《A miracle in disguise》


 Beyond the shadows

    My life has been a life filled with sorrow, trouble and misfortune. Nothing I did or set my mind on, ever worked. I remember even back in primary school, I was a kid that when people want to mock others, they would use my name as a curse word. I was always crying because of that, and what made it worse was that, I never experienced a father''s love.


    Seeing other kids being picked up from school by their dad, while I had to go home alone, was terrible, though with time, I got used to it. I thought this was going to change when I am old enough and independent. But I realized that, it even got worse.


    A year ago, I enrolled at the university to do my bachelor''s program, and I made some friends there. It was the first time in my life to have people who seem to care, and love me besides my mom. But, were they genuinely concerned, cared and loved me? This was the question I would ask myself everytime, because I was used to people making funny of me all my life, even the little ones saw me as nothing.


    "Yet, amidst the turmoil and loneliness, I found a spark of light in the friends I made at university. For the first time in my life, I felt a sense of belonging and acceptance that had long eluded me. While the pain of the past still lingered, their friendship gave me a reason to keep going, to believe that perhaps, someday, I might find my place in this world."


    That love, support and the sense of belonging made a twist in my life. I was no longer a young man who was always avoiding people, afraid that I won''t fit in this or that group. I nolonger felt as if no one notices me nor was I afraid of being mocked and laughed at, things had changed. But was I happy? I don''t know, but what I know is that, things had changed.


    As the year progressed, I began to make more and more friends, some who were genuine from what I could tell because these would want to hear more of my story, empathize with me, support me when l am feeling down, and they would always say, "dont worry, we are here for you Cedric." At times they will just call to hear how l am doing or will just pop up at my place with snacks and drinks to just chill and enjoy the moment.


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    Some friends came only because they wanted something from me. The latter would only come during group discussions, because they knew they would benefit a lot from me.


    A week before our group presentation, we gathered together on a weekend. It was Saturday morning,the air was filled with a sweet scent of blooming flowers, blue sky with a bit of fluffy clouds. The sun shining brightly, casting a warm glow over everything. It was indeed a nice day we picked to do our group study, and you could not miss hearing the sound of the rustling of leaves.


    After we were done with our group project, one of my friends made a remark saying, "I wonder why you said you used to be mocked and laughed at, yet you are very bright and intelligent. Who would not want to be close to you."


    I couldn''t respond to that question, I just clapped my eyes at him and was silent for a few seconds, I then looked down with a facial expression that says, "ooh man, you don''t get it." At that moment, I found myself caught in a web of conflicting emotions.


    The pain of the past threatened to resurface, as memories of mockery and loneliness tugged at my heart. But I looked up again and his eyes caught mine, and in that shared moment of understanding, a wave of unexpected laughter washed over us.


    You might wonder how we ended up laughing, but these guys whenever I am with them. My heart feels lighter, my burdens lifted. They have shared their stories, the pain they have endured and in doing so, they have become the light in the darkness of my past. I have hope. They have told me their journey in life and their stories changed my thinking and how I see things.


    After we parted ways, the past memories began to pop up in my mind, thinking about the humiliation of being mocked, the sting of their laughter. The loneliness of walking home alone during my childhood. These memories haunted me, haunting every step I took through the corridors of the university. I felt like a shadow, unseen and unvalued.


    I arrived at my place thinking about that past life, I was feeling down and with no energy at all. As soon as I entered my room. I couldn''t sit, but was pacing back and forth still taken away by those sad moments of my past life. Then I looked around and seeing that I am running low on food, I said to myself


    "Oh man, Life at the university is tough especially when you come from a poor family."And that was the case with me. It was really tough but because of having friends around. They continued to give me hope and cared for me to the point that I began to enjoy life at campus.


    Out of those five guys I was close to. Three of them stood out to be very close, more concerned about me, and so, I saw them as close friends whom I could share with all that was in my heart. Peter, was one of those three.


    He was somewhat a quite guy, very big, tall, and with a deep voice. Chris, a smiley guy, simple but intelligent. Sarah, the most caring one, always using the Bible whenever she wants to encourage me on something. She was too talkative, and intelligent and was a bit chubby. These three to be honest, gave me hope and the reason to keep going. However, were they going to stand by me, I wonder.

 The power of excellence

    On the day of our presentation, we did something incredible. We were both anxious. However, Peter started us of as he began the presentation. He was well groomed, dressed smart, and with his deep and incredible voice, he delivered it so well and gave others the confidence to present professionally.


    Our group showcased an excellent team work, and you could see the lecture smiling as he was gazing at us. At last he said, "wow, this group''s collaborative effort resulted in a polished and informative presentation that impressed and blow our minds. Well done team."


    We left the lecture hall with smiling faces, exuding confidence and excitement, eager and ready to take on the next project. Little did we know that we had encouraged a spirit of competition. Yes, you heard that correctly, a spirit of competition.


    That day changed other student''s perspective on us. They began to be kind and wanted to work with us whenever we are doing group discussions, while others were becoming our rivals. They were ready to go with us toe to toe.


    In the afternoon, a couple of guys came to where we were, and we were just a mellow group of friends waiting for our afternoon lecture. One of them who goes by the name Thando, who was a quiet and reserved, beautiful, with a soft good looking skin said, with a soft and soothing voice "guys you nailed it. Your presentation was superb. At one point I thought, are these students or lectures? Because the way you presented your project, we could tell that these guys know their stuff very well."


    We both looked at her, all smiles on our faces and Sarah said to her. "Wow thanks hey, you are so kind to give us such a compliment, we apriciate that hey."


    Stanley, a tall, slim and handsome looking guy, who knows fashion well and was dressed in clothes that looked expensive was standing next to Sarah, and he said, "guys to be frank enough, we overhead some guys who seem to be jealous of you and they were saying, well these guys now think they are the best group in our class. We will show them who we are."


    "Peter''s eyes gleamed with challenge and mischief. His deep voice reverberated through the air as he said, ''Let the challenge begin.'' The words lingered, electrifying the air between us. For a moment, we all sat in stunned silence, and then, as if in response to the unspoken invitation, our laughter erupted like thunder, drawing attention of those who were sitting close to us.


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    As we looked around, we saw that other students were staring at us in total confusion, wondering what happened that made us laugh like that.  Others you could see that they are starring at us but with the curiosity of wanting to know what is happening.


    After having chatted for a while, we went back to the lecture hall to have a final lecture for the day. After we were done with the lecture, we said farewell to each other and went each on his own way.


    In the evening,  I was a different person, way over the moon with excitement and I was barely able to contain my joy. Have you ever been that happy to the point that, no-matter how much you try to hide your smile. You will just give it away.


    That was me that evening, because the lecture''s words about our group, as well as Thando''s and Stanley''s words had given me hope. At last, I could see that I am not unvalued, unseen or was I like a shadow.


    That night I could barely sleep because of joy, and all I could think about and what kept ringing in my mind was Thando''s soft and soothing voice "guys you nailed it. Your presentation was superb." I quickly paced back and forth in my room after those thoughts, looked myself at the mirror,  smiled and throw my self on the bed and exclaimed, "Lord thank you."


    I know some of you want to know if I was happy because of our presentation or because Thando had said something positive to us. To be honest, I don''t know.  It was her first time approaching us, even though we are in the same program and the same class. But all I can tell you is that I was happy.


    The following morning,  I called Peter, Sarah and Chris so we could go to the lecture together.  As we entered the lecture hall, there was silence and I could hear the sound of my heartbeat and I wondered,  what''s going on, were people talking about us or there is something going on.


    We realized that, our rivals had been saying something and one of them stood up and said, "guys are you up for a challenge, we are going to compete with you in everything.


    For we know that, in this class we are the best academically,  we know our fashion to the point that everyone likes us and we are just cool. Are you up for it?" We just looked at him, smiled, and then we went and took our sits.


    The following day, we took our sits in the lecture hall and Stanley came and sat next to Peter, and he said, "guys, will you allow me to be part of your group. I just want to be with you guys. I know there are so many groups in this class, but I want to be part of you. You are nice people, humble and I think I would want to work with such people who are not full of themselves."


    Stanley exclaimed outloud after we both noded our heads, his voice electrifying the air in the room, "yes!, yes!". He picked up his backpack and rushed out of the room full of excitement. There was a stunned silence the whole room for few seconds.

 When Fear creeps in

    "As soon as Stanley left, everyone started whispering and talking softly to each other, surprised by what had just happened. We didn¡¯t know what to make of it. Peter, Sarah, Chris, and I had always been close friends, sharing the same beliefs and ideas. We weren¡¯t sure how we felt about Stanley joining us, especially since we didn¡¯t know him well yet."


    Peter, quickly stood up, tapped my back and said, "Let''s get out of here guys." We left the room as if embarrassed from what had just happend. We went out to our usual place where we chill while waiting for another lecture.


    As soon as we sat down, Sarah remained standing. She began to pace back and forth without a word. She stopped, looked at us, smiled and then in a high-pitched, nervous tone, with her words tumbling out in a rush. "Guys! what had just happened?"


    As she asked that question, she was tapping her foot impatiently, with her shoulders tense and hunched. ''Stanley wants to join our group!'' She exclaimed. ''What are we going to do? Should we let him in? Is he trying to take us down? Did the other group pay him to destroy us?''


    We looked at her in amazement as she seemed restless. Chris, whispered in my ears and said, "Cedric, dont worry. Sarah is always like that. She is fiercely protective not only of her friends, but anyone around her. she is like a mother hen, and that is why she is restless."


    I noded my head in response to what Chris had just whispered in my ears. I also whispered back to him, and said with a gentle tone, "I didn''t know that side of her."


    Chris did not respond, but flashed a quick, covert smile, swiftly covering it up with a more serious expression. Only I could see that. At last I said, "come on guys, I don''t think he has been paid to destroy us. He genuinely wants to be part of our group. Do you guys want him in or not? Should we take sometime to think about it or what?"


    There was a moment of silence for a few seconds, and then Chris said, "guys let''s take some time to consider this. " We both agreed to what Chris said, then Sarah came and sat next to me. I looked at her and realized that her face was pale, with sweat as if she survived from a dangerous dog attack.


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    We sat there for a while, thinking if It was wise to take Stanley in, since we didn¡¯t know him quite well. We were also discussing and coming up with strategies on how we can bit our rivals in their own game. Not only that, but also how we can work together to improve on our grades. We wanted to be on top of the class, because our rivals had encouraged a spirit of competitiveness in us.


    We knew that we had to work extra hard in order to achieve those goals. Because, all of us were aware that Frank, the leader of our rival group, was smart and intelligent. He was a handsome guy, and the fact that He was rich, made him to be other student''s idol.


    This guy, not only was he smart, but had a rugged, muscular frame. He had broad shoulders, powerful chest, and you could see that his body is well buit even under his clothes. He also had a commanding presence that drew attention. All these in one person. I think this is the reason why he was full of himself.


    I went back home that day thinking about, why on earth did I agree to be in a competition with these guys. Our group was nothing, we were of a poor class, though intelligent, but there was nothing special about us. At last I said, "why bother thinking about this. Let it just be, we are already in the game."


    That night, I slept like a log as if I was done with school, but only waiting for the day of my graduation. This was all because, it was weekend. I knew I didn''t have a lecture so I slept in and woke up very late.


    When I woke up, I did my errands, and within minutes, I was done. Afterwards, I felt like I am stuck in a rut, with no excitement in the sight. Time seemed to have stopped moving, and I kept changing my sitting position, as if I am filled with anxiety. Nevertheless, it wasn''t that, but I was bored.


    I kept my eyes darting around the room, and then I saw my phone lying on the bed. I quickly picked up my phone, dialed Chris'' number and boom, it got through to him. But, he did not pick up the phone. I then dialed Peter''s number, and he too did not pick up. I walked around in circles wondering why these guys did not pick up.


    Since I had this experience of always being alone, unvalued and unnoticed. I thought, could this be it. Did these guys just dumb me. What is happening. That moment, my heart felt like it has stopped working. I then heard footsteps pacing towards my door, and the person knocked. I walked towards the door with no energy at all, because of what was going through my mind.


    As I opened the door. I saw Chris, Peter and Stanley with their hands full. They looked at me and smiled. Then Peter with his deep, cracking voice said, "sorry bro. Our hands are full and you can see, we were bored and so we decided to come to your place. Now that our hands are full, we could not pick up your calls. Please forgive us" He spoke his last words while entering my room.


    I took my sit and then with a deep sigh, looked at both of them and with a gentle tone said, "guys!" I was silent for few seconds. Then I continued, "guys I thought, you have dumped me. I thought you don''t want anything to do with me."

 Lost in her gaze

    Peter quickly put down all the snacks he was carrying and rushed towards me. He began to rub my back gently. Surprisingly he spoke, though with a deep voice, but in a low key, "why on earth would we dumb you, you are our friend and you will always get our support, the way you support us."


    Before I could respond,  Chris also walked towards me with a big smile and said, "ah come on bro.  How can we call ourselves friends if we dumb you like that.  It''s not going to happen,  not today and not ever."


    On the far corner was Stanley , who was still standing as if waiting to be given permission to take a sit. Peter turned his head and looked at the corner where Stanley was.


    Before he could say something,  Stanley exclaimed.  "Guys, I came uninvited. I brought some drinks. It happend that I was bored in my room. Then I overhead Peter talking to Chris on the phone as I was taking a walk. They were planning to visit you.  So I thought,  if I bring something, though uninvited,  you guys won''t chase me away, because you are too kind.


    We both looked at him and exclaimed at once,  "of course not, chasing who?" We laughed uncontrollably and began to enjoy our drinks. We had a good time together, and we agreed to take Stanley in to our group. The only thing that was left was for Sarah to tell us what she thinks, though we knew that it''s going to be a yes.


    Afterwards,  I walked these guys out as they were going back to their respective places. As we were walking,  we saw Thando and her friends taking a walk. My heart stopped for a moment, and the guys could see that something was wrong.


    As we approached the girls, my heart raced. I felt lightheaded, as if I was floating on a cloud. When Thando greeted me, her voice washed over me like a warm summer breeze. My hands shook slightly, and I found myself lost in her beautiful dark eyes. For a moment, I forgot the presence of my friends. It was just her and me, standing in a sea of infinite possibilities.


    That moment,  my face became pale and I could feel a hollow in my stomach.  My heart felt like it has stopped. Was I crushing on her. That''s what came to my mind.  Why am I becoming like this.  Then with a cracking voice, while breathing fast, I responded back but with a fake smile that hides how I was feeling.


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    As we passed them, Chris said to me, "Aww someone seems to be crushing on Thando." He laughed and I quickly denied it though deep down I was wondering, am I crushing on her, was it the reason I felt a hollow in my stomach.  I then stopped walking and said, "guys, I will see you tomorrow God willing."


    The reason I wanted to go back was Chris.  I knew he wasn''t going to stop talking about Thando, so I had to run away from that.


    Monday morning, I didn''t call the guys but we met in the lecture hall. It''s funny that all this time even if we are in the lecture hall, I couldn''t see where Thando used to sit. But now that I was crushing on her. I could see her and my heart would melt.


    Stanley made things awkward for me, because at times the girls would accompany him, as he comes to join our group discussions. That means I was seeing Thando more often and I grew more and more into liking her. I never opened up to my friends that I liked Thando, however,  Sarah knew by my reactions when Thando is around us.


    Two weeks down the line. I was alone going back home after having parted ways with my friends. I saw Thando and two of her friends. As I looked at her, I noticed how her hair catches the light, her smile that made me feel like my heart is melting.


    As she turned to look towards where I was, I could imagine and see her turn in slow motion, her beautiful eyes shining and her skin reflecting the sun. Deep in my thoughts, thinking about her and how she looked. The girls greeted me, but I couldn''t hear anything. At last one of her friend said, "hello," while snapping her fingers. I lifted up my head as someone who was lost in his thoughts but then snapped out of it. All I could see was Thando despite the fact that she was with her friends.


    ¡°As I turned to look towards where she was, Thando¡¯s eyes met mine. Her lips curved into a slightly shy smile as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, the sunlight illuminating her smooth, golden skin. My heart fluttered as I found myself lost in her gaze. The other girls greeted me again, but their voices were mere background noise to the symphony of my thoughts. And I greeted only her.


    After I passed them, the girls looked at Thando and said, "wow. Thando,  I think Cedric has a crush on you." Thando smiled and said, "well, who wouldn''t want a queen like me." They both giggled, but little did Thando knew that her friend Charlotte had fallen in love with Cedric on the day of the presentation.


    Charlotte was smart, kind, soft hearted and she was exquisite,  though not as beautiful as Thando. However,  she radiated her beauty from the inside out. And I think this was more because she is a church girl.No one knew that she was day dreaming about me, except herself.


    After the girls parted ways, Thando began talking to herself. "So Cedric is in love with me,  since when?" From that day onwards,  I think I made it more clear to her that I was crushing on her, which is what I didn''t want her to know until the day I could have the guts to ask her out.

 A slap of disappointment

    Meanwhile,  Charlotte on the other hand, as she went back to her own place, was deep in her thoughts. She was being jealous of Thando as she realized that her crush was in love with her friend.


    What was she going to do? Was she going to tell Thando that she likes Cedric. And if she does, how will her friends see her. These thoughts troubled her, and at last she decided to hide her feelings and play cool.


    In the evening, I got a call from Sarah. Little did I know that she had conflicting thoughts. She wasn''t sure if I had a crush on Thando or not. So she wanted to find out. I went out and we met at the park. No one said anything for more than two minutes.  I was battling in my mind thinking,  should I open up. While she was thinking,  should I ask him or not.


    Hearing the rustling of leaves and the sound of crickets, I realized that the silence was too much. I had to speak first.  Though Sarah was too talkative,  she was silent and that made me realize she wanted to ask something. I coughed ,and with a low key, soft and gentle voice said, "Sarah,  I want you to know the truth, I think I am in love with Thando."


    It wasn''t a surprise to Sarah. She looked at me in amazement, stood up, paced back and forth while laughing. She then stopped, looked at me and said with a loud voice, "I knew it Cedric. I knew it from the word go." She laughed uncontrollably again and then sat down.


    She then said,  "well I don''t think I vouch for her." She is beautiful I know. She is all a man would want in a lady. But I don''t think she is good for you. But I won''t stop you, just try and see if it''s gonna work. "


    Her words made my already conflicting thoughts to be worse. I wanted to ask Sarah why she thinks that,  on the other hand,  I was imagining myself with Thando. So we changed the subject.  Then after we parted ways with Sarah,  Chris called backing me up to go and ask Thando out and he even said, if I didn''t have the guts to, he was going to do it on my behalf.


    I threw myself on the bed, confused, and not knowing what to do. Now I have two friends with different opinions about this girl that I want. "What am I to do." I kept asking myself that question. So I decided to lay low and continue to hide my feelings about her so I can find out why Sarah thinks the way she does and Chris too.


    The following morning as I was going to the lecture hall, I bummed into Charlotte and we walked down together.  As we were chatting,  I realized that she is sweet and friendly, at the same time someone whom you can enjoy her company.  I also noticed her beautiful smile, but my mind then rushed to think about Thando.


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    I wanted to ask her, to help me get close to Thando, but I didn''t have the guts. So we spoke casually until we reached the lecture hall and we parted ways.


    Chris came to me and said, "dude you got to ask Thando out. The sooner you do it, the better. " I agreed with Chris and I was prepared to go ask her out. I spent the whole day waiting for that opportunity,  but if it comes, was I able to do it. That was the question I kept thinking.


    In the afternoon,  I saw Thando going out of the campus, she seemed to be in a rush. So I called her and she stopped. I gathered courage and went to see her. I walked with her going towards the main gate, but the words could not come out. So I said farewell as we reached the main gate and she left.


    As I was going back to where Chris was, I blammed myself for not having said anything  to her.  And so I said to myself,  "well, I failed today,  tomorrow I will definitely ask her out." Chris stood up from where he was sitting and walked towards me with a huge smile on his face. He grabbed my hand and dragged me on the corner where no one could see us nor hear us. He then said, "dude how was it?" I smiled and said, "I will ask her out tomorrow. "


    Chis clutched his head in disbelief,  his hands grasping the back of his skull while pacing back and forth. He stopped, and said with a loud voice, "dude, you know today is the last day of our semester right.  You won''t see her anymore until the semester break is over."


    I was so embarrassed, and with Chris''s voice you could tell that he wasn''t happy at all with that wasted opportunity.  But then I remembered that she had given me her number. I looked at Chris and smiled, then he said, "what?"


    I said, "well I have got her number and I can still ask her out through the phone." I took my phone out of my pocket hastily,  and unlocked it, only to find out that I had missed 2 digits. The number was  incomplete.


    My Semester break felt very long. I longed to go back to school,  because I didn''t want to waste another opportunity as I did the last time.


    Through out the break, we kept checking on each other as a group. Encouraging one another to keep going and never look back nor do anything that threaten to resurface our past experiences.


    As the semester break wound down, my  anticipation grew. I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Thando, replaying every moment I had spent together with her, reliving every word she had said to me. I knew that when I return to school, I had to make my move.


    "But what would I say? How would I approach her?" These questions plagued me, even as I made my plans. Another thought also crept in: "There''s nothing special about me. I''m broke, unvalued, and have never received any kind of love before, besides from these friends here at university. Will she like me back?"

 Heartfelt Surprises

    My time at home was difficult.  Each and everyday the past experiences were threatening to resurface and people still treated me the same, as if I am nothing.  The only thing that would make me forget about it, was our daily group call. To be frank enough,  my friends were there for me especially Sarah.


    Just like what Chris said to me the other day, that Sarah is like a mother hen. I could clearly see that now. She was incredibly caring and that was exactly what I needed.  Though I was with my mom, who was also very caring. She wasn''t always available.


    Moreover,  the fact that I grew up without a dad, made my life a bit challenging and to struggle with relationships. However,  Sarah would call me everyday just to check on me, despite having spoken through a group call.  She would take the time to call me individually showing her genuine care and concern.


    At the end of the semester break, I left home joyfully knowing that, at last I am going to be with my friends and also you know. Seeing Thando. As we arrived at school, my friends and I planned to have a braai as a way of catching up.


    That time, I wanted to ask Stanley to bring along Thando her friend, but I thought it won''t be good. I might embarrass myself in front of others. So I let those thoughts go.


    While at the braai, Sarah grabbed my hand and we walked a few yards away from the rest of our friends. She made a deep sigh and said, "Cedric about last time. I didn''t tell you why I said I won''t vouch for Thando, but here is why." Before she could tell me, Peter called out with a loud voice, "guys come up here, I have something for you." Then we walked back.


    Peter had brought smart wrist watches for all of us as a gift. We could not contain our joy as we received those wrist watches.  It was kind of Peter to think of blessing us this way. Sarah was the first to receive it and she squealed with delight and jumped up and down, already excitedly strapping the watch onto her wrist.


    Peter beamed with pride, obviously delighted by his friends¡¯ reactions. Took another watch and gave it to Chris. Chris, being the more reserved one, gave a slight smile but secretly felt pleased with the gift.


    He took the other two and gave it to me and Stanley.  Stanley before taking the gift from Peter, touched his mouth with both hands, surprised, at the same time filled with joy. He said with a gentle tone that sounded grateful and emotional,¡°Guys, I¡¯m still the new guy and you¡¯ve already given me a gift. I don¡¯t know what to say¡­ this is so thoughtful. Thank you.¡± He said that while tears were slowly dripping.


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    As for me, this was the first time to get a gift in my life. That was something very big for me and I cannot describe how I felt that time. I was speechless for some time and with a cracking voice while tears dripping too. I said thank you and hugged Peter.


    Stanley could not contain his joy. He called Thando to come witness this, because he wanted to just share with someone what had just happened to him. Thando''s phone could not get through,  then he called Charlotte and within few minutes, she arrived.


    Charlotte, witnessing the gift exchange and the evident emotion in the air, smiled and gave Stanley a warm hug. ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you,¡± she said, patting him on the back. ¡°I wish Thando could be here to see this.¡±


    Cedric, hearing Thando¡¯s name, stiffened slightly. ¡°Thando?¡± he asked, a hint of anxiety in his voice. ¡°Is she coming?¡± Charlotte filled with jealous, gave a fake smile as she knew how Cedric feels about Thando and said. "Well she is kind of occupied at the moment.  I am not sure if she will come."


    Cedric felt a bit relieved after hearing those words, at the same time disappointed. He wanted to see Thando, though he was nervous.


    After the braai we dismissed. As I was going back to my place, I saw Thando with her other friend Cindy. They seemed to be catching up and they looked happy.  I approached them and asked if I could speak to Thando alone. She came and without wasting any time. I asked her out.


    She didn''t say anything, and I didn''t care about her responding to my proposal, since I was taken away by her gaze. She blushed brightly as she looked at me, and gave a slight shy smile. She looked down, began to fiddle with her hair. She gave me a bright, beautiful smile again and without a word she left.


    I was left puzzled,  and wondered,  did she hear what I just asked her or not. What is she going to say. I went back home with no energy at all, with sweat all over my face as if I just came from a jog.


    Meanwhile,  Thando was confused,  she was beginning to like me after seeing my kindness towards others and my gentle spirit. But she Loved her boyfriend that much. She called Cindy and Charlotte, so they could meet and chat.


    The girls quickly gathered, and they were looking forward to hearing the news, that Thando had just promised to share with them. Thando, with her soft soothing voice said, "Guys my heart is troubled. Cedric asked me out. You know I have a boyfriend and we have been together for 7 months.  I love him,  but I am also starting to like Cedric.  Tell me guys what can I do?"


    Charlotte, while smiling and patting softly on Thando''s back. She said,  "you know, what your heart likes matters, and we can''t tell you what to do." Thando quickly stoodup and said outloud. "Guys I like my boyfriend,  he is smart, intelligent,  rich, and handsome. Unlike Cedric, he has nothing, only intelligent."


    Sarah happend to be passing by, and she overhead what Thando said. Her complexion became pale, tears began to slowly fall, and had difficulty in breathing because of what Thando said about Cedric. She recorded the words so Cedric would hear it himself.


    Now, that she has the recording and and previously was interrupted when she wanted to tell Cedric why she did not vouch for Thando. Was she going to tell Cedric this, if Cedric hears it, will he still continue to love Thando or listen to her caring friend? Or will she be misunderstood as being jealous, not wanting Cedric to be in a relationship?

 A shocking Revelation

    A week passed by as Sarah was being hesitant to share the recording with me. She was trying to discern if it was good for her to review this. The week after, we were given group assignments, and were supposed to be two students in each group. It happend that, the lecture decided that I should work with Charlotte. I enjoyed working with her. I also saw the other side of her, she loved people, was kind to everyone.  And she was a devoted church girl.


    I got to know some of her family members as they would video call her in the middle of our group discussions. I realized that, whenever I am with her, I laughed a lot, just like when I am with Sarah.


    The other day,  we decided to do our group discussion while grabbing a cup of coffee. So we went to her favorite coffee shop. Thando was next to that shop where she was getting some noodles. As she passed by the shop where we were, She saw us through the window and we looked like a happy couple. All smiles on our faces. She got jealous, though she wasn''t sure about me, but that day, she got jealous. She went back to her place furious and felt betrayed.


    As she was in her room, she could not sit still, she paced back and forth for a while, had a terrible headache. Her face was all sweaty as if someone having an anxiety on exam failure.  She began to ask herself questions, as to whether this was all because she was truly in a unrequited love with Cedric. Then she called her boyfriend, and they went to that same coffee shop where we were. For all the time they were there, half of that time she cried while Frank comforted her. He didn''t know what was happening and at last he asked her. "Thando my love, tell me what is going on. What''s troubling you?" Knowing that it was unwise to reveal her feelings about Cedric. She lied and said it''s family issues that is making her cry.


    She didn''t tell Charlotte anything,  but you could tell that there was a bit of a tension between the two. She would chose to spent time with Cindy without Charlotte knowing.


    The other day,  we were coming back from the  coffee shop.  It was myself,  Peter, Sarah and Charlotte. We happened to bump into Thando and Frank. I didn''t know that the two were dating. I looked at Thando with a gaze that shows that there must be something going on, while Thando could barely look at me. She chose to look downward. But Frank noticed something suddenly and became suspicious.  We greeted them and we continued on our way.


    Sarah said to me, "Cedric, I thought you like Thando. But, you see she is already in love with this rich, handsome dude, who is also your rival." What she said got into me. It disturbed me a lot and I was lost in my own thoughts for a while thinking,  can this be true.  So I am in a love triangle with this guy. Charlotte added on top of Sarah''s words and said, "they have been dating for a while now. The other day,  Thando spoke ill of you, she is my friend but I didn''t like what she said."


    Sarah thought, because I don''t want Cedric to fall for this girl. This is a great opportunity to reveal that audio. So she took out her phone and played that audio. Everyone said, "oops,  we thought she is a nice girl, but her words are too much. She should just have said, I have a boyfriend unlike to compare and use such hash and hurting words."


    To be frank enough,  I was hurt with the words of the person I have been daydreaming.  I am sure as you hear my story you will be like, Ah just let it go and move on. But, those words made my past experiences resurface.


    Thando was devastated when she discovered that her friends overheard her conversation with Cindy. She wanted to explain herself, but she didn''t know how. Meanwhile, Cedric was struggling to reconcile the Thando he thought he knew with the Thando who spoke so negatively about him.


    Few days later, I was walking down the corridors  going to the lecture hall. I came across Thando with Frank and the two seemed to be arguing.  When Frank saw me, he wasn''t happy and so he came to me and said, "tell me what is going on between you and Thando.  You guys have been in a relationship? So Thando is dating you and me at the same time? Were you the reason she was crying the other day?"


    He spoke these words with tears dripping. His voice cracking,  and you could tell that he was deeply devastated. Not only that, he was also deeply in love with Thando.


    I felt compassionate for Frank after seeing how madly he was in love. So understanding how painful that is, I knew I had to tell him the truth. "Frank, you know, we are rivals, and dating your girlfriend isn''t good. To be honest,  I am not dating your girlfriend,  I only had a crush on her. So nothing is happening between the two of us. Just listen to her and know that she is madly in love with you too."


    I didn''t know that what I said to Frank touched Thando.  She looked at me, smiled and without a word but only moving her lips, said "thank you."


    From that day onwards,  I became close to Frank and we could go out together for a cup of coffee. He was also into ice skating, and at times he would invite me to join him.


    3 weeks later, Frank was going to meet up with Thando over lunch.  As he was going there. He was stopped by Cindy, who said she had something to tell him. So they went together to a coffee shop that was across the street, few blocks from the restaurant where Thando was, while waiting for Frank.


    That day, was the day that Cindy showed the other side of her. She said to Frank,  " Frank, do you know that your girlfriend has mixed feelings about you. She is totally confused again. She is into Cedric again while she is dating you. Who does that." She raised her voice as she spoke those last words.


    Frank remained silent,  while his heart was beating fast, and was burning inside with anger. She continued, " I wanted you to know the truth about your girlfriend. She is not good and faithful as you think she is. Why don''t you date me in stead."

 Forgiveness and Understanding

    Frank without a word, stood up and left the coffee shop. He was devastated more than the last time when he found out about Cedric having a crush on his girlfriend, at the same time, knowing his girlfriend was falling for Cedric. He thought it was over, but his girlfriend was considering Cedric again.


    Thando became a topic amongst these two rival groups. She was now seen as a bad friend. Moreover, the fact that she had spoken ill of Cedric, became the more reason Cedric''s group began to distance themselves from her.


    She began to be more and more bitter inside, as she saw her friend Charlotte now spending quality time with Cedric, the one she was still into.


    Meanwhile, after Frank got furious at Thando, he decided to distance himself from her. He started spending more time with Cindy, maybe even going on a date or two. But what he didn''t realize is that Cindy has been manipulating the situation all along to drive a wedge between Frank and Thando, so that she can get Frank for herself.


    This whole thing made me realize that not everyone you call a friend is your friend.  Some have a hidden agenda while others are genuinely your friends.  The Thando we knew being the most wanted, the one who was dating a handsome rich guy. Now she is all alone with no friends at all.


    One day, I was all alone in my room thinking about my past life. I thought of Thando and how it is that she is all alone. I knew exactly how she felt because I have been there. So I thought,  Sarah, Peter and Chris when they came into my life, I was given hope.  What if I do that to Thando. I think that would be the right thing to do unlike to distance myself from her.


    So the following day, I looked around for her and took her to a coffee shop. While we were at the coffee shop, I asked her, how they became friends with Charlotte and Cindy, and what she thinks about what Cindy has done to her.


    Before she responded to my questions ,I took a sip of my coffee,  closed my eyes while savoring it. I then looked at her with compassionate eyes, and said, with a soft and soothing voice, "Thando, I know things have been rough for you lately. And I also know you haven¡¯t always been the nicest to me. But that doesn¡¯t matter right now. What matters is that I understand how it feels to be alone, and I want to help you through this."


    Thando, looking down at her hands and fiddling with her fingers said, "I...I¡¯m not sure what to say. She began to cry and so I let her be. After a while she said, "I am sorry that I haven''t been kind to you.  Though I knew how you felt about me, I shouldn''t have spoken ill of you. Please forgive me."


    Stolen novel; please report.


    I looked at her in the eyes, smiled and said, "you are forgiven hey." Then she said, "I.....I don¡¯t know why I did it," Thando choked out, the tears blurring her vision. "I guess I was just so used to being the center of attention, the most popular girl in school. When I came here, things were different. I didn¡¯t know how to handle it. And I was so afraid of losing the only thing that made me special¡ªFrank. So I acted like a total brat. I¡¯m sorry."


    I reached across the table and gently placed my hand on top of Thando¡¯s. When she said these words, I had dialed Frank''s number and I wanted him to hear what had happened to Thando. Surprised of hearing that Frank made her special. I asked her, " how do you feel that Frank seems to be dating your friend?"


    Thando¡¯s eyes widened with shock and hurt as she heard the question. "I-I can¡¯t believe he would do that to me. I thought he loved me. I thought we were going to be together forever." A sob escaped her lips as she clutched the handkerchief to her face, attempting to stem the flow of tears. "I feel...I feel like I don¡¯t know who I am anymore. Everything is falling apart."


    My heart ached for Thando. I felt her pain, but also recognized a familiar determination in her eyes.  I hanged up the phone and Frank began to sob into tears. He had realized that Cindy had been manipulating all things so she can date him. He got furious at the same time, felt pity for his lover- Thando.


    Thando looked at me with a newfound admiration in her eyes, now dry from her tears. "Thank you, Cedric. I know you didn¡¯t have to be kind to me, but I¡¯m glad you did. I see now that Cindy is just a manipulative person. And I see now that you...you¡¯re a really good person." She reached for my hand again, this time squeezing it tightly in hers. "I think I might have misjudged you all this time."


    I smiled softly. "It¡¯s okay, Thando. We then left the coffee shop and I could see Thando smiling as we were chatting.  When I was at home. I began to visualize the time we were at the coffee shop, how it is that, Thando ended up smiling.  I was so thankful that atleast I was the person she could feel grateful to after having reached out to her.


    I took out my phone in my pocket and dialed Frank''s number.  "Frank, are you well? Man I just want to let you know that, Thando loved, and she loves you. If it is true that she was falling for me, I don''t know but I am sure you heard it yourself.  Man, please take back your girlfriend."


    "Are you sure about this?" Frank asked, his voice with a mix of confusion and hope. "She betrayed me, Cedric. She lied about everything. I don¡¯t know if I can trust her again."


    "Look, I get that," I said. "But think about it¡ªyou love her. And she loves you, too. From what I can tell, she was just scared of losing you and she handled it all wrong. But that doesn¡¯t mean you have to throw away your relationship. Give her a second chance. You won¡¯t regret it."

 Secrets and Lies

    After the call ended, I began thinking that Frank might be right. Thando had cried in his arms before because of me, but after he asked her, she lied that it was family matters.


    The thought lingered in my mind, clouding my judgment and gnawing at my heart. "What if I¡¯ve made a mistake?" I asked myself. "What if Thando is just using me to get back with Frank? I¡¯m a fool. I always let my heart override my logic."


    I slumped onto bed, defeated and exhausted. But as I closed my eyes, a sudden realization hit me. "Wait," I thought, "if Thando is playing me, then why did she cry when she thought I was dating Charlotte?


    It took me sometime, thinking about this, then at last I said to myself. "Well, she must have fallen for me then later on she became sure about her feelings and I wasn''t the one she wanted but Frank." Then I fell fast asleep.


    The whole night I kept dreaming about Thando and Frank, twisting and shifting in and out of his life. But in the morning, when I  awoke, I felt a sense of clarity.


    "Okay," I said, standing up and stretching. "I¡¯m not going to dwell on Thando¡¯s feelings anymore. If she wants Frank, then she can have him. But I¡¯m not going to let her make me miserable." I got dressed and headed to class, determined to focus on my studies and my own happiness.


    Reader, you might want to ask if I had dealt with my feelings over Thando. The truth is, I was still in love with her, but her hurtful words, the fact that she was Frank''s girlfriend.  All these made me try hard to burry my feelings inside.


    The other day Sarah came to me and said, "Cedric my best friend.  You know I love you right. I want to hear what you think about Charlotte.  She is kind and beautiful,  don''t you think she is good for you."


    "I....I don''t know. She is beautiful and I always enjoy her company.  Whenever I am with her, I feel happy. But to be honest,  dating her had never crossed my mind. Maybe it''s because I was into Thando too much. But she is a good lady." I replied while giving a huge smile.


    Later in the afternoon,  Sarah and Charlotte got a call from Thando for the first time after a long time. The last time these had a conversation was before Thando spoke ill of Cedric. So the three agreed to meet at Charlotte''s favorite coffee shop. Thando had planned to tell them how she got comforted by Cedric and how he was so kind to her.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    After hearing the story. Charlotte fell deeply in love with Cedric, while Sarah, the best friend of Cedric began to ask herself,  if she sees Cedric only as a friend or more than a friend.  In other words, she was beginning to know and be sure of her feelings toward Cedric


    Weeks passed by after having spoken to Frank through the phone about Thando. All this time, he was thinking of what to do, was he going to break up with Cindy and get back to his former girlfriend.  What about dating both secretly.


    Frank at the end decided to get back with his former girlfriend, at the same time keeping things as they are with Cindy. He thought if I do this, maybe these two won''t hold a grudge since they won''t know that I am dating both of them.


    Charlotte on the other hand, openly told Sarah that she was madly in love with Cedric and she was restless because of that and was considering to confess her feelings to Cedric. The question is, will Sarah encourage her to do this, or not, because she is also beginning to fall for her friend Cedric.


    As Sarah pondered her next move, Thando¡¯s behavior became increasingly erratic. Her once-confident demeanor was replaced by mood swings, sleepless nights, and an unshakeable sense of unease. Frank¡¯s behavior too had changed, growing increasingly distant, as he struggled to juggle his two relationships without being caught. Soon, both girls started to sense that something was amiss, but neither knew just how deep the deception ran...


    One day, Cindy went to a coffee shop, just to relax as she ponders her relationship with Frank. She knew and felt that something was off. There must be something wrong in their relationship. As she was enjoying her coffee, there came in a handsome tall guy, who was dressed casually. His clothes looked expensive and he had a killer smile.


    All the tables were occupied and the only option he had was to go sit with Cindy,  who was alone at the table. Casper was his name. He was from the same university, but in a different department.


    Just like Frank, this guy was rich too.  Everything about him was just cool. As he approached the table he said,  "excuse me sunshine, do you mind if I may sit." "Please do." She replied while smiling.


    "I think I came in at the right time and the fact that all the tables are occupied,  man, I consider myself blessed." He said this while looking into her eyes. "Have you ever been told that you are so beautiful.  I mean, everything about you is un describable." Cindy could not contain her joy as she was complimented like that.


    "By the way, what''s your name," he asked. "Cindy," she replied. And "what''s your favorite drink ," he asked this while waving to the waiters. "I like ice coffee." Then he bought her ice coffee.


    The two spoke as if they knew each other for a while. The guy didn''t want to waste his opportunity, and so he asked for her contact, and they exchanged contacts.