Unexpected

It's fifth period and the principal announced that all students should go to the school hall. It sounded quite serious and that scared me. I hurried to the hall and when I walked in there were police. My raced and I suddenly felt like I couldn't breath. I walked in and sat down. The police told us that a girl named Olivia King  went missing that we should contact the police if we knew where the girl was. I assumed that Olivia was the girl Africa killed. I looked around  to see if Africa was at the hall and I caught her staring at me.

Assembly ended and while the students were leading out Africa quickly grabbed me and whispered in my ear " Thato's been released"

"How do you know that" I asked.

" I heard his girlfriend Amanda telling her friends in the toilet."

"Shit , then they are on the look out for a new suspect!"I whispered back.

I didn't know how to react to what Africa just told me but all I knew was that I to put myself first no matter what. And I knew what I had to do.

Lessons resumed and the day went on with everybody even the teachers discussing the case of the missing girl and Thato's release. After school I went to the changing rooms to change for ballet and I over heard Thato's girlfriend Amanda and her friend Thando talking about Thato being released and someway some how Thando said, "I think the blood in Thato's room is Olivia's."

"What the hell Thando!" , "Don't think like that what would she be doing in Thato's room anyways." Amanda shouted

"I'm just saying.", " you never know."

They left and I thought of texting  Africa but I didn't think it was a wise idea. So I changed and told myself that I should wait for the next time I would see Africa.

Africa texted me after rehearsals asking if she wanted me to go out with her this Friday. I thought she was crazy to ask me that while we were still trying to figure out how to cover our tracks but then I thought that it would be a good thing if I acted like nothing ever happened so I texted her agreeing to go out with her.

I went home and my mom was not home yet. I didn't feel like doing my homework so I decided to go outside on my balcony to smoke a blunt, it had been a while since I'd smoked and for someone who usually smokes weed everyday I was surprised that I hadn't smoked it in a while especially after the shit I put myself through. The view on my balcony was one the most beautiful things I've seen. It overviewed the city of Cape Town and the endless ocean. I really think I have the best view. The sun was setting and it was really windy. I could feel summer coming to an end. It was a bit cold but the wind felt satisfying. I started feeling happiness, something I hadn't felt in a while. I don't want this moment to end but it suddenly starts raining.

I go back inside and played music, hoping it will hype me up to do my school work but instead I just lay on my bed . I was feeling  quite gloomy and just stared at the pouring rain. My eyes went on to examine my the ceiling and then to my book shelf and I looked at the Bible, a book I never read, not because I do not believe in God, also not because I do not believe what's in it but really I find it hard to put down my put down my pride and proclaim my "sins". I do everything for a reason and for that I see nothing wrong.

                                            *****

I'm eating dinner with my mom, it's very quiet without my dad. She seems a lot happier without him around, I wonder why or maybe she's just trying to stay strong.

"I heard about what happened at the party you went to."

" yeah what about it ?"

"Did that boy get arrested?"

"Yeah he was but then he was released."

" why did they release him he must have done it, it happened in his room right?"

"Yeah that's what I heard."

"When will the killing of women stop!, it's really getting scary"

"Thank The Lord that that never happened to you, you must thank God for that my child."

She stands up and takes her dish to the kitchen. My heart is pounding and I feel hot, keeping this secret is going to take a lot of getting used to.

I finish up my food, wash the dishes and go back upstairs to my room.

My phone rings, it's Africa.

"Hello"

" Zona I can't sleep every time I close my eyes I picture her body on the floor."

"Just stop thinking of it, you said she would stop it was self defense so it's okay, you did nothing wrong."

" we should have just gone to the police this is too much to handle!"

"Africa shut the fuck up and calm down and stop saying shit like that, it happened and we're going to just have to put that behind you, like it never happened!"

"Okay then"

"And stop calling me about this next time tell me in person."

I drop the call without giving Africa the chance to talk. She is going to be a problem. I don't know what I was thinking when I helped her I should have never even gone to that party. If she carries on like this I will have no choice but to put my life first, love her but I love myself more than I love her.

I'm getting ready for school school, I'm in a good mood today for some weird reason. My mom dropped me off and my first period is maths I hate maths, but because I'm in a good mood I don't mind.

"Zona!" I look back

" hey"

" Amanda" I wonder what she wants from me we aren't friends. What if she knows !

" uhm... You went to my boyfriend's party right ?"

"Yeah I did"

" I would like to ask you some questions if you're cool with that, I'm trying to help my boyfriend, I just know he is innocent."

"Okay, ask away"

"Alright so who were you with?"

"I was with Africa but then we lost each other  while at the party."

" Did you find her and if so where, did you find her in Thato's room?

" No I found her sleeping in the bath."

"Okay then that's all."

"Won't you get into trouble for this?"

" I don't really care I only care about justice for Thato."

She walks away, and I'm starting to panic, it feels like she knows something, but I also feel like she's just trying to look for information. I look for Africa and I see her standing with Stan, I rush over to her making sure that Amanda doesn't see me.

"Hey Africa we need to talk!

"Okay let me finish helping Stan with something."

"No I need to speak to you now!"

"Okay then."

"Amanda was just asking me questions now about the party, who I went with, I told her the truth about us going together and you disappearing but I told her I found you in the bath."

" Damn she's serious, so I'm going to have to tell her the same story if she comes and interrogates me too."

" yes but let's also see if she asks other people too, because if she doesn't then we know she's onto us."

" I'm getting scared now, what if she is onto us, what the hell are we going to do"

" I don't know Africa, if she is will deal with that but for now let's find out if she's asking others too."

" I need to go for English now, we'll talk at break."

"Alright cool"

I  rush to maths and during the whole lesson I keep my eyes on Amanda to see if she's asking anyone else, I even followed her to her next lesson but she didn't look like she was interrogating anyone at all. That made my heart drop, if she is really on to us what the fuck are we going to do?

It's finally break and I meet with Africa.

" I haven't heard or seen anything Zona what are we going to do!"

" maybe we just need to be patient and keep watching her."

"Okay then, but what if she  knows what are we going to?"

" I can't think of anything but killing her."

"Are you crazy we can't kill another person!"

"Hey! I never killed her you did."

"Okay but we can't do that there has to be another option."

"Come up with another option then, I don't see any other solution."

" I don't know but, but another person cannot die, we're just high school kids we can't go around killing people Zona."

"Okay then but I'm not going to jail for you."

"Just stop, you're stressing me out."

Break ended and I eventually saw Amanda asking Neo, some boy in grade 12 about what he was doing that night. I'm so relieved she isn't on to us if she was, I was definitely going to kill her, she's a bitch anyway. I texted Africa about it and she was just as happy as were, what we were going through was a lot of stress but it kinda felt good to be going through a situation like this with someone, I finally feel like I'm part of something , it may be a bad thing but it's something.

                                                ******

It's Friday afternoon, Africa and I are going out as planned. We're going to watch Black Panther, it just came out, everybody's been talking about it, I hope it's good. Africa and I are going to meet at the mall.

"Hey, you look good Zona , wow!"

"Thank you love I really appreciate it , you look good too!"

" I hope this movie is worth spending my money because  I could've used this money to get more weed, I'm almost out.

"Wow, Zona it's not just about the movie it about us too we're besties we're supposed to be going out and having fun."

"Yeah, I know but we could just get high together."

"Ahg, you like weed too much."

We're standing in line, the lines actually quite fool, everyone came to watch Black Panther. We finally get to the front buy our tickets and then go get some popcorn. We head into the cinema and find our seats. They movie started, it was great in the beginning , the characters spoke Xhosa, one of the languages here in South Africa that was great but I wished they used more South African Actors because the The American Actors weren't pronouncing the words correctly, which kinda felt awkward but at least they tried.

The movie ended and Africa and I were feeling kinda hungry so we went to McDonald's and and got some food.

"Your make up looks good, I really like you lip gloss."

"Thanks Africa."

" let's go to where we dumped the body tonight."

" uhm... Africa I don't think that's a good idea my moms still angry at me about the other day and I'm really not trying to get into trouble again, and besides will you even be able to handle going there again?"

"Yeah I can handle it, just tell your mom we're having dinner, I will tell my mom the same thing.", " Now lets go!"

"But I haven't finished my McFlurry yet!"

"It's cool you'll eat in on the way."

"Okay but Africa you're paying for this Uber!"

" okay" she giggled

Africa called an Uber and we're on our way there. I wonder why she wants to go there, I never expected her to want to go there ever again. We get there and and go under that dark bridge again, this time for some reason I felt spooked out.Africa looked okay she seemed happy too, she probably hand something to drink.

"Africa what are we really doing  here?"

" okay let's go sit down closer to the water."

We go and sit down and then suddenly  she hold my hand.

"Look, I've been meaning to tell you this for sometime now."

"Yeah"

"I like you, you're a great friend but I would really love for us to be more than that, I understand if you don't feel the same way or feel like it wouldn't work but you're all I need Zona. You're always there for me and I brought you here to remind you what we've gone through, our little secret, don't you love it, we could have more Zona!", "Will you please be my girlfriend?"

I didn't expect this from Africa and I really didn't know what to say but I didn't want to say no too, not because I didn't I didn't want to hurt her feelings but because this felt refreshing for some reason it felt different, I needed something different.

"Africa I don't know what to say."

"Okay kiss me then."

"Wait what,why?"

" kiss me and tell me yes or no."

"Okay."

We kiss,this kiss feels different she pulls my bottom lip with hers and I felt this tingling sensation all over my body. And I say

"Yes"

We get up because we have to go home when we turn around we Thato, the boy whose room we left bloody, Because of us he could be facing a murder charge if not proven innocent, because us he could lose his future. Was he following us, how'd he find us.