Chapter One - R8,945

Today, I didn't even wait for my alarm to go off. I was overly excited about what the varsity planned for us. It was career expo day and they were actually bringing people who already were working in the field of our career choices to come tell us a lot about what to expect and how to go about looking for a job after varsity.

So I woke up 15 minutes before my alarm, put my glasses on and ran to the bathroom. I sat down on the toilet and peed.

I slowly lifted my glasses up a bit and tried to wipe sleep off my face as my mind raced to the shit I had to be doing when I was done peeing.

I rolled down the toilet paper and wiped my self then ran to take a shower before Freya, my roomate woke up. I quickly cleaned myself up and got out to go to my bedroom.

"You're up early... and your stupid alarm woke us up, why didn't you switch it off before going to shower...?" Freya called out from the kitchen the second she heard the bathroom door closes.

I rolled my eyes at her for referring to her animals as "us" and mentally said, 'for the same reason you have a rat and a bird in here and acting like they are human' but I didn't say it out loud. I turned to look at her and faked a smile, "Yeah we got plans today Freyyy... when are your animals fucken moving out?"

"You woke us up and it's too early... you are the one moving out.. please mind your language, they can hear"

I laughed and got inside my bedroom pulling the door behind me but not entirely closing it, "I'm not an expect in animals but I'm sure they were awake before you and I, and they do not understand me cursing, relax..."

I heard her scoff and laughed to myself before yelling again, "anyways are you ready for today? We have guests, shouldn't you be getting ready?"

"Yeah I was waiting for you... I'm going to get ready..." after that I heard the shower go on.

I turned to my closet and took out my black skinny jean and a white blouse then a black jacket on top.. you can never know with this unpredictable weather. I put on my boots and fixed my braids..

I took another last look in the mirror then put my glasses on, took my bag and just as I was about to leave I remembered something very special.

I went on my knees and dragged the box from under my bed. A huge smile showed on my face as I put the box in my bag. I was so darn happy when my sister had that delivered a month ago.. It was the best birthday gift ever..

I put my bag over my shoulder and locked my bedroom before going to take an apple on the kitchen table.

"Freya I'm out.. fed your dogs.. I mean animals.."

"Dude you're leaving me? Fuuuck! I'm almost done..." she screamed and I laughed, "I'll see you at school.. I need to set up my new baby first before everything starts.."

"Fine... that's money for me coz I'm not walking.. you'll pay rent alone this month."

I shook my head a bit ignoring her and got out. I zipped my jacket until around my neck, the wind was a bit chilly you'd swear that winter came early this year.

My phone vibrated as I walked down the street of Randburg approaching school, I ran up the stairs and took it out of my pocket the second I was inside the big building.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, "I swear you will lose your mind with these things in your ears.. I've been calling you non stop.."

I turned to my boyfriend smiling at me. I took off my earphones, "hey you... I'm sorry.. I just want to set up.."

He kissed my cheek and quickly took my bag off my shoulders, "whaaat? Baby you finally came with your new baby? Man I can't wait to help you set her up... let's go to that table.."

I slowly followed behind him as I read the text from my sister on my phone.

PARIS: Hey... so today is the expo, I'm actually on my way there to talk to the journalism students.. So I might see you.. anyways are you ready to start using your gift..? it will end up expiring if you keep in under your bed...

I rolled my eyes at her even thought she couldn't see me, I didn't want to see her... She only wants to see me when it suits her... I started typing back.

ME: totally ready.. I opened it already and Nash is working on it 😘😍🎁📷.. please stay away from me Paris.. don't get me wrong, I love you so much but stay away sis.... besides I think I'll be too busy with my things too.. So I'll see you some time..

Right after sending that I sat down next to my boyfriend and started helping him put the last lens in.. fuck.. I loved my new camera... a Canon 200D DSLR 24.2MP Triple Lens Value Bundle. It was heaven... besides, it was fucken expensive... I had to love it.

Just then other students started walking in and then I could hear heels approach.

I gagged, "who wears heels on such days? Do these people know we will be on our feet the whole day.."

My boyfriend cleared his throat looking behind me and said, "oh oh..."

"Oh oh What?" I asked confused, the heels were now quiet thank fuck...

I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to be met by my one and only...

"What on earth is this...?" Paris asked looking at her phone and I furrowed my brows standing up to see what she was looking at. I laughed, "umh.. my text.. to you.."

She lifted her head from her phone to me and took me in, "eww... and what are you wearing? God Amora.. it's career expo.. it wouldn't hurt to look a bit presentable and not like you're about to go to camp..."

Her eyes went back to her phone and I sighed and turned to my boyfriend who was quietly looking at us, "umh.. please tell my sister that photographers do not wear heels and skirts... we walk for a living. And while you're at it, remind her that this is exactly why I didn't want to see her today..."

I felt hands pull me and my body was connected to my sister's within a second. She kissed my cheek, lightly "I have to go.. and I see the camera is all good.."

I took the camera from my boyfriend and snapped a picture of my sister then smiled, "it's perfect Paris... I can never thank you enough for this.."

She rolled her eyes and waved me off, "enjoy.. and stop dressing like this... Really.. I bought you a dress with that camera... God, mom and dad are turning on their grave with you looking like that.. I work you know.. I work for you.." she said the last part turning away from us and leaving. Did she say hi to Nash? Did she even see that he was there?

Wow.. some sister I have.

One would actually say Paris and I are not sisters or even related because we were two totally different people.

It was like my parents knew what kind of a person she'd be when she grows up.. the name Paris fit her perfectly because she was all your glamorous, beautiful, ladylike, fashionable, latest trend kinda person... She was all that and all about herself. She was a fashion editor for U magazing and she darn lived up to that... She had the latest brands and was talking to the best of the best in the industry.. the likes of your Bonang Matheba, Pearl Thusi have been featured on the magazine and I was proud of her. And I wanted to make her proud too by graduating end of this year.

As for me.. I was just a simple down to earth "nerdy" person.. exactly how my boyfriend, Nash, liked to call me.

I was your simple girl and not into that glamorous life my sister was into... I mean at 22 why would I have to obsess myself over clothes, make up and who's who... So I was just me living my life simply and happily with the closest people to me. give me a camera or a paint and a brush, then you'll know me.

"Baby this is done... I need to check on Nathan before coming to join you.." Nash said taking me away from my thoughts and making me turn from looking at the corner that my sister modeled her way to.

I lifted my camera up to my eye again and took a picture of him still sitting down. A smile on my lips grew, "this is perfect.. fuck I love it.."

He handed me my bag and I put it on my shoulder. He then blew me a kiss, "I'll see you in a few.. I need to go get my staff too.. this has to be on camera.."

"I'll save a good space for you.." I said and he walked away. I turned and went down the hallway. I was super excited about this and using my new camera for the first time made me happy.

I looked at my sister's picture on the camera and smiled at how beautiful she managed to look in whatever she wore. I scrolled to the second picture and my boyfriend was smiling too goofy with his tongue out at me. I shook my head and giggled a bit... but my life came crashing down on me when I ran into someone and I watched as my camera escaped my grip and hit the tile on the floor...my body flinched when I heard it shutter.

"Fuck!"

I lifted both my hands up to my face to cover it, as I felt my heart break into the same pieces I felt my camera break into.

I heard a deep voice saying, "Shit!"

I took in one deep breath and spoke, "please... please tell me that it's not broken.."

"Umh... uh... umh.. okay.. it's not broken?"

I removed my hands from my face and faced the person who broke my camera and had the decency to joke about it, "dude.. what the fuck.. see how fucked up my lens is...?" I asked going on my knees to pick up the pieces of the love of my life. I couldn't believe it was broken and I haven't even used it.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! This is just great. The day I decide to use it this fuckery happens. Paris is going to kill me God.. I should have just left it under my bed where it wasn't going to be broken..."

"Umh... I guess we now both know what those belts are for hanging on the side of your camera. Next time you should really hang it around your neck to avoid such incidents from happening." The woman said next to me. I slowly shoved my camera in my bag and shook my head, she thought she was fucken funny? She killed my flipping camera!.

She chuckled a bit when I didn't respond and said, "hey I'm sorry.. that was a joke..."

I rolled my eyes, "you are not fucken funny. Do you know how much this cost? Probably half of your mother's salary... I was going to fucken use this and you are making jokes about it."

"Okay...Sorry?" She said more as a question and not a statement pissing me off more.

I got up and faced her, I haven't seen her around here coz she didn't look familiar, but then again, I haven't seen a lot of people here. She was wearing gray Puma sweatpants and white jordans with a white shirt and a cap that was all in her face as if she was kinda hiding... I mentally groaned and thought, 'lesbians and hiding from their girlfriends..'

I came face to face with her and she was build a bit bigger than me.. yet she didn't intimidate me one bit, "sorry won't get me my camera back. That was brand new.. fuck.. my sister will kill me.."

When she noticed that I was serious she placed her hand on my shoulder, "hey.. I'm sorry.. I can get it for you.."

My phone vibrated and I knew it was Nash and Freya..

I rolled my eyes at the girl in front of me, "if this is one of your jokes.. you're not funny.."

I took my phone out.

Baby: baby come through. I can't believe I got here before you. I'm on the second raw down from the door.. hurry up.

ME: okay!

"I have to go... fuck! Without a camera thanks to YOU!" I said starting to walk away and she sighed, "I said I can get you your camera if I knew what name it was..."

I flipped my middle finger at her and heard her laugh, "oh my God. I also didn't even get your name..."

"R8, 945.... that's my name to you.." then I disappeared and went to where the photography students were. I quickly joined my boyfriend and he asked what was wrong. His face changed the second I opened my bag to show him what was up.

"Fuck... baby..."

"Yeah.. sucks...I feel like killing someone.."

"What happened to it?"

I shook my head sitting down, "I don't wanna talk about it... thank fuck I have my old camera in my bag.. just put the SD card in it before I break it too.."

Nash did as asked and handed it to me.

We were mixed with kids from the journalism class and I knew my sister was going to be in here. Great... fucken great...

We all sat down as soon as our professor asked us to and then three ladies and a man walked in.. and you guessed it right, one of the ladies was my sister.

They started introducing themselves and talked.. of course I blocked them out and videotaped the whole thing. I wasn't in the mood anymore.

I was worried about the R10K that I had to come up with for a new camera.. this was fucked up.

Kids asked questions and they were answered then this was over..

I packed my things and put them in my bag and headed out first.. I wanted to go home and see if this shit can't be fixed.

When I was approaching the gate I heard a voice, "hey... R8, 945...wait up."

I didn't even have to ask who that was. I wanted to laugh at the fact that she remembered that price but I was still pissed at her.

I stood though as she came to me. While she was a tiny distance away I put my hands in front of me to stop her from coming further close, "please slow down or stop right there.. I don't want you breaking what's left of me.."

She laughed a bit and shook her head, "umhmm.. I still don't get why you're mad at me though.."

I ached my brows in disbelief, "you are seriously not.. you fucken ran me over. Are you blind?"

She shook her head and pointed at my face, "You're the blind one with cute glasses and all that.."

"Fuck... you're the huge one. You should have watched where you're going.." I whisper yelled and she cleared her throat and walked closer to me, "okay okay.. I'm really really sorry.. let me get you a new camera..."

I looked at her now calming down a bit. She seemed sincere.

"Please.. just let me do this.."

"Are you sure?"

She shrugged, "you're blaming me.. so I might as well.."

I shook my head and laughed a bit, "fine.. but I can't right now.."

She nodded her head taking out her phone, "sure.. tomorrow then.. put your numbers here so I can call you.. I'm also in a hurry right now.. I need to train."

I took her phone and entered my numbers then gave her the phone back. She looked at the screen and laughed, "you don't really expect me to save your numbers with the name you gave me.."

I shrugged, "it will remind you not to walk without looking where you're going though.."

"Come on.. your name.."

I was about to shake my head when Freya's voice pierced through my ears, "Amora... Nash and I are looking for you and you're not responding to your texts.."

"Amora...? That's a beautiful name.."

I cursed a thousand times in my head and turned, "R8, 945 to you.. better remember that.."

She shook her head and I went to my friends.

At seven later, we were on our dorm trying to fix the camera but it was just dead. I felt like crying.. and this girl hasn't called to set up tomorrow.. fuck her!

Nash sighed, "I'm sorry baby.."

I shook my head, "it's not your fault babe... and she said she'll pay it back.. I'm just waiting for her.."

"Who?" My roomie asked and I shrugged getting up, "I don't know her name.. but she'll pay.."

"And you don't know her.. yet you're sure she'll pay.."

"I gave her my numbers.."

Luna, my best friend laughed, "fuuck.. I didn't know my best friend was so dumb! Morrra... this person probably ran for their life.. do you know how expensive this camera is..."

Fuck then it hit me.. she probably bailed on me.. I mean I even told her the price.. but then she still volunteered to pay it back even after that and she seemed so sincere.. she wouldn't.. she fucken wouldn't because I'd search her throughout that darn school and make her pay for it.. I debated with myself.

"I'm sorry babe.. you probably lost it.."

I opened the fridge and took water for me, "you guys should probably leave. Y'all are depressing me I swear.."

My best friend gave e a kiss boyfriend helped get our friends out and Freya went to her bedroom.

I sighed and Nash hugged me from behind, "hey... hey.. relax.. I'll talk to my friend and see what we can do about this. Maybe we can sell it and then raise the remaining money to get a new one.. if your mystery person doesn't call.."

"She'll call... she knows better.."

He laughed and pulled my face to his then kissed me. I pulled away after a few minutes knowing where this will lead if I don't stop him, "can we call it a night..."

He nodded his head, "I'll call you okay..."

I took my phone and there still was no text not call from any unknown number.. not even my sister.

Great.. fucken great..