It’s late in the evening, just finished packing his stuff. It’s a busy city so it looks like and there’s noise coming not from far away, shouts of people in joy. Sam knows no one around since it is his first day from a far province. He puts on his jacket and decide to go out for a glass or two. Heads straight to where the joyous noise comes from.
He arrives at the club packed with strangers, in he goes to the counter and gets himself a 6pack of his favorite beer. Grabs a chair and sits at the far isolated table and started looking around. Lit his cigarette and leaned back on a chair, scrutinizing the place inside. Music was too loud and he wasn’t a great fan of noise, but he adjusted.

Different kinds of bottles everywhere around the table, happy faces and beautiful figures surrounding the table and everyone minding her business. There sits a beautiful arrogant lady who grew up training wrestling, her boyfriend outside smoking his weed with his friend giving Jane time with her ladies. Ben was not really deep in love with Jane, he was just a player enjoying adventurous life. His cousin inside the club not sitting far from a new man in town noticed that Sam was looking at Jane without a blink. He walked to the table of a stranger and asked to join, Sam had no one to talk to, and he could do with company. Steve and his three friends joined Sam and kept him busy. “I see you looking at that lady and I notice her noticing you but looking away as soon as you could lock eyes” Steve said so smiling at Sam. “She is gorgeous, but am new here, not ready to mess with other guy’s girls” Sam replied. They all laughed. ”Hi, I am Sandra, she is… well, not really taken, she got lots of ups and downs with a boy who doesn’t give a damn about her, he ignores her a lot” “that’s sad” said Sam with a face showing interest and started staring seriously at Jane. “Well, I think I love her, but like I said, I’m new here” they continued drinking and stopped buying looking at Sam with begging eyes. Sam decided to get them some few rounds since they were making him feel welcomed. He opened his wallet freely and all eyes peeked in, Sandra saw everything she liked the most, but she thought she can’t stand a chance since she already gave him hope about the other girl. Sam took out some few notes and put on the table, as he opened his jacket to return his wallet, Steve suggested they go sit out where there’s less noise, it sounded like a great idea. They all stood up, Steve directed them out and suggested that he and Sandra will go buy and join them thereafter. They walked out.

“Steve, that guy looks loaded, I think I should keep him very close, what do you think?” asked Sandra whispering to Steve, Steve nodded and walked with her closer to the counter. “He is into Jane and you know that Jane is not really happy with Lloyd, if this guy makes a move he might win and that means you got no chance, nobody messes with Jane”. “I know, so sabotage him before he could even get close to my cousin, we got to milk him. Make Jane hate him I also will play my part both ways”. They agreed, as Steve went to the counter to buy, Sandra went to her cousin, “Jane, you saw that gentleman with been with? He says a lot about you, between you and I he says he can’t wait to tap that ass of yours” “what?” shouted Jane as she stood up. “No cousin, don’t react like that, he didn’t send me to come tell you, you want him to stop buying for us now? I was just letting you know that you got an admirer” Sandra added on and spiced it up. “Steve told him you are seeing his cousin but he said ‘pussy is pussy, he just want to taste and pass” Jane was furious, “that’s it, I’m going for him now” she was fuming, Jane had a lot of temper and always failed to control it. Couple times she got her self behind bars on the same account, assault. Sandra begged her to at least wait till the guy makes a move, otherwise she will never tell her anything else ever again. Jane agreed to wait. As Steve came by with booze, Jane grabbed him and asked for confirmation, it was confirmed.
Steve and Sandra walked out to join the crew, they began their plot. Sandra was to make her move slowly at Sam and Steve promised to sabotage every move Sam makes to Jane. It was not personal, Sam looked loaded and they never had a buying friend before. To Sandra it was not really only about the money, a bit of love was involved.

The DJ was good outside the club forcing everyone to shake his her body, as Jane and her friend was leaving, Steve suggested they also leave. There was a better place that was quite that he thought could be better. They followed Jane and caught up with her at the exit as it was so packed, it wasn’t easy getting a way out. Sam found himself behind Jane, Sandra was behind Sam next to Steve. Sandra spanked Jane on her bum and slid back, when Jane turned around she saw no one but Sam, she slapped him and dragged him outside, Sam was puzzled and tried to understand what it was all about. Jane had no time to explain, she beat on Sam and Sam was trying to guard against and not fight. Her boyfriend came in to try to stop her but he was pushed aside, after hearing what caused the fight he joined and helped Jane to beat down the stranger. They messed him up, Steve and Sandra were watching from far. They left Sam lying down bleeding and helpless. The bouncers dragged him away from their place. Jane left with her friends and boyfriend, Steve with Sandra came late after everyone left. They brought back Sam to his feet and drove him home. Sandra decided to remain at Sam’s place and nurse him till morning comes. They had a lot to talk about. “Why did she attack me?” asked Sam very disappointed. Sandra gave him a sympathetic eye and rubbed his face with a wet face cloth. “Sorry we didn’t tell you, she’s an arrogant bully, she’s my cousin, no one likes her. She’s so full of herself. Her attitude is really disgusting. You must keep yourself away from her, mother thinks she’s possessed, even her boyfriend doesn’t like her, poor guy, he’s just afraid of dumping her because he knows she’s a psycho”. She gave him a deep look in his eyes, stroke him down with his face cloth. “You seem like a very nice guy, it’s a pity good people has a very bad luck of loving wrong people, don’t let yourself be another victim”. Sam was quiet, couldn’t understand why he got attacked in the first place. “But why did she attack me, I mean, I didn’t even talk to her” he sounded really worried.
“Maybe she saw you looking at her in the club and she hated it, that one is unbelievable, believe me” she stood up and asked for a bathroom, walked seductively shaking her hair out loose. Sam opened a bottle and drawn his sorrows. His bags and boxes were still unpacked. Sandra came out from the rest room with her eyes wandering around. “My friends left already, I wonder if they’ll come pick me up and drop me home. I see your rooms not yet dressed, I could be using the other” she said so smiling shyly at him. “I can use the couch and let you take the room, I appreciate your help dearly”. “Ooh nonsense, I can’t take a bed of a bleeding man, I’ll take the couch” stared in his eyes and took the beer from his hand. “I’ll help you unpack in the morning before going back home”. “Nope, it’s okay, you already done enough, I’m thankful” he said hesitantly.


Jane and her friends, Florence who was also a beauty, were at Lora’s place, the other friend. Steve came to join them after dropping Sandra and Sam. He added fuel to the fire. “That guy called us and asked if we knew you ladies, he said he specializes with doing friends and no matter what, he’ll get what he wants as usual” he said so opening their Vodka and pouring for himself. “Where the hell does he come from?” asked Jane. “I don’t know, but he is new here. I’m just surprised that after everything your cousin agreed to go with him” Jane and the ladies looked at each other. “Sandra Jane’s cousin?” asked Lora. “Yes” Steve replied boldly.
They downed their drinks and Steve left them as the ladies were sleeping over.
“Ben loves me so much, and I love him most. We are a match made in heaven, imagine if he saw that guy spank my bum and I did nothing” she was very pissed and she thought the guy deserves to be taught some lessons. They slept.

It’s late in the morning, Sam and Sandra wakes up, Sam steadily removing his arm under Sandra’s head. She also woke up, “hey” greeted Sandra with a smile and yawning and she stretched her hands. “Hi, did you sleep well?” asked Sam, waking up and going to the fridge. Sandra borrowing his towel to go freshen up, Sam headed straight to the kitchen and made some breakfast. She helped him pack his stuff and tidied up the place, it was a beginning of a good friendship.
Sandra received a call, it was from Jane. She picked it up and turned off the shower, “hello” “hey, so you slept with that pig?” Jane asked sounding annoyed. “Well, I slept at his place, Steve dashed off while I was trying to soothe him not to lay charges against you” “girl I’m not afraid of that shit, I’d be really disappointed at you if you gave him your cookie” Sandra laughed and replied. “Hell no, yes he did try to take advantage of my sympathy but I pushed him away, I think he’s mentally sick, he takes people for a ride” “don’t worry girl, we will teach him a lesson” “just don’t kill him hey, I know you cousin, avoid situations that will lead you to jail, I’m home now” she dropped the phone and continued showering.


In the evening Jane and her friends paid Sam a visit, it wasn’t a friendly one. He opened for them and without a word they attacked him, he tried to fight back but they pinned him. They left him worse than a previous night. Took beers out from his fridge and they left him lying of the floor.
He dragged himself to the couch, angry and ashamed to lose a fight to ladies. Opened his fridge for a beer and couldn’t find any. He called Sandra and she advised him to open a case of assault, but he refused. Steve and Sandra made a turn bit later and took him out to another place, he bought drinks as before, asking questions about the ladies and their hooligan behavior. In the middle of their relaxation interfered Ben and his crew, Ben spilled his beer on top of his head and said “this is for disrespecting my girlfriend” there was total silence, Sam looked at him with an evil look and said nothing. Ben slapped him, as Sam stood up one of Ben’s friend kicked him and dropped him to the ground. They pinned him and gave him some foot work. Steve and Sandra were just watching saying nothing.
They picked him up and took him home again. Steve apologized for not being helpful, he made it clear that those guys are evil and not to be messed with. Again Sandra slept over nursing Sam.


Jane was bored and planned to go see her friends, she was broke and feeling like drinking. Firstly she passed by Sam’s place to go sort out the problem she has with him following their last night charts and the insult from Sam. She didn’t even knock, aggressively pushed the door and let herself inside.
Sam was busy with his laptop working from home, he stood up and wondered what the visit was all about. Jane asked about the conversation of the previous night but Sam claimed he doesn’t remember anything, he doesn’t even have Jane’s numbers. The quarrel began. “Look I’m tired of you bullying me in my apartment, please leave” he stood like a man this time and pushed Jane back. Jane pushed him back and grabbed his laptop, she hit him with it and threw things at him breaking up his glasses, Sam tried to fight back but Jane was a wrestler. She kicked him below the belt and gained advantage. Kicked a fallen man to the gulp and destroyed his laptop as well, before leaving his place, she emptied the fridge once again.

Sam stood up after few minutes, he was pissed as hell. He gave Sandra a call.
“Hello Charmer boy” answered Sandra with a smile.
“Hey, how fast can you get to my place?’
“As soon as you finish asking me, are you okay? She sounded a bit worried when she hanged a phone. Took a cab and drove over to his place. She found him sitting next to a broken laptop with dried blood from his nose and mouth.
“Oh my Gosh, what now babe?” she rushed over and sat next to him. Sam just looked at her with a terrifying look. “Talk to me dear, what happened?”
“There’s something I can’t understand no matter how hard I try to figure out” he said so with his eyes staring right into her eyes. “What is it?” she looked innocent trying to wipe the blood with her thumb. “Why always Sandra after we were together I get attacked? Every now and then when we are together my enemies come knocking” he questioned her without even blinking. “Are you trying to accuse me of something? Why would I?” she changed her face and it read anger.
“But why only when we are together this shit happens? What am I supposed to think? This is all coincidence? Tell me” Sam rose his voice for the first time. He was suspicious and annoyed, this also upset Sandra. “You called me down here to interrogate me portraying me as a monster?”
“I just want the truth, Jane talks about me texting her and all kinds of stuff, but I don’t have her number and I never text anybody. All this seems to happen when we are together, help me connect the dots” Sandra was puzzled, didn’t know what to say or do. She tried her best to come up with an excuse, “I don’t know babes, maybe they are watching us, maybe there’s a spy somewhere. I hear you, it doesn’t make sense and I also never seen it in that angle, I just don’t know but I’m disappointed that you think I can purposely endanger you, I’m so hurt and disappointed” she cried and walked to the fridge, opened it and just looked really disappointed.
“I don’t know Sandra, maybe you are right, but what about the text messages she talked about?”
“I don’t know babe, did you see them?” she asked very nervously.
“No, I didn’t see them. Everything happened too fast, she pushed me and threw a laptop at me, then kicked me”
“I’m sorry, I truly am sorry, but I got nothing to do with it, and I doubt that Steve could do such” she walked slowly close to him and hugged him.



It’s a boring day in the middle of the month, the ladies are broke and feel like relaxing, Sandra tried calling her boyfriend but as usual, when he’s got money, he doesn’t answer the phone. He disappears. Florence is not working and Lora is also broke. Jane found Lora busy with her chores, at least her boyfriend got something to drink with him. Lora sent Jane with his father’s car to go meet up with Daniel to collect the bottles. Jane drove out and rushed to meet him before he leaves his place, it was a busy road and there was no time. She stepped on it and missed a curve, she tried her best to control the car but it was too late, she collided with a van and rolled outside the road. It was a terrible accident. Before the paramedics and police could arrive at scene, some civilians searched the victims and stole whatever they could find, Jane’s phone was also valuable.
Lora’s father received a call alerting him of the accident, he called his daughter in great shock and fear but was a bit relieved hearing that it’s not her daughter. The problem he had with her daughter was why she gave a friend his car. Lora denied and claimed that they were in the house as she was busy cleaning, suddenly she heard a car taking off, and basically Jane stole the car.
Jane was unconscious and was admitted at a local public hospital that wasn’t at its best. Her family heard about the tragedy and all the friends heard too including her boyfriend, it was on social media. Unfortunately no one visited her. Her family was struggling financially and Ben didn’t really care, her friends postponed visiting.

Steve and Sandra rushed the news to Sam, they had some booze to drink. Sam was surprised to see a cousin celebrating for a cousin’s misery. He wasn’t in the mood to drink that day, didn’t even know who to trust. He asked about the hospital and prepared to go make a visit. Sam excused himself and drove straight to the hospital to see the monster that once charmed him. It was a mess, a long queue with people bleeding unattended. He walked straight to the reception and asked for a lady, he identified himself as her boyfriend. Seeing a poor state of the government hospital and the state of Jane, he organized a transfer for her to a Private Hospital. He paid the bill, Jane was still unconscious.

Few days gone, Jane woke up from her coma, she was in a hospital with a heavy head. Looking around she saw no one familiar but a nurse, flowers around and new set of toiletries. Asked about what happened and the lady said it all, she asked about her phone, unfortunately it was not there but lady promised her that a young man always visits at noon, she can talk to her upon his arrival. Later in the afternoon Sam arrived, he looked at her and smiled, slowly advancing to her. “Just what the hell are you doing here?” Jane asked with a stern voice. He didn’t answer, just looked at her. “So you are happy that I’m lying down in hospital defenseless?” she added.
“I just came to check on you, that’s it”
“I hate you” Jane reminded him as she stretched her hand reaching for a bell to call assistance, nurse came in running. “Hey, what can I do for you?” the lady asked with a smile on her face. “You can remove this thing out of here” Jane said so looking right in the eyes of Sam, a nurse was shocked and remained quiet. “I did not come to cause you any harm emotionally or physically” humbly Sam made a statement. “Nurse, didn’t they bring me here with my phone?” asked Jane.
“Nope, but I think he can explain why, he’s the one who brought you here” the nurse replied moving back to attend other patients. “You brought me here?” Jane asked surprised.
“yes, I heard about your accident and saw it on Facebook, so I thought of coming to see you, you were in the government Hospital and seeing no good chances I took it upon myself to bring you here” Sam said politely. “So you wanted me to owe you?” asked Jane.
“I wanted you live, not to own you or buy your face, just to help you” he said.
“It wasn’t your responsibility” arrogantly she said. “So where is my phone? I need it” she asked still arrogant. “I was not at the accident scene, for sure those who got there first knows about it”.
In the middle of their conversation an official came and pulled Sam back to have a private conversation. “Sir, you have to settle the bill of last week, you know you didn’t pay all the money right? And I told you that we cannot use your medical aid to cover her. That is fraud.” An official said with a kind voice and a low tone as best as he could. ”I paid the balance before coming up here, it was R7000, I covered it” Sam replied. “My apologies Sir, we will send you another at the end of the week, we can deduct medication from your Medical Aid, that’s how far we can go” An Official added. “I’ll be happy, for how long you reckon she’ll be in here?” Sam look worried as he asked, his pocket was being dented. “We can’t tell precisely yet, maybe two more weeks if she recovers fast”.
Jane was listening to the conversation, it really touched her that a stranger she always fought with is the only one who showed care amongst all her family members, friends and a lovely boyfriend. She dropped some tears, that’s when Sam attended her.

Sam : why you crying?
Jane : I heard everything
Sam : why does it drip your tears?
Jane : where’s my family, my kids, my friends and boyfriend?
Sam : I do not know their whereabouts, but I told your cousin and friends about yours. They said they’ll tell your family and they’ll make time to check on you.
Jane : Oh, when was it?
Sam : 8 days back after I brought you here.

Jane was speechless, she felt neglected by those she loved the most and her tears travelled faster. Sam excused himself, touched her hand and said his goodbyes.
TO BE CONTINUE
© Keabetswe Lelaka