Loving Masego

chapter 3

I have big nasty brusies on my stomach from last night, and I think i have a broken rib, but it's nothing I can't handle . I woke up early in the morning to go fetch water at the stream .

I waited for Ntombi to come, but as usual, she was taking her time ." Ntombi, you like getting me in trouble . Why did you take so long?" i said, a bit irritated.

"Im sorry I had to feed the chicken,"she said .

"Let me tell you the latest Hazel and Lethabo got nominated and three other girls." Wow, if Hazel gets chosen and becomes queen, then we will surely suffer , I hope Lethabo is chosen .

"Good for them," I said in a low voice . The girls were standing by the water taking as always.

"Madileng, have you heard that im your next queen?"Hazel said, laughing with her best friend. I hope the prince leaves her here alone, but I bet she will act as if everything is okay.

"Hazel, you are not yet chosen. Lethabo might be the next queen," all the girls laugh, clapping each other's hands in excitement.

"Well it's pretty obvious that its me i mean im the most beautiful girl in this kingdom" she says praising herself to the bone , well she deserved to be queen ,aren't they all cruel and selfish .

"Nope, you're not the most beautiful, Madileng is." All the girls agree in unison, but I wasn't that beautiful.

"Did she get chosen?" she asks . They all say no .

"Then it's settled. it's obviously me," she says, looking at me like i took her favourite candy . Lethabo comes to the stream and sits by the rock and greets everyone .

"Lethabo, congrats on being chosen," we all say to her .

"Thank you, and I won't forget you all once I'm queen," she says , Hazel looked sure she was the one chosen , she didn't even leave a little space for disappointment.

"Ntombi, my father told me you were also chosen," Lethabo says, putting ntombi on the spotlight.

"Nope, I'm not my sister is the chosen one." We all nodded in understanding .

"Well, good luck to your family," Lethabo says.

"Ntombi, are you saying you soon will be related to the royal family if your sister is chosen?" Thabo said. She was quite all along, and unlike me, she really comes from a poor family .

"Yes," Ntombi said .

" Thabo, who said you could speak?" Hazel asked.

"I'm sorry I won't do it again," she says and walks away .

"Hazel, you didn't have to be so rude," Lethabo said . Hazel rolls her eyes and walks away from the stream with her best friend and friend Tshepiso.

"Atlast she finally left , now I can discuss my outfit," lethabo says.

"I'll be wearing a pink skirt with pink beads," Lethabo said excitedly. we were not allowed to cover our breasts unless you married or you have a child .

"What are you wearing, Madileng?" she asks me . Well, probably my father won't allow me to go because he thinks I'm not worthy of attending such events .

"Well, I won't be coming," I say, not looking into their eyes . I couldn't handle the pity look . My friends I've never told them anything but they know that my father is very strict so my father's reputation is covered . But ntombi knows, and it was accidental, but I made her swear to not say a word.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll tell you all about it," Ntombi says, giving me a weak smile . Lethabo nods along. "Oh please, it won't be as fun without you," lethabo says .

"I hope both of you have fun and your sister or Lethabo gets chosen because we know that if Hazel gets chosen all hell will break " we all laugh at the sad reality, I know for a fact that hazel would order someone to wipe her ass if she became the prince's wife .

"Ladies, I have to go now, but at the same time, same place tomorrow," i say, waving at them . Ntombi comes in for a hug, and Lethabo just high fives me .

"Tomorrow you won't be seeing us we have to prepare for the big day. I doubt if people will come tomorrow," Ntombi says . sad I will be here all by myself with no one to laugh with .

Going to the stream to fetch water is my only source of freedom where I can interact with other people. My father doesn't allow me to ho anywhere or even have friends, so the stream represents my freedom .

He has always kept me close to him saying I'm his only way he can get recognised which I never really understood what he meant by that , he is after all rich and has all these lands and businesses that we aren't allowed to know about or see their existence.

We lived a beer life on a Champaign budget , when we possible have all the money in the world to live like queens instead im fetching water ,cooking fetching firewood and doing all the house chores like a maid .

At first, it was insulting when i heard people say that we were rich, but I realized it later, by the cars, he drives the clothes he wears and basically everything about him .My father goes out to work, comes home drunk every day, and hits me .

I had a feeling that I'm not really his daughter, but I haven't had the courage to even ask because we all know how that it will end with me wiping my own blood from the floor.

"Keletso, I hope you cooked and put the food aside," I ask my sister .

"Yeah, I did," she says."Where is Mpho?"

"Mpho went out to play with his friends,"

"Keletso, where did you cook ? Where is the fire?" I asked, panicking. Did she use the stove to cook, or was it a dream .

"Relax his not going to see," she says, dishing the food for us .

"Are you crazy , he will know," i say, praying .

"Chill out sis , he comes home drunk every day he'll not see " i hope she was right cause I didn't want trouble from my father today my ribs still hurt from this week's beatings.

As we were talking, my father came in, and he didn't look drunk or mad he was just happy,
"Children bring my food," he said .

Keletso ran and brought him his food . He took a bite and looked at us ."Who the hell used my stove?" he says . Me and keletso look at each other .

"I did , I was really tired and decided to use the stove," I said, hoping that he wouldn't punch me .

"Well you know what your punishment is , you have to go to the stream to fetch water for my crops " he said i couldn't be even more excited, yes it was dangerous because it was nightfall but I would get to see the blue eyed dude before he gets married to whoever .

"Hurry up. I have something to tell you." I rushed out of the room and took all the necessary things.