Chapter One - Texts

"I don't want to go to school.." my little brother, Nick mumbled under his blankets and I shook his body again, this was like a norm now, "wake up please..."

"Noooo.."

"Nick don't test my patience today.. get up.."

He started kicking off his blankets and whining. I ignored him and pointed at the bathroom.. He went and I was left fixing his bed.

I soon went to the kitchen to get three lunch box's ready. My father was going to be off to work, my little brother to school and I was going to get my day started too.

"Where are my socks...?" My little brother asked showing up with only his white shirt and undies on, and I furrowed my brows at him, "who wears them Nick... you or I?"

"I'm just asking... I am not fighting.. geeeze why are you soo moody..?"

I rolled my eyes, "check them on the last drawer of your chest of drawer..."

"Thank you.." he mumbled before disappearing back to his room.

My dad walked in, already in his suit looking handsome. He kissed my cheek, "hey honey..."

I smiled and took his lunchbox and handed it to him, "hey daddy..."

He took it and put it inside his bag, "how are you? And where's Nick?"

"Getting dre..."

I couldn't even finish my sentence when my brother joined us, he smiled at dad and said, "hey old man..."

My dad scoffed at him before brushing his hand over his son's head. My little brother shook hi head, "Daddy you're messing my hair."

"you are going to cut that hair off on Saturday.." my father said and Nick turned to me with pleading eyes.

I laughed and handed him his lunch box and a bowl of cereal, "eat.. your transport will be here soon."

He rolled his eyes, "yes granny..."

I shook my head and went to my bedroom to fix my bed. my little brother was an ass sometimes I swear.

When I was done with my bed I heard his school transport hoot outside. I quickly went to the kitchen, "hey bud... got your lunchbox?"

"Yes..."

"Your backpack?"

"Check..."

"Your homework books...?"

He stopped by the door and turned to me, "umh.. one is in my bedroom..."

I shook my head, "give me your bag and go fetch it.."

He threw his bag on the floor and ran to his bedroom. My father laughed, "I'll see you later honey... do you have plans for today?"

"Just running a few errands and then class in the afternoon..."

"Alright.. bye enjoy.."

My little brother came back running, he took his bag and left. My dad laughed and left too.

I turned back to the house and sighed. I had to fucken clean the darn place now.....

Between trying to make a living for myself, looking after my little brother and playing daddy's first born or his wife.. my life was pretty much good.

.....And noooo.. I'm not married to my dad.

See, my mother died three years ago leaving me, my now 11 year old brother and my dad.. Since then I took the role of her here at home, I became a mother to my brother and a caretaker to my dad.

Right after high school I had so many plans for my life, I wanted to be the best dancer South Africa can ever produce. I grew up watching the likes of Michael Jackson and Chris Brown then immediately fell in love with dance.

How it made me feel free in that zone. Made me feel like everything was possible. I could put my emotions in it however way I was feeling...sad, happy, angry...

Three years ago my dreams were put on hold when everything came crashing down on me and my family. I lost my mom and fell to depression... I felt like I didn't deserve to be alive.. but my father got me all the help that I needed and I became myself again.

Life hasn't been easy... but with these two men in my life, I knew I had to better myself.. worse for my little brother, he needed a mother figure in his life and I was being that to him.

I took a quick bath and went to make my breakfast around 11..

My phone started ringing..

"Heeeeey ass.." I said with the biggest smile on my face when I realized it was my best friend.

'Dude... can we meet in an hour...' My childhood best friend, Julia said and I gasped, "Julia I can't jump whenever you tell me to.. what's so agent?"

'can we like discuss this when we meet please face to face.'

"I have a class at 2pm... I am not about to be late because you couldn't find your lucky socks.. why the fuck are we meeting."

'he texted me...'

Honestly speaking, that's all I needed to hear. I knew who she was referring to and this indeed was an emergency, "fine.. your place or..."

'I'm on my way to you... I love you...' and she hung up.

I was left looking at my phone for a few seconds before I actually sat it down and continued eating.

My best friend was going to tell me about this guy he had a crazy crush on.. and funny, she didn't know how to respond to him without my presence there... as if I'm some perfect relationship guru... I mean I had my relationships and they ended ugly... yet she still trusted me enough to get her into a relationship even though I was single.

I fixed my bag and put everything I'll need including my dance clothes.

I put on my navy denim shorts and a white blouse with white sandals.. I pulled my hair up in a bun and the door opened.

Yep.. she never knocks.

"Hey..." she said walking in with her backpack, "how are you?"

"Good good babe,  and you..?"

"Good..." she said hugging me, "now..Paul texted me..."

"What..." I didn't even have to finish my sentence coz she handed me my phone, "see for yourself.."

I took her phone...

"Start from where he was greeting me.."

I nodded and did as she asked me.

CRUSH: Hey J

JULIA: hey P

I mentally rolled my eyes, why the fuck are they calling each other by the first letter of their names...

CRUSH: How are you today?

JULIA: I'm great thanks and you?

CRUSH: I'm great too, look I have been thinking about this for a while, can we like go out for food or something... Just want to get to know you...

"Umh...?" I said and she was smiling like an idiot looking at me, "so... he is asking me out... I wanna say something smart.. you're the journalist... so talk..."

I sighed, "just tell him you can't..."

She gasped, "are you fucking with me? Dudeeee I have been crushing on Siya for like all my life. Don't fucken do this to me.."

I laughed, she was right. She was gaga for this guy since we were kids.. then he moved to Durban. He came back this year to study this side and to my surprise, he still had the same effect he had on her when we 15/16..

"Okay fine Julia... just say, Oh Paul sorry for taking long I was just getting ready for classes. Yeah I'd love to go out for food or something. Just tell me where and when .."

"Then type that and send it.."

I, like the good best friend I was did as she asked me to and sent the text.

She took her phone and smiled satisfied as if I just asked Paul to ask her to marry him. She was an idiot.

"So.. oh God I didn't see how beautiful you look.. wooow.. you'll make Chris go crazy if you keep on doing this I swear..."

I scoffed, "I don't look beautiful.. and Chris is a no..."

"He truly likes you..."

"Okay..." I said and she pushed me off playfully. I laughed, "dude how many times should I tell you I am not ready to date.."

Chris was some guy in our dance class, mixed and 24 years old. He wasn't bad, in fact he was sweet and cute but something was missing from my side. I couldn't say what it was but fuck I felt a bit weird towards him.

So the guy has been asking me out since the start of the first semester.. we were approaching July now and he was still sweet and cutely after me. Wow...now that I think about it... he must really want me..

"Same song for the past three years.. it's fucken boring.. Precious come on.. we are in 2019 and not everyone will be like your jackass of an ex boyfriend.."

I laughed, "Let's no go there.. we have to go.."

We both got up and took our bags then headed out.

"I thought you didn't have classes today.." I said to my best friend as we waited for a taxi and she smiled, "I don't.. but I decided to just truly go to the library since you are attending today.."

A taxi came by and we got in. In 20 minutes we were getting off and going inside campus, "hey... see you after class..."

"Give Chris a chance.. imagine the four of us going on a double date... how amazing would it be?"

I rolled my eyes walking away. I wish she'd stop pressuring me to give the guy a chance. If I really liked him I would give him a chance.

I got in class and God he was there with Thando and Layla..

"Hey guys..."

"Hey Mrs Chriss...." Thando said and I rolled my eyes at him, "stop being an ass..."

He laughed, "yeah.. stop looking so sexy..."

I saw Chris give him a warning look for that compliment and I blushed away to the bathroom to change.

I put on my sweatpants and a tank top.. at least I can move in these.

"Hey..." Layla walked in and I smiled, "hey... how are you?"

"Good you?"

"Good... you always seem uncomfortable when you are called Mrs Chris..."

"That is because I'm not Mrs Chris... I'm Miss Tatum..."

She smiled, "every girl would die to be with Chris.. he's smart, he's a great dancer and he is cute as fuck... why are you n..."

I cut her off, "I guess I'm not every girl then..."

She bit her lower lip, "oh I see... I see..."

That was fucken weird how she said that. Like at the back of her mind she was realizing something... probably realizing that she wants Chris..

I smiled, "Layla if you want Chris you can show him you're interest.. it would be great if he was off my back really..."

She laughed and touched my cheek, "oh honey I wish I was into Chris....but I'm as gay as they come.."

She's what? Wait she touched my cheek.. my face was burning and my chest was pumping a bit.

I opened my mouth and tried to say something but then nothing came out.. I tried to think of something to say.. anything but I was blank as fuck... why was I acting like this...

She laughed and winked at me before leaving.

Suddenly I started breathing... I had no idea that I was even holding my breath.. She is gay.. she date other girls?? Wooooow.... she is not showing though. She looks normal.. she puts on dresses. God.. now I was more confused than I was before.

But something.. something about her touching cheek and winking like that to me kinda made my heart skip in a way.

The fuck...

I quickly got out of the bathroom before I could entertain my thoughts... I really should stop seeing girls like that or thinking about girls like that. It is unnatural... I mentally told myself.

When I got back to the studio, the rest of the dancers were there and our teacher too..

"Hey guys... today I have my friend Meagan... She's 21 years old.. straight from Los Angels... she will help us for these coming three months.." our teacher, Nicholas said that and I turned to the woman he was talking about.

She was beautiful, beyond beautiful.. she was wearing black shorts and a sports bra. Her hair was in a bun but still fucken long coz she was white... her face...her boobs... her ass.... her... God. What the hell was wrong with me..?

I shook my head and whispered to myself, "concentrate Precious.."

Nadia laughed next to me, "I know right.. God!! Mr Nicholas is hot..."

No.. not him... I mentally said.

"Okay guys.. let's show our guest what we did yesterday.. Precious.. I need you in the front row..." Nicholas said pulling me away from my thoughts..

I sighed and went to the front, he loved showing off by using me... haha I didn't mind at all, I loved dancing...

..

On my way home I posted yet another video of me on my i*******m page.. I was freestyling to Chris Brown's Hope You Do song.

Then I put my phone in the pocket and headed home.

When I got there dad and Nick were already home. Daddy was helping him with homework.

I smiled, "hey guys... I'll go bath and come dish up.."

"Okay honey..."

I went to take a quick shower and when I was back my phone was blinking lights...

I took it and saw i*******m notifications..

@Kathy_J commented on your post..

@Kathy_J liked your post.

I furrowed my brows before I go to the comment it was from one of my old videos.

"Oh God.. I don't usually comment a lot of people I don't know but you really should be having a lot of followers and comments on your videos.. you are really amazing...

With love from Kathy..."

I blushed before I tried to open her profile but it was private, so I needed to follow her to actually see her. I squinted my eyes at her round profile picture and saw two white girls standing there.. I didn't know which one she was...

I sighed and went to her comment to respond...

"Thank you so much Kathy.. I really try... haha yeah you are right, I definitely don't have many followers and yeah people will follow and like what they love..."

Quickly she responded..

"You're amazing I'm telling you that, you are not trying. God, the way you move.. your musicality..."

Woooow... okay I have been complemented before but it has never made my face burn like this. I ended up wondering why..

Was it because a total stranger was telling me I'm great or.... was it because it was a... woman?

My face heated up at the thought. I mean I have had comments from guys and it was just "thank you" from me. Nothing like this.

Another Notification kicked me back to where I was.

@Kathy_J is now following you.

Fuck.. I smiled and followed her back..

Immediately I responded to her comment..

"I try.. you are really sweet, thank you for the compliments...they mean a lot."

She typed back..

"You're welcome... if I was a great dancer I'd challenge you.. but I don't wanna be a joke. You are really amazing at this. You should do it professionally...."

Wow.. so this woman was seriously going to throw me with compliments after compliments and make my face heat up like this..

"God stop.. my face... thank you so so much.. keep waiting for more and definitely check the rest of the videos.. I really appreciate your comments.."

She responded, "no problem.. I'm obsessed with the way your waist moves... so I'll probably Fucken watch them all. You're good..."

Fuck... she just keeps on throwing them. I held my face and looked at my phone like a fucken idiot..

"Heeeey..." Nick shouted from my door making me jump a bit. He laughed, "we are hungry.."

I scoffed at him, "I'm coming.. leaveeeeee.."

He laughed and another notification came in..

I looked at my phone.. it was another comment from her..

"By the way you're fucken beautiful.. I don't care how people are going to think I'm crazy for this.. but you are really beautiful..."

My smile was wider than anything I've ever seen and my heart felt so warm.

"I'll smash that phone..." my brother warned and I groaned getting up, "fineeeee....."

I left my phone on my bed and went to the kitchen. The smile on my face was beyond anything..

"Got a boyfriend with that smile on your face?" My dad asked and I shook my head, "God dad nooo..."

My brother laughed, "she does.. she was busy on the phone with him..."

I rolled my eyes.. if only he knew it was a beau.... fuck.. I didn't even check out Kathy... I don't fucken know what she looks like.. but fuck I didn't care.

She made me smile in a long time... and I was definitely going to check her profile tomorrow... or later on..