Drum – 22 August 2019

http://www.drum.co.za 22 AUGUST (^2019) | 57
‘Changinghowyoulookwon'tmakehimfallin
lovewithyouagain’
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W
HENoneofZandi’sgood
friends finallyasked
about herchange of
style,shecouldn’thold
herunhappinessinside
anylongerandshetold
heraboutPercydriftingaway.
“I’msuretherearesomanyguysout
therewhowouldkilltohaveyouintheir
lives,”herfriendreassuredher.“Changing
howyoulookwon’tmakehimfallinlove
withyouagain.”
Zandiwasnofoolandsheknewher
friendwasbeinghonestandsensible,
butsherefusedtogivein.“Buthewasmy
firstandhemademefeelsoloved.”
“Okay,Zandi,youknowwhat?Call
himtonight,takehimoutandturnhim
into your dessert. You’ll need new under­
wear.”
Her friend was laug­
hing but Zandi took
this joke seriously.
When she arrived
back home, she phoned Percy and they
agreed on a time to meet.
Percy had never seen Zandi looking so
beautiful. As they walked around the
mall he put his hand around her waist,
an indication he was proud to have her
as his girlfriend. They went back to his
place, and after he got what he wanted,
he phoned a taxi for Zandi.
She was shocked. “But I didn’t say I
wanted to leave now, Percy.”
“We’ve got class tomorrow, babe, so it’s
best you go.”
“But we only start at midday. I can’t
believe this. You only wanted my virginity
and then you were done with me, right?
I can see how you’ve changed and it’s
really hurting me.”
“Of course not, Zandi. I love you. I
always have.”
“But why the sudden change? We don’t
meet or talk like we used to. And I know
there’s a girl you’re cheating on me with.”
Percy was about to defend himself
with a lie when the taxi driver called to
say he was waiting downstairs.
“Come, Zandi. Get dressed. I’ll walk
you out.”
Most nights a prayer would emit from
her lips before she went to sleep, but on
that night it was only tears from her eyes.
Percy knew Zandi was a good girl and
that she deserved better than him, but
still he didn’t have the courage to break
up with her. Zandi missed school for the
next few days and he didn’t even bother
to check up on her.
AfewnightslaterZandiwasfeeling
desperateandshedecidedtocallPercy.
“Ihatefeelingthisinsecure,soI need
toknowwhatit isyouwantmetodo,”
shesaid. “IfI talktoomuch,I willtalk
less.If youdon’tlikemyclothes,I’ll get
newones.If I’mtoosimple,I cantryto
bethegirl.. .”
Percystoppedher.“Whoa,babe.You
areokaybutI agreeI havebeentheworst
boyfriend.I promisetobebetter.”
Andhehungupthephone.
C
OMINGfromatownship
whereeveryoneis intoevery­
one’saffair,newsoftheparty
soonspread.
It wasZandi’smotherwho
toldherthatPercy’ssister
wasthrowinga partyattheweekend.
Shehadn’tbeeninvitedbutshedecided
she’dgoanyway.
Shespenthoursdressingupinher
latestpurchase,whichhadcosther
much morethan she’dintendedto
spend,andshelookedstunning.
Shewanderedaroundthepartyand
eventuallysatdownnexttoa girlwho
wasonherown. Shelookedfamiliarand
astheystartedtochatit becameclear
shewastheonewhosepicturewasall
overPercy’sphone.
HernamewasPalesaandshetold
Zandiallaboutherself,includingthe
unwantedinformationthatshehadbeen
datingPercyforthepasttwoyears.It
tookallZandi’sstrengthtokeepcalm
andcomposedasthegirlgushedabout
theirloveforeachother.
Eventuallytheinevitablehappened–
Percysawthemtalkingandhehadno
choicebuttocomeover.Hewaved,
walked slowly towards them and forced
a smile onto his face as he introduced
them formally to each other.
“Zandi, this is Palesa. Palesa, this is
Zandi. She stays around here, and we go
to school together.”
“Percy, your introduction is incom­
plete,” Zandi spoke up. “You forgot to tell
me that Palesa is your girlfriend.”
Percy looked terrified – he didn’t know
if Zandi was going to complete her side
of the introduction as well. But she held
on to the pain that was burning inside
her. Then she left the party.
A
FTERthatday Zandi finally
decided to leave Percy and
the misery he was causing
her for good.
When she had to go to
campus, she finished her
work and left straight afterwards so she
didn’t have to interact with him.
Her university social life died, but she
worked hard and passed her exams well.
So well that the following year Zandi was
awarded a bursary to study in New York.
She graduated one year later, and as
part of her course released a short film
called The Introduction.
Her opening night was back in her
hometown. A large crowd attended and
they gave her a standing ovation when
the credits rolled.
Hidden away in the
back row was Percy,
who hadn’t known the
film was Zandi’s crea­
tion.Shealsohadno
ideahewasintheaudience.
Duringthemeet­and­greet, Zandi
couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw
Percy. “It’s so good to be back home and
see these old faces,” she told him. “Are
you good?”
Percy was struggling to find the right
words. “I have to say you inspire me so
much,” he mumbled.
“Oh, come on now. You are the one
who inspired me. This film is about you
and how you treated me after I gave you
my virginity. You introduced me to sex,
insecurity and misery.
“Andthenfinally,onthedayyouintro­
ducedmetoyourgirlfriend,youalso
introducedmetohealing,remembering
whoI was, andself­love.I canhonestly
saymeetingyouwasa blessing.It wasn’t
yourintention,butyoureintroduced me
to my power.”
Percy had nothing more to say to the
girl whose heart he’d broken. She didn’t
need him anymore. She wasa successful
filmmaker, and he was stilldreaming
about how to become one.
FICTION
BY JULIA JAY ROBERTS
ILLUSTRATION: MICHAEL DE LUCCHI