I froze at the calling of that name. Tinashe! Tinashe had been chasing me for the last two years in high school. He knew I was dating Rick, the whole school knew, but he did not give up. We became friends me and him, and he always used to tell me that we were meant to be together. He also told me that Rick was not good for me, that I should find someone else or be with him. I always told him that he only said that so he could earn a spot in my heart. Deep inside of me, during thise days, something told me that he was telling me the truth. Back then I did not want to believe anyone who told me bad stuff about Rick. RICK! RICK! RICKY THATCHER! The only black guy who had an English surname in my school.
For you to understand my story, I have to tell it from the beginning. The beginning! Okay this is how it all began. I was born in South Africa to a single mother, but I grew up in Bulawayo Zimbabwe which was my mother’s home country. I went to Mganwini Primary school and Nkulumane High School. I met Rick during my third year in high school. He came as a new kid in school, also doing his third year. He was hot! All the girls wanted him, but he wanted me. I was the smartest and most intelligent girl in my form and everyone admired that, but almost all the girls in school hated me, coz all the boys admired me, but I was in school because of my education, not because of the boys! Rick Thatcher got that out of me. After we started dating, I forgot about my purpose in school and focused on him. My life started to be about Rick! Rick! and Rick! I guess Tinashe noticed this and decided to move in and play the hero. “Hey Grace! How is it going?”He said to me one day during recess. “Hey Tinashe.”I replied with a somewhat shocked voice. No boy in my school ever dared approach me, except Ricky of-course. “Well Tinashe! I’m not going to beat around the bush.” He said pulling a chair and sitting beside me along the class pavement. “I like you very much”.There he goes. How dare he say that in front of my friends? He took a deep breath and continued “I didn’t want to tell you this, but you are losing focus. Rick is bad influence to you.” I stood up queitly, gave him the most powerful slap I could manage and walked away.
The story continues……
