Chapter Five Part 1

In my apartment I take a quick shower, change my clothes, wash the dress and clean up just before I get a message from Fred saying he is downstairs. I send a message back telling him the floor and room number and he says he is on his way up. I sit on the couch, with a hotwater bottle back, I am eating my second banana when I hear him knock, "its open!", I hear the door open and close.

I look up and see him wearing a white vest, and navy blue sweats, "Hi", he says "Hi yourself," I don't get up but motion for him to come towards me, "Ok quick tour, that is my bedroom, the bathroom is this side, here's the kitchen and lounge, this is the couch you will be sleeping on and welcome to my humble abode." He nods as I explain where everything is and the blushes when I tell him to put his bag in my room.

When he comes out we go to the stores using his car, when we arrive at the store I ask, "do you know how to do grocery shopping?", he blushes and says David's mother does most of their shopping, I shake my head and tell him to take a trolley. "Can you cook?", " Yes", he says it so confidently I can't help but ask, "do you want to cook us dinner?", he replys "sure, is there anything you don't eat?", "I don't eat pork, weird seafood and reptiles and Alka doesn't eat anything I don't eat so if we can stay away from those..." he gives me a confused look, "weird seafoods?", "yeah you know like prawns, shrimp, sushi stuff like that."

" You know what let's just by chicken, mutton and hake, sound good?", "perfect", I say smiling at him. He takes a few trays of meat and I give him a look, " don't be shy now, I might be woman but I have a very healthy relationship with meat so...." I think he gets the message as he takes bigger trays in addition to the other ones, I nod in approval and take spices and sauces.

We continue through the store as we pass by the pastries I stop the trolley and take a deep breathe. The cake slices are a bit pricey but I want one of each, I laugh as I see Fred's face stare in shock as I tell the lady over the counter to give me four cake slices. "Want anything?", I turn and ask Fred. "Wait are all those cake slices just for you?", "Yes, I don't share my cake with nobody so speak now or forever hold your peace!", he turns red and says he wants a donut, we get it and we move on.

As we push the trolley I hear the short and sweet by sauti sol over the stores radio and I can't help it, I start moving my hips slowly with the beat. Fred just takes the trolley and continues walking looking around as if checking to see if anyone is looking at us. The way I couldn't care less, I dance in front of the trolley making Fred blush as he looks at me and when the song ends, I hear him whisper "finally". "Mxm, you wish you could dance like me" I say chuckling, "I bet you've got two left feet!", he looks away as he turns red from the neck up, "can we just drop this subject now", "ncwah, don't worry Alka and I will teach you how to dance, promise".

We go through the snacks section and I sigh dramatically, "HOME" I say throwing my hands in the air, "By the way, I hope you know we're going fifty-fifty on the groceries so buy what you want, I'm not leaving the house till Monday." I say as I take seven bags of crisps, two large lindt choclate slabs, fizzers, wine gums and oreos.

He looks at me seemingly bewildered, I think he wasn't expecting this behaviour from me and usually I wasn't like this...but the first few days of my period are rough. He shakes his head and replies "No problem" and then he begins taking peanuts and raisins and biscuits and four boxes of fruit juice. "Last stop Ice cream", I say excitedly, he looks at me with wide eyes, "is there anything with sugar you don't like?", I shrug, and continue walking "this explains why you have so much energy", I ignore him and make my way to the fridges.

After the fridges we were done so we paid, get into the car and start heading back to my apartment. On the way we stopped at a MacDonalds drive thru since I was hungry and couldn't wait for him to cook. I also got a chocolate mcflurry which I also refused to share, he just sighed and paid for the food.

As soon as we got back we quickly unpacked the groceries and then finally sat down to eat. "So...I kinda feel weird since I basically invited a complete stranger to my place, I'm gonna need a quick bio", he looks up from eating his burger and he has sauce all over his lips, I'm tempted to lick it off but I have a feeling this boy would bolt for the door ... so I just smile. He chews and swallows before he speaks, " Ok, my name is Fredrick...."

"Honey! I'm home!", I roll my eyes as I hear my sister's voice calling from the door.

"Oh, you're entertaining that's a first, hi, I am Carol, this one's older sister and you are?", she looks at him expectantly. "By five minutes", I mumble.

He clears his throat and replies "Fredrick van der Merwe, pleasure to meet you", he offers his hand for her to shake which she does.

And just like that, I become a spectator in my own apartment, Carol starts grilling him and the poor boy can barely keep up. I want to intervene but at the same time, I know she'll ask me questions about him, I simply don't know the answers to. I settle for finishing my meal and then interrupt them.

"What are you doing here?", Fred seems shocked by my question but takes it as an opportunity to polish off his food. My sister however, remains unbothered, by now she knows that with those closest to me, I don't beat around the bush.

"I missed you?!"

I scoff, "is that a question or a statement?"

"Both, I missed you and came to see if I could drag my hobbit of a sister out of the shire for the night."

"Well, Gandalf, as you can see I have a guest and am not in the mood for another uninvited guest so..."

"That time of the month?", I nod, "ncese (sorry) luv, but I cannot in good conscience leave you alone with a strange man in your apartment, imagine the scandal if Baba were to hear of this and umlungu (white person) at that, he would have a heart attack!" She gives me a smug look.

I see Fred watching our exchange and clearly becoming uncomfortable,"you wouldn't!"

"Oh, but I would as soon as you kick me out I will speed dial uBaba, I wander how long it would take him to get here?" At this point she is smiling from ear to ear, and this ladies and gentlemen is my evil twin.

"Argh, I hate you!" As I walk into my room I hear her say "love you too sis", and so goes my life. It's not all bad, I do actually miss her... sometimes, I just prefer her to visit me when I am alone. I don't know, something about her being with people just reminds me of how different we are, I lie down on my bed with my hot water bottle and a blanket. As I look for something to watch on my laptop I hear Fred laugh, I feel myself become dejected, this is why I don't like being around her, she brings out this envious side of me.

I leave the bedroom to go to the fridge to get a cake slice, I walk passed them as they cook together. They seem to have become fast friends and I swallow the bitterness that rises like bile, burning my throat. Sometimes, I wish I was more like her, the worst part is she has done nothing to deserve my resentment.

I hate these hormones, they just make everything worse. "Bilbo, don't be rude to your guest hawu, come sit here with us", I know she's trying to be nice and include me but now I feel like a charity case.

"No its cool, I'm going to catch up on vikings and I'll come out once the food is ready."

"At least sit in the lounge and watch your series, don't lock yourself in your room", she gives me a pointed look and I'm pissed because I know she's right.

I proceed to my room and get my laptop and blanket, I take out the cake slice and coca cola (coke), "anybody want some?", I offer as a gracious host should, they both accept a glass of coke so I pour. They continue talking and I can't help but feel jealous at how Fred has seemingly forgotten that I exist since my sister showed up. He hasn't said a word to me, I should be used to it by now, my sister has a way of capturing her audience. I hand them their drinks and quickly move away with my drink and cake in hand.

Soon my cake is finished and I am basically drooling over Ivar and Bjorn. I sigh, if only they still made men that looked like that. A tap on my shoulder interrupts my train of thought and I look up to see Fred blushing, I take off my headphone,

" the food is ready."

I give him a thumbs up and pause the show, and head to the kitchen. Carol has just finished dishing up for me, the aroma of the food is mouth watering and I suddenly feel bad for hating on her. She can't help who she is, and so I walk around to her, hug her from behind and kiss her cheek, "thank you", I take my plate from her and take my seat.

"See, what did I tell you, the way to her heart is through her stomach", she winks at Fred who is blushing even more, I'm confused but too hungry to care, I say grace and dig in.

"So how long are you planning to crash here Freddie?", Carol and her nosey self, I roll my eyes and wait for his response. "Well I was invited to the sleepover so I'm guessing till Sunday". I moan as I taste the food, "as long as you cook like this, you can stay as long as you like!", I say savouring the flavour, and THIS is why I need a man who can cook!

He chuckles and blushes saying it was a team effort, now I know my sister can throw down in the kitchen but she has never made this for me."Thanks for the shout out Freddie, but this is all you and I agree sis, if you don't take him I will!"

"Mxm, zitholele owakho umlungu (find your own white person)", she laughs and just like that my mood has lifted. I love her and dispise her at the same time, all I know is I wouldn't be complete without her.