Chapter 2

I offload small open boxes with items in them from the truck, while two young men who I recently met are busy struggling with putting the fridge in my room. I was ready for the move, I have dreamt about this day since my first year at University. All these years, I was collecting everything for the future, which feels surreal to me right now. I sniff back the tears, I can't start bawling in front of strangers, black people don't do tears of joy.

"Miss, I think I would advise you to unpack when we come back from work because we will be late. By 07:00 we are supposed to clock in" He carries another box from the truck to the room.

"Well...guys I will leave you to it. I haven't bathed, so I need to quickly bathe. So...see you later" The guys give the other guy a stare and turn and give me a friendly smile. He walks away.

I look at the load left in the truck, at least it is just a few boxes. I yawn. I drove from Thohoyandou at 03:00 to arrive here at 06:30. So it's obvious, I didn't get a shut eye. I wonder how I will cope at work. I yawn again. The guy stops and glares at me.

"You must be sleepy? " He asks the obvious

"Yes, Yes I am. I woke up very early today" I continue yawning. I want to sleep.

"Shame...I understand your situation but if we quickly offload these, and then go to work, you can ask to leave early after the induction so you can rest" He purses his lips and walks away.

I look at him as he walks into the room. He really wants to go to work and I have a feeling he is the punctual type. I take another box and walk into my room.

*

"Miss, Are you done? I am leaving"

"Give me a minute" I shout back.

I mean a bit more, like 10 or 20 minutes so I can see if the colour of the van's sneakers matches my T-shirt. Is grey too dull, blue maybe, it matches with the part of the sneaker or...I can just wear my black baggy T-shirt and blue jeans. I am not going there to impress, I need to look normal, like a not yet ready paid teacher with a persal number. Yeah, this look fits the description.

"Miss, I will be waiting for you but after 5 minutes I am leaving"

I hear footsteps fade away. Wait, he was here all this time. I wipe my sweaty and oily nose. Oh, I hate it when my face starts sweating and I have to wipe it removing all the gentle magic serum on my face. I take a cloth and pat my face to feel a bit dry. I am finally dressed in the black baggy t-shirt matching my faded blue jeans with a touch of torn parts on the left knee. I hope the torn part doesn't give a rebellious girl vibe. I grab my backpack, pull the door inside, and step on the dusty dark grey sand. Agh! Dust and sand everywhere! I lock the door.

*

He pushes the door open. I glance around and quickly stamp my feet on the black rubber mat to remove some of the sand that has found a way to the lining underneath the soles of my tired faded white sole. It creates this uneven sole surface which I don't want my future boss...manager...supervisor...whatever, whoever the person is, I don't want him or her to see because they will start judging me. I pull my T-shirt down. I don't look bad.

A lady adorned in a red silk wrap-around dress nestled on her curvaceous body walking in her red matching high 7-inch stilettos passed us without a glance. I can't see her face clearly but I can feel her strong cologne finding its way triggering my sinuses.

"achoo!" I sneeze. "Do I look okay?" I asked my commune mate. I now know his name, Ntshuxeko. A Tsonga who can't speak his vernacular, well there's a blurry line with the statement because he grew up in Mpumalanga, Elukwatini, and speaks Swati fluently however he can only greet in Tsonga. As a Tsonga girl, Ntshuxeko is off the list of the guys I would like to pretend to date and waste their time with but get to know endlessly to finally say no and decline their proposal to their dying love for me.

"Vutomi..." I jerk my head up and stare at him.

"You have been standing there for a while... let's go" He veers in the direction with his head.

"To?" I ask dumbfounded. To be honest, I am immense in my head and he is disturbing my storyline in my head. I need this to stay calm, hold on, and seem confident on the outside.

"The Principal's office" He frowns his eyebrows a bit seeming a bit irritated by my behaviour.

"Okay," I purse my lips and peer at him. His eyes are beautiful. He looks away.

"I know you must be scared, but the job is already yours. So you are just signing, then induction" He turns his gaze and now he stares into my eyes.

"Okay," I swallow my saliva and cross my fingers, literally.

I follow him, as he guides me on this long corridor. As we walk in silence, I only hear our footsteps and notice that the colour on the wall is slowly transforming from light brown to dark brown which is now faded grey. Okay...why don't they repaint their walls? I roll my eyes. We reach the only room in the hallway

"We are here" He knocks on the door.

"Come in" A small voice replies behind the big shiny brown wooden pivot door.

Ntshuxeko pushes the door.

glossary

Swati-South African language

Tsonga-South African language

both words can be used to refer to language, a tribe, or a person of that tribe

Ntshuxeko- Freedom

Vutomi- Life

Mpumalanga- One of the provinces in South Africa

Persal number- civil number