."
My heart changed,it signaled that was the time Ndumiso had to
let me off the hook. We hurriedly trotted to the class. On our way
to class we joined Mrs Eliza's infallible student. We cowered under
his shadow as we entered the class. Surely he was eager to see
the end of the dream too but his bruised eyes communicated a lot
more than anything else. He was pompous and full of himself. How
could he cross night while i dreamed about him in such a way that i
didn't want to wake up from a happy dream?
I watched him as he sat down,his eyes gleamed like stars,the way he
crinkled up when he laughed at the teacher's jokes,oh that million
dollar smile that made my heart have irregular beats every single
time. I think he was born to give me a heart attack. Clock ticked
tick tock,the school alarm rang,at least he became my shield with
his coherent ideas.
***
Ed and Ndumiso took a walk around the school campus as it was
Ndumiso's daily routine to make sure everything was going
accordingly. He was a head prefect. Few meters to the gate,their
eyes picked a timid,small,skinny girl whose hair strands were dry
and rough and certainly not have been oiled for months. The shirt
on her body was there for name sake. She was standing
expressionless in the vicinity of the school adjacent to teachers'
quarters while the Prince and Ed felt a sudden feelings of pity but
their minds were of no use, in the tumult of that time,their eyes
widened in alarm when they saw the Princess coming within a
hailing distance. She helped the damsel in distress who was like
Alice in wonderland. Ndumiso commenced smiling from ear to ear.
In that drizzling and filthy Friday afternoon,the Princess's eyes
gleamed after she saw her two allies. Ed staggered towards her.
He took off his hat and blazer off.
"You are going to catch cold." The ardent man with his innate
romantic streak that remained intact despite what he went through.
He was besotted to the Princess. After he helped her to put on the
hat properly,he assisted with the blazer.
Ndumiso was quite taken aback and disgusted. It was perceptible
that his own best comrade will be an obstacle to what he really
came for in Lesotho. Princess could feel the pain behind his forced
smile.
"Thank you,your heart is made of gold,." Princess uttered with
exquisite,slanting mischievous eyes and her fluttering lashes
flashed messages which attracted handsome hunks like bees to
honey but their hopes always spiraled bit by bit, hopelessly by her
instant rejection. Prince of Swaziland came all the way hoping that
one day his words would not get into one ear and get out with the
other.
"Ndumiso and Suzy met in England six years back. It was
noticeable that Ndumiso really loved Suzy.Ndumiso has got everything,looks,dancing moves " Ed's meditations went
deep,anxiety and his best friend, hatred drove him to the land of
confusion. He could not even feel that it was really cold. Ndumiso
hurried them to the place with a rooftop.
"Lets play truth and dare game." Ndumiso blurted out rubbing
hands with anticipation but there was that uncanny glamour on his
face. The two comrades nodded their heads.
"Ed, can you fall in love your best friend ?" He got Ed off guard.
His solemn expression paralyzed everyone with fear of doubt. Ed
turned looking at Suzy with a serious face.
"No,I would never do that,being in relationship with her might
wreck my friendship."
"Suzy,how is it to be born with silver spoons in your mouth,being
the princess after all?" Ed questioned princess trying by all means
for everyone to be at ease.
"Nevertheless,what I want at times comes on a silver platter but
having no say in issues that concerns me,having no freedom to
date whoever I love. Being a member of that kind of a family,being
someone like that. I hate it so much myself..... I just want to live
like an ordinary person."She stammered.
Wells of tears streamed down her face. Nonetheless Ed did not
have a gentle personality but he could not help it staring at her.
Crying pathetically like that,to a certain degree,he knelt down
beside where she was sitting and wiped away her tears.
Ndumiso's anger meshed with fighting spirit second to none. In no
time he was pacified. The idea that Ed was the commoner and
could not be able to marry the princess. That gave him comfort
and more solaced by Basotho culture which would not allow any
ordinary person to marry the princess. The commoner and
princess could date but joining in matrimony was a cold day in hell.
Suzy's tears kept brimming of her eyes. Slowly,tears did as they
wish,ran down her face in rivers,gently Ed wiped them with his thump. The door burst open,a sudden stab of pain encircled
Ndumiso's heart,he escaped the building leaving Brown on the
doorway with a reminiscent smile.
"Stop crying your heart out." Ed said with an aura of love. Suzy
coughed attempting to croak some words out of her mouth. Indeed
she was smitten.
"Shh" He whispered taking out his hand out of his pocket,a tiny
pout on his plump lips,instantly they fell into each other's arms like
frightened children. Their hearts commenced exercising,signaling
strong messages.In a blink of an eye,there was short gaze that
worn out their hearts on their sleeve. Out of the blue, a firm hand
reached Suzy's neck propelling into a vigorous kiss burning
calories,no doubt they couldn't resist. Ndumiso returned and stood
beside Brown for a moment hoping the flirtation was over by then.
He was at his wits' end and exasperated. Ed's words weren't
matching with his actions. Ed and Princess were really getting
along like a house on fire. A deluge of bitterness and pain ran
through Ndumiso's veins. Both of them vanished,one muddled with
confusion. Elation was written all over Brown's face. His eyes filled
with merriment,he supported his friend through thick and thin. He
was enticing and had an aura of confidence.
***
Everyday to Ndumiso was a torture,trying all in vain to demolish
those nightmares and thoughts. Was it not crystal clear?Suzy chose
his ally in lieu of him. Anger was seething silently with
frustration,his heart frozen solid with pain,fear and hatred. Strange
feeling racing through his veins. Examinations were hectic but
days kept on elapsing with him having niggling doubts about it,not
mentioning ways to get rid of his treacherous friend. There he
was,looking at the blue fluorescent sky. Pure and clear with no
clouds hanging in the horizon. The envy in him escalating each time but how on earth could the sky be so crystal clear while he
had a mammoth wolf in him howling in his heart. His heart at war
with his mind propelling a surge of atrocious thoughts cross them
all at once. A brilliant idea finally flashed through. He hastened his
thoughts carefully. Tuesday morning broke with light drizzle,clouds
were still hovering in the sky.