*SYMBIOSIS*

FEELINGS

CHAPTER 4: AFFECTIONS

St. George's College
Salisbury, Rhodesia

Cherise: Why is this union jack at half mast?
Donovan: You didn't hear?
Cherise: Hear what.
Donovan: Clifford Dupont, former president, died.
Cherise: Oh him, doesn't affect my life.
Donovan: Have some compassion.
Cherise: To these racists who used us a cheap labour and abused us.
Donovan: Don't say us. Because you weren't there.
Donovan starts laughing.

Cherise: Stop laughing, you know what I mean.
Donovan: I'm just teasing you. Lighten up short girl.
Cherise: I'm not that short.

Donovan hold the back of Cherise's neck and pulled her to his chest with a ears just under the collarbone. She could hear Donovan's heart pounding with an accelerating pace.

Donovan: Look at how short you are.

She looks up with her eyes staring into Donovan's but she couldn't keep up with the staring so she looked down and enjoyed this apology of a hug.

Cherise: I'm not that short.

"Hey, imi, lovebirds!" Makanaka disturbs the chemistry. "Mr Moyo is coming."

The two quickly separate and each sits on respective chairs.

Moyo: I'm not coming to the lesson.
Jenny: Why?
Moyo: There's a staff meeting.
Donovan: Ok sir. We will just continue with what we were already doing.

Donovan looks and Cherise with a smile on his face and Cherise blushes. Makanaka looks at the two while displaying a grotesque expression.

Moyo: Just get in pairs and discuss about the French revolution.

Mr Moyo leaves the perimeter.

Cherise dragged her chair to Donovan's sitting area.

Cherise: You talk like them you know.
Donovan: Them who?
Cherise: The white people.
Donovan: You want to know a secret?
Cherise: Yes.

Donovan gets close to Cherise with his mouth directed at Cherise's right ear. He whispers, "My accent is fake."

Cherise: What! Really?
Donovan: Yes.
Cherise: How do you do it?
Donovan: I just imitated them long enough for me to me used to it.
Cherise: I will have to try that myself.
Donovan: Try it.
Cherise: Why didn't they split us according to what we are studying?
Donovan: Lack of rooms maybe. You do know this is a boys' school right?
Cherise: Yes, I know that.
Donovan: There are only 10 girls here including you and only 2 or 3 of them are black. Do you know why?
Cherise: Tell me.
Donovan: They are children of powerful people. Even their names are not recorded in the registers and books and the public must not know about it.
Cherise: What!
Donovan: Yes. They will forever label this school a boys' school.
Cherise: Wow! I never thought about it. That's interesting.
Donovan: Yes. I'm interesting.
Cherise: Yes you are.

She giggles. As she leans forward with expectations of a kiss.

"Guys!" Makanaka disrupts the chemistry again. "Can I join you? These other guys are boring."
Donovan: Yes, you can.
Makanaka: What were you talking about?
Donovan: I was teaching her some math.
Makanaka: Without a calculator?
Donovan: You know i don't need one bebe. I am an Einstein.

Makanaka giggles (blushing). "Yes you are." She says while touching his hands.

Cherise saw it and she grabbed the hand and held it. She asked, "How good are you at math?"

Makanaka put her hands on Donovan's back.
Maka: This guy is the best mathematician around. He can even calculate your face's ratio against the golden ratio just by looking at it.

They were both trying to draw the boy's attention but the boy wasn't even noticing the competition.

Makanaka Zembani was a pretty girl. She was light brown in skin tone and taller than most girls but not that tall. Her eyes were brown with an hour glass body. She was so pretty that if the writer was to pick between the two girls, he would pick Maka without any hesitation. Her sister married a white politician which is how she was able to manoeuvre herself into the boys' school.

The Prison
Lusaka, Zambia

It was time for physical activities. Other guys were pumping weights and others were playing football. Ncube was sitting with Sipho.

Sipho: I thought about it. Let's get out of this place.
Ncube: It's going to be a hell of a job.
Sipho: Yea, first of all we need to figure out how exactly we are going to break out.
Ncube: Obviously. The how factor.

"Hey guys." Roger entered the premises. "What are you talking about?"

Sipho: About life.
Ncube: Yea, that.
Roger: I heard you talking about breaking out and count me in.
Ncube: Okay.

They were seated facing the fence. There were 2 fences in front of them and a  durawall.

Ncube: You see these fences ahead of us.
Sipho: Yes!
Ncube: We have to go under them. That's the easiest way.
Roger: Okay, okay. So we have to a wire at the bottom there.
Ncube: Yes.
Sipho: And the durawall.
Ncube: Easy! We have two options here.
This durawall doesn't cover the whole premises. We can go around it or we can go over it.
Sipho: We will decide that one later on.
Ncube: I have noticed that the guards don't have that much ammunition. Only a few of them have guns, maybe 5 or 7 of them.
Roger: Maybe 10. But I get the idea
Ncube: They change shifts every 4 hours right.
Sipho: Yes. There's actually 10 minutes where there will be no guard around the area every 4hours.
Ncube: That's our time gap.

The guard who were outside the fence then disappeared.

Roger: This is the shift change?
Ncube: Yes.
Roger: So how do we leave with all these people moving around.
Sipho: That's what we want right?
Ncube: Yes. To create confusion. But that's plan B.
Roger: What's plan A?
Ncube: We move at night. We will discuss that one later when we get the tools we need.
Sipho: We need some cutlery and nails. A lot of things.
Roger: But where do we go when we leave this place?
Ncube: You can come with me to Rhodesia. I heard on the news about Robert Mugabe and Abel Muzorewa. I think they are going to negotiate something and I will be a free man in Rhodesia.
Sipho: Okay!
Ncube: Yes, if the white politicians are no longer in power then I am good.

Littlewood Residence
Salisbury, Rhodesia

The living room

Cherise: What is this machine?
Aisha: That is a computer. Apple computer 1.
Austin: Dad told us about those remember?
Cherise: Yes, I remember.
John: I paid over one thousand dollars for that
to get here.
Cherise: Very expensive.
John: It was.

Austin went to his designated room and Cherise went outside.

Colin followed her to the garden.

"Hey Cherise." He said in his British accent.
Cherise: Hey.
Colin: How are you doing?
Cherise: I'm good.
Colin: What are you doing out here?
Cherise: I'm just appreciating the beauty of this garden. All these flowers.
Colin: Okay!

Colin gets closer to the girl.

Colin: Some of this flowers came from London.
Cherise: Really?
Colin: Yes.
Cherise: I like the way you speak.
Colin: Well, I am British.(Laughing)
Cherise: Normal people say thanks.
Cherise softly hits Colin.

Colin: Well, I'm not normal.

Colin holds Cherise's arms and draws her closer as they stare deep into each other's souls.

"Guys, mom is asking if you want some pie!" Austin comes out of nowhere.

Colin gets into the house and Austin remains outside with his sister.

Austin: What are you doing Zviko?
Cherise: What did I do?
Austin: You will get in trouble. Don't say I didn't warn you.