Free Entwined by Cheryl S. Ntumy Page B

declares.
    “No!”
    She stares suspiciously at me. “Why not? What are you up to?”
    “Lebz, please. Do you come with me when I go to talk to my grandfather?”
    “No, but –”
    “And why not?” I fold my arms across my chest, challenging her. My head is starting to throb, the telepathy is flickering again and I’m in no mood for this. “You know this stuff just freaks you out – you hate hearing about it. You can just switch off and go back to the normal world, but I can’t. Rakwena understands. I don’t have to explain things to him. He just… he knows, OK? Try to put yourself in my shoes for once!”
    The look on her face tells me I’ve said too much. “OK,” she says quietly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    “Wait, Lebz… I didn’t mean…”
    “Forget it. It’s fine.” She shrugs. “I have a lot of work to do anyway.” She walks off towards the gate.
Eish
. Me and my big mouth.
    I walk slowly towards the “usual place”, making a promise to myself to call Lebz when I get home. I don’t like it when she’s upset with me, but I don’t have time to brood because Thuli has appeared out of nowhere and is walking towards me. I don’t think I can deal with this. My chest is heaving. I’m rooted to the ground. I don’t know what’s come over me; I’m standing there like an idiot. I should get out of his way. I should ignore him and just keep going. But what if… I know it’s crazy and silly and probably impossible… what if he’s coming to talk to me?
    He walks past, taking long, easy strides, so close that I could have touched him. He doesn’t even glance at me. My heart twists. He was never coming towards me. He was going towards the gate, where Simon and Mothusi are waiting. Oh, stupid Connie. You’d think I would learn.
    “Are you OK?”
    I snap out of my heartbroken daze and turn to Lizard.
    “You look upset.” He looks at me, then at Thuli’s retreating back, then back at me. “Did he say something to you? He’s an idiot.”
    I sigh. “No, he didn’t say a word to me. He doesn’t even know I’m here.”
    He gives me a funny look, then glances at Thuli again. “I don’t know about that.”
    “Hmm?”
    “You said he doesn’t know you’re here. But…” He frowns. “He’s staring at you.”
    There goes my heart again. Connie, come on. How many times do you want to be disappointed? “Don’t be stupid,” I croak, a terrible mixture of hope and doubt rising inside me. “He’s probably staring at
you
.” But I turn around anyway, just in case. And my breath catches in my throat. Thuli
is
staring at me. Not in the idle way he looked at me at the tuck-shop. He’s looking at me with… I can’t believe it… curiosity.
    I could stand there forever, but with superhuman strength I tear my gaze away and start walking on shaky legs. I imagined it. I must have.
    “Are you friends with him?” asks Rakwena, with unmistakable distaste.
    “No.” Wow. Wow.
Wow
. “Is he gone?”
    “Yes.”
    Once we reach the usual place, I lean back against the wall to catch my breath. I’m being silly. Thuli wasn’t looking at me, he was looking at Black Lizard. Obviously. Somehow that thought is comforting – it makes so much more sense. I turn to Rakwena and notice the bag slung over one shoulder. It’s a basic schoolbag, black with green piping, and, like everything else on him, it’s spotless.
    “I don’t understand how you go all day without getting any dirt on you,” I marvel as he leans against the wall beside me.
    “Simple. I don’t roll around in the sand like my peers.”
    Serves me right for mentioning it. And, like a glutton for punishment, I go on. “Your pants look like they were ironed five minutes ago. Your shoes are still shiny. And I’m sure you get your hair cut every day.”
    “Every week,” he corrects me with a slow smile. “I like being clean. I know you kids find that strange, but you’ll grow out of it eventually.”
    Aaaahhhh! I should punch