Part 1: Chapters 1-8

CHAPTER ONE- THE FIRST TIME

The first time he saw her she was delivering a speech. What it was about her that had made him suddenly stop fidgeting; that had made him sit up straight and listen; he would never know. In a matter of seconds he was deeply engrossed, nodding in agreement to all that she said and laughing along at her little anecdotes. That was all it took; and in that instant Zaheer knew; like one knows the approaching of the rain, or the dawn of a pleasant day; he knew that his life would forever be altered.
Zahraa Valley; top achiever for the past 3 years, had held the esteemed head girl position the previous year. School tradition dictated that head girls and boys were selected from the grade eleven classes and Zahraa, who was now in Matric, was in the process of delivering her departing speech. “And so my fellow peers”, Zahraa said “I humbly thank you for being a part of this rewarding experience and hope to carry each memory and moment as mementos of a year well spent.” She smiled her smile right then, a smile she had smiled a thousand times before, only this time her smile had reached him and he knew, in that moment, that he would forever be hers. She was like a sweet scent that filled an ordinary room, like a ray of light that lit up the dark; and from that day whenever he saw her his heart would melt.


He had to know; his heart pulsating with excitement, his mind wild with curiosity; who was this astonishing person? How could someone he had never known before suddenly have such an effect on him? As if reading his mind, or rather his wide-open jaw, his cousin Aarif woke him from his stupor: “Her name is Zahraa and she’s a year above us.” He explained, “And don’t even think about it”, he continued: “So many guys have fallen for her, she’s got admirers by the dozen but she’s never interested in anyone.” Zaheer heard all that he said but wasn’t really listening.


Zaheer was not used to feeling this way. Always in control, always smooth and calm, Zaheer knew exactly what he wanted, how he planned on getting it, and whether or not he would succeed. He was a thinker and a planner and what he set out to achieve quickly became his. So he knew that Zahraa would someday be his. He knew that he would have to find a way, he knew that it might prove to be difficult, but he knew- as if his fluttering sensations of butterflies were spurring him on, that she would feel the same way too.


Today, apart from being the day that he met her, was Zaheer’s first day at a new school. His parents, dismayed at the growing rate of crime and the influx of what they deemed to be ‘dangerous students’ at his old school, had decided to spend the extra money that had thus far caused their reluctance in order to enrol their only child in a better school. So while others greeted each other with hugs and familiarity, Zaheer began grade eleven in Hillside High as a stranger. His only companionship came in the form of Aarif, his well-meaning and affable cousin.


Once Zahraa left the stage Zaheer’s interest was again lost and he paid no further attention to the rest of the events in this, as the school called it, opening ceremony. As his mind wandered, he looked around the hall. It wasn’t as huge as his previous school hall but was large enough to accommodate all the students. On the stage sat five different teachers who, for the benefit of the new grade eight’s had been introduced as management. In the right corner of the stage where Zahraa had stood only moments ago, stood a podium that was richly decorated with the school colours: gold and navy blue; and on the wall was displayed a projection of a slide show- containing photos of the prefects, head students, and events of the previous year. After Zahraa’s speech all that was left of the opening ceremony was the announcement of the new head girl and boy and the announcement of all the new prefects. With that, the students were all dismissed and sent off to their respective classes.


The rest of Zaheer’s day was filled with introductions to many new friends, noisy chatter that he couldn’t escape, and mild enthusiasm from returning students reluctant to get back to their actual studies. As the school day slowly died down Zaheer silently hoped that he would see Zahraa again; not so much to actually see her but rather to reaffirm her beauty, her smile and most importantly the effect she had on him. He was relieved when the final bell rang signalling the end of his first day. As he exited the school, contemplating the ups and downs of his new environment, he suddenly saw her again. This time she was getting into the school bus and though he saw her for just a second, he was once again left feeling utterly helpless.


“What is going on with me?” he said to Aarif on his way home from school. “I don’t even know this girl from anywhere, why can’t I seem to get her out of my head?” “It’s her looks man”, said Aarif nonchalantly. “She’s not really my type but even I won’t deny it, she’s definitely a looker.” For some reason Zaheer had to disagree. Sure, her looks were definitely appealing but rather than being attracted he felt somehow connected. “It’s not that, it’s something else.” replied Zaheer. “I know I don’t actually know her, but I really feel like I do.” To this Aarif responded with a resounding laugh. “Maybe you know her from your dreams man!”
The instant he got home Zaheer flung his school bag across his bedroom floor and threw himself onto his bed-despite his mother’s attempts to get him to have lunch first. Sleep is what he needed now; thinking that perhaps once he woke up, his mind would be clearer and his world would once again make sense. The sleep, however, did nothing to calm his mind which was still frantically consumed by Zahraa.


As the day weaned on, Zaheer’s mind was still in a state of flurry. “Who was this Zahraa girl”, he kept wondering. He was beginning to develop an insatiable thirst for more knowledge of her. Though he had continued probing his cousin for answers on his way home from school, he was still left feeling unsatisfied. The rest of the day dragged on and Zaheer found himself eagerly awaiting the next day in order to see her again.


Zaheer was never one to believe in love at first sight- thoughts like that were best left for dreamers, and Zaheer was no dreamer. But now after a mere glance at Zahraa, he was beginning to rethink his stance. He knew that he would have to explore these crazy emotions that were overtaking him; he knew that he would have to ease his mind, and learn more about this girl.
And thus began Zaheer’s pursuit of his object of affection, Zahraa.

CHAPTER 2: THE FIRST ENCOUNTER

The next day Zaheer awoke with a thrill and exhilaration that can only come from the anticipation and eagerness of an exciting task. All through breakfast he kept thinking of her and various ways in which he could approach her. Zaheer’s mother Sadiya gave him an enquiring look, clearly suspecting that her son was not his usual self. “Is everything all right?” she asked, “How’s the new school?” “Everything’s fine” Zaheer replied evasively, quickly finishing his breakfast and morning routine before Aarif’s father arrived to pick him up. Five minutes later Zaheer bid salaams to his parents, and was on his way to school. Now that he was idle again, his mind could once again wander to Zahraa and the best way in which he could approach her.




As they arrived at the school, it was as if his Zaheer’s duas were suddenly accepted. Right there, just in front of the school, Zahraa stood with a group of her friends. The school was situated at the end of a road with perfectly trimmed grass on either side of the street. It was here on the front lawns that the students hung out, only making their way inside once the school bell was sounded. As he and Aarif emerged from the car, he knew that this was his chance. “Introduce us”, he told Aarif. “Come up with some excuse for going over there and then once we get there you can make the introductions.” Aarif, whether due to his innate kindness or his amusement at Zaheer’s infatuation, happily obliged.


Aarif was going to use some excuse of getting English notes from Zahraa’s friend Miriam, notes he actually did need, but as they approached the girls their ears fell upon the conversation that they were engaged in. “Well I would much rather know when I was going to die so that I could prepare for it.” said one of the girls whose name was Haseena. To this another girl, Hafsah replied: “No way, then you’d spend all your time preparing and no time living.” The girls were engaged in the ever-old debate of whether it would be better to know or not to know when you were going to die.


As the girls continued their debate, Zaheer’s gaze was fixated on Zahraa who was amusingly smiling at her friends yet uninvolved in the growing discussion. While Aarif got the English notes from Miriam, Zaheer plucked up the courage and went to stand next to Zahraa. “So what do you think?” he asked motioning at the girls involved in the debate. Zahraa gave him a puzzling look, clearly wondering why a stranger would question her opinion but she replied anyway in a calm and calculated voice: “Well, I have to say I’m undecided.” There are ups and downs to both arguments really. I guess that whether you happen to know or not it really all depends on how you’ve lived your life and how well you’ve planned ahead for the next one.” Whatever Zaheer had thought about Zahraa before now was multiplied by like a hundred times. “So you’re smart and pretty.” he said to her. Zahraa’s cheeks turned an instant shade of red and all she could do was to ask: “How come I don’t know you, are you new here?”All Zaheer had time to do was to reply in the affirmative because just then Aarif beckoned him to leave. “See you around”, he said to her. And with that Zaheer left with a startled Zahraa looking on.


Hillside High, according to the brochure that Zaheer’s parents had studied for days on end, was known as much for its scenic beauty as it was for its high standard of education. Deriving its name from its hilly terrain, it proudly boasted its beautiful view-looking down upon the city of Johannesburg. The school itself was a beautiful sight to behold; with crisp green lawns and immaculately kept classrooms. Zaheer, being the boy he was, was particularly impressed by the various sport fields, already looking forward to the many sports games that lied ahead.


Zaheer had not expected to see her again that day. As it was they were not in the same class and he therefore only had an opportunity to see her during breaks and before or after school. But this day happened to be one of those days when everything just seemed to work out well, and so it was to be that Zaheer and Zahraa both happened to have free periods at the same time- which wasn’t as coincidental as it might appear since everybody still seemed to be in holiday mode. Zaheer was free because his English teacher had not yet returned from her vacation and as he and his classmates contemplated the soccer match they were about to play he saw Zahraa and her friends sitting at the far end of the field. She really was a sight to behold and each time he saw her, though he appeared suave and in control, his stomach did somersaults and his heart raced uncontrollably. Nevertheless, he brushed all of this away and prepared to immerse himself in unstoppable action on the soccer field.


There is nothing like a good dose of action packed adrenaline to clear your mind and Zaheer thoroughly enjoyed the trash talking, ball-chasing, leg-swinging action of a good soccer game. It was only his second day of school but Zaheer was already friends with everybody. This is the way it is for boys. No pettiness or minor squabbling, no nastiness and jealousy. You can make friends instantly just by being part of a soccer game and you can, without hassle, remain friends for life. All boys know each other and all of them are friends with each other. And while, just like with girls, everybody is ultimately divided into their own cliques, unlike girls, boys have sports as a common element that instantly and continually unites them.


While the guys were looking for more players to join their team, Zaheer walked over to Zahraa and her friends, his confidence rising with every step he took. But once he got there his confidence was quickly drained.


Any boy will be able to tell you how intimidating a group of girls can be. Always surveying you, always quick with remarks, a group of girls is like a pack of lions just waiting to pounce; one wrong move and you might not live to regret it. Zaheer, however, was determined. “Will you ladies do me a favour and hold on to this for me while I play?” he said holding out his hand which contained his keys and wallet. As he said this he looked at Zahraa, hoping that she would volunteer. Before anybody else could respond, however, Zahraa’s friend Hafsah enthusiastically agreed: “No problem!” she replied, practically grabbing it from his hands. I’ll keep it for you. The guys then screamed that the game was beginning and Zaheer was forced to leave.


Half time couldn’t have come at a better time because when Zaheer glanced over at Zahraa he noticed that she now sat all by herself. In no time he was walking towards her thinking about what he would say. When he got there she was writing in a book and just barely raised her head to acknowledge him. “So where’s all your friends?” He asked. “Gone to the tuck-shop.” She replied. “So you’re Zahraa?” he asked though it sounded more like a statement. She replied with a slight “yip, I’m Zahraa and you’re Zaheer right, Aarif’s cousin?” In this school everybody seemed to know each other as if they were all interconnected. Zaheer didn’t bother to find out how Zahraa knew his name or what she had heard of him, but he did continue to make some mundane conversation with her regarding the school and other people he had met. He could sense instantly that Zahraa was well-spoken and intelligent and though she seemed interested in him- asking him various questions about himself, there was a sense that she was holding back as she somehow seemed distant. He could have sat there forever, just talking, but he was forced to leave when the guys resumed the game. “Nice chatting with you” he said as he began to leave. “We should do it again some time.” Zahraa just responded with a smile, a smile that he knew could undo the firmest minds and break the strongest hearts.

CHAPTER 3: MAKING HEADWAY

A couple of days had passed before Zaheer got to a chance to see, let alone speak, to Zahraa again. The pace of school was definitely picking up and everybody seemed to be settling into the new school year. Each different teacher found the necessity to lecture the two grade 11 classes on the importance of this school year and on how it was the foundation of their matric. By the time it came to the third teacher Zaheer was tired of hearing the same lecture; of how they should start working hard from now; on how Universities all judged you by grade 11 results and on how everybody needed to start working seriously towards their future. Zaheer didn’t doubt for a second that they were all right, but after hearing it so many times he felt as if he’d much rather sit through one of his mother’s three hour long Indian movies than hear another lecture. As if that was not enough the teachers were all piling homework on top of homework and the students were all too afraid to protest lest they receive another long lecture.
Yes, the new school year that had began slow and calm was now rushing full speed ahead and, at times, Zaheer felt as if it might all just crash right on top of him. The only relief that school provided was the constant soccer matches- the teachers couldn’t make them stop even if they tried; and Zaheer’s continual hope that he might run into Zahraa. It was thus with utmost joy and elation that Zaheer, whose soccer game had been cancelled due to the rain, managed to spend some time with her. As usual she was hanging out with her large group of friends but when she saw him walking pass she left her friends and followed him. “So how’s school going?” she asked. “Oh, don’t even get me started”; replied Zaheer in a dejected tone. “That bad huh?” she said, “Don’t worry give it a while and it will ease off, the start is usually the roughest. Trust me, I’ve been there.” Zahraa’s friend Miriam was a year below her and in the other grade 11 class and she had been filling Zahraa in on all the craziness of the new year. It was thus with genuine sympathy that Zahraa questioned Zaheer, hoping that he was managing to take all in his stride.
Zaheer was enjoying this thoroughly. Here was the girl of his dreams standing and talking to him without him having to put in any effort at all. Once he got past his slight nervousness, it was so easy talking to her. It was as if the rest of the world suddenly fell still for a while and all that was left was just him and her; just talking. They spoke for a while, laughing at the all the teachers and their incessant lectures, commenting on all the happenings of the past days and Zahraa providing him with valuable insight into all the teachers and how to get by in their classes. When the bell rang signalling the end of break they both lingered for a while longer, so engaged in their conversation. Zahraa’s friends, no doubt busy discussing this newest development, screamed for her to join them before they were late for class and she was forced to end the discussion and quickly join them. Zaheer, considering how happy he was after this little encounter, took his sweet old time walking to his next class, oblivious to the fact that he was already late.
Zaheer was in a good mood for the rest of the day, in fact he was in a good mood for a few days to follow. Up until this point he hadn’t been sure as to whether Zahraa was interested in him. But now, after she had initiated the conversation, after she had left her friends to come and talk to him, he was beginning to think that she might indeed like him too. A few days later Zaheer was fortunate enough to be provided with yet another moment with her.
It was after school and Zaheer found her waiting outside for the bus. He didn’t know what suddenly made him muster up the courage; perhaps it was his newfound confidence in the fact that Zahraa liked him too, or the fact that he was so seldom granted opportunities to interact with her; but he suddenly decided to approach her with utmost honesty and candour. She was standing with Hafsah and another girl that Zaheer hadn’t met so he politely greeted them and then asked if he could have a moment to speak to Zahraa. She happily obliged, clearly looking forward to another one of their conversations, yet concerned by the strange look on Zaheer’s face. “I’m going to be honest with you” he said quickly, afraid that his courage was already beginning to wane. “You’re unlike any other girl I’ve met before and I really like you. And I was wondering if we could try to spend some time getting to know each other a little better?” For a while Zahraa was speechless. Clearly she hadn’t expected this from him, but then (he thought) how could she not- she had to have known that he liked her. When she spoke she spoke in a slow and careful yet clearly troubled tone: “I’m sorry Zaheer, I really don’t want to hurt your feelings but I’m not interested.” “Oh come on, you have to be” replied Zaheer, slightly confused. “Think about it okay”. “I don’t need to think” Zahraa replied “I’m not interested”. Most girls were not usually so straightforward, most girls were usually timid and shy; not Zahraa though, her tone was not cruel or unkind but just open and honest, like she was telling someone the whether. Now instead of feeling embarrassed or run down by this clear rejection, Zaheer felt invigoratingly enthused. It was as if this incident confirmed what he had known from the beginning that Zahraa was more than just ordinary; that she was a definitely going to prove to be difficult to get; but that she would undoubtedly be worth all the effort. “Give me some more time” Zaheer replied, “Then you will be mine”. With that he stood up and left, leaving her alone to her thoughts.

CHAPTER 4: THE THRILL OF THE CHASE

Weeks had passed since the beginning of school and Zaheer now felt much more comfortable in his new environment. He had grown accustomed to this smaller and more secluded school, he enjoyed the company of his new friends and the daily soccer games they played, and he favoured the atmosphere and friendliness that his old school lacked. The only area that he hadn’t made any progress in was his relationship with Zahraa, who remained distant and aloof as ever. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t tried; boy had he tried.

First he had ensured that instead of his mother picking him up from school, he would take the school bus home. He knew all too well that Zahraa travelled home by bus and therefore decided that it would be the best way for him to get to spend some time with her. Now all he needed to do was to convince his parents that by him taking the bus they would save time and money (which they incidentally would). He broached this subject during supper one night. He made sure he chose a day where his parents were too tired to argue and then raised the various advantages of it. “Think about it mummy, if you don’t have to pick me up then you’ll save all that time during the afternoon.” His parents of course were easily won over. Not only was Zaheer’s argument convincing, but he was also their precious baby who they seldom ever said no to. Zaheer then had to ensure that it was ok by Aarif, who had been coming home with them, who confirmed that he didn’t mind taking the bus home and who, of course, teased Zaheer mercilessly for his newfound passion for the bus service.
Everyday in the bus Zaheer would pick a spot closest to Zahraa so that he could eavesdrop on her conversations and observe all of her mannerisms. He particularly liked the way in which she would curl a strand of her long dark hair around her finger whenever she was bored and the way in which her eyes seemed to widen when she was really enthusiastic and excited about something. He had thought that it would be easy for him to gain her affection or even attention, now that she knew that he liked her, but this proved to be harder than he thought since she did not seem flattered by his undying attention for her nor his little side compliments that he would continually hurl at her. When she would look in a mirror he would say: “Don’t worry, you’re pretty enough already.” Whenever she and her friends were involved in a discussion, he would always take her side. And whenever she got off at her stop, he would stand up to help her gather her stuff. This of course did not go unnoticed by Aarif and all of the rest of his friends who unfailingly teased him about it. But though all of this was obvious to the common passerby, Zahraa just ignored it as if she hadn’t even noticed.
It was there, sitting within close proximity to Zahraa on the school bus; that Zaheer was afforded the opportunity to fully appreciate her beauty. Zahraa was beautiful in a way people generally consider beautiful people to look like. She had long dark hair that was neither completely straight, nor overtly curly. It was soft and gentle and usually neatly wound in a braid. She was of medium height, not too tall or too short, and boasted a petite physique that was the envy of many girls. She was fair with a slight tinge of a brown and had a perfectly shaped mouth with white glistening teeth. Everyday Zaheer would eagerly await her smile for her smile, according to Zaheer, was her most telling feature. It was in her smile that Zaheer could see her kindness, her warmth, and the joy and happiness that seemed to radiate off her. The most beautiful thing about Zahraa, however, was not the way she looked but rather the way in which she regarded her beauty. She was neither self conscious nor conceited; she knew that she was pretty and accepted it as something rather insignificant- as if it didn’t really matter that much to her. If she was complimented on her looks she wouldn’t smile bashfully nor gloat conceitedly, she would rather nod gently and politely say thank you.
One day Aarif, who was becoming more of a counsellor these days, asked him: “What is it with this girl? She doesn’t even seem interested in you so why do you keep chasing her?” His question was definitely not unfounded and certainly not unexpected because Zaheer had been asking himself these very same questions lately. And then Aarif offered some insight that Zaheer hadn’t thought of himself: “Hey man, are you sure you actually chasing after this chick because you like her or are you chasing because of the thrill of chasing?” Zaheer had to admit that this was certainly a possibility.
Zaheer was a sweet-talker and a smooth charmer. He wasn’t like a playboy or anything but a charmer he certainly was. He was the type of person who could say something ordinary like “pass me the salt” and somehow still manage to make it sound charming and engaging- no doubt attributed to his deep husky voice. He was handsome in rouge, masculine way with thin dark hair and a perfectly chiselled jaw. Because of his looks, he was an easy target for many admirers who, with flirting words and battling eyelashes, tried to steal his attention.
It was therefore logical for Aarif to question Zaheer’s continued interest in Zahraa and it was also logical for Zaheer to further question himself. Was he just after Zahraa for the thrill of the chase? Could he not accept the fact that despite all of his admirers his chosen girl had no interest in him? Was he really that arrogant and conceited that he would lead himself to get so invested in a girl simply for a challenge? Zaheer was wise enough to understand that the problem with people like this, people who continually kept chasing after the challenge, was that they were never satisfied. If this was really the case with him then even if he managed to get Zahraa the challenge would then be over and he would certainly have no interest left in her. The more he thought about it, however, the more he realised, as if confirming what he knew in his heart all along, he could never tire of Zahraa. It was not the challenge of getting her; he was interested in her before he even knew how challenging she would prove to be. No, this girl was far better than just an ordinary challenge. If he were to eventually win her, the prize would be in having her and not in the satisfaction of having achieved that goal. He would have to continue working at it. He would have to brave the storms, eat the dirt and suffer the strain of continued struggle to make this girl realise that he was the only one that she was ever meant to be with.

CHAPTER 5: INFORMATION AND OPPURTUNITY

Despite Zahraa’s ongoing lack of interest in him, Zaheer continued to think of inventive ways in which he could get her attention. It was thus with an active mind that he found himself approaching Valentines Day. As he had come to learn, Valentines Day in this school was usually a big event, with performances and plays, and various valentines’ goodies that were sold. Every year the Grade 11 classes were responsible for raising funds for the end of year Matric Dinner. The Valentines Day events were thus usually planned and orchestrated by the Grade 11 classes for the sole purpose of fund raising.
Naturally the girls of Grade 11 held this task with utmost esteem and importance spending all their time ensuring that every event would be far superior to those of the previous years. The boys (most of them anyway) more dumbfounded by the girls meticulous and incessant planning, preferred to remain uninvolved- much to the dismay of the girls who kept on lecturing them about responsibility and legacy. With all the planning and pressure it was also no wonder that numerous arguments broke out, and it was not uncommon these days to see a number of girls reduced to tears.
A couple of days before Valentines Day both grade 11 classes were summoned into the Hall in order for the teachers to assign last minute responsibilities and to check up on the progress that they had made. Zaheer, who was at this point extremely bored and uninterested, noticed Zahraa’s friend Miriam sitting close by. She didn’t seem to be too involved in all the events and so he shifted a few seats until he was within whispering distance in order for him to be able to do some recon work.
Miriam was the type of girl that was everybody’s friend. She was cute in a tomboy sort of way and could even sometimes be spotted playing cricket or soccer with the guys. She was short and thin, with short dark hair and small round eyes. She had been friends with Aarif for a while now and on discovering that his cousin had just joined the school, she made it her responsibility to make Zaheer feel welcome and help him out with anything he needed. She was easy to talk to, easy to get along with and easy to like.
Zaheer motioned to get her attention and after a while she finally responded. “What’s up?” she whispered to him. “I want to talk to you about Zahraa.” He replied. She edged a little closer to him and then said: “so what do you want to know?” The foremost question on Zaheer’s mind was why Zahraa wasn’t interested in him, but he didn’t want to come across as either childish or conceited, so instead he said: “Tell me about her, what does she like, what does she do, I need info here to work with. What kind of guys does she usually like?” Miriam was quiet for a moment, clearly contemplating her answer, before she answered: “You know, come to think of it, Zahraa doesn’t do the whole guy thing. I’ve known her for a while now and I don’t think that she’s ever had a boyfriend. I don’t know why, coz lots of guys like her, but she always shoots them down. I know her parents are strict and all of that- so maybe that’s what it is. And I’ve heard some girls say that she’s uptight, but I don’t really think so.” Zaheer listened intently to all that Miriam said. Well this certainly made sense to Zaheer and provided him with some optimism. After all, if she was interested in any other guys either then there couldn’t really be anything wrong with him right? On the other hand, if she didn’t usually date then what would make her change her mind suddenly? Zaheer was confident enough, but even he didn’t believe that he was that special. The rest of the time quickly flew by as Miriam spoke to him about Zahraa. She told him how Zahraa was driven and intelligent and the envy of many people. She filled him in on Zahraa’s honesty and loyalty, and how she was always standing up for her friends. Each word brought Zaheer closer to Zahraa; each word was like a precious gem that he stored in the recesses of his mind. Each word confirmed to him that she really was as precious as he had believed. He savoured every lasting word and was startled and disappointed when the bell rang and the crowds began to disperse. “Thanks Miriam” he said. “No problem”, replied Miriam “But let me give you some advice- friend to friend, eventually you have to stop chasing. I know some girls like that sort of thing, it makes them feel important or something, but I don’t think Zahraa’s like that. If she tells you to back off, she may actually mean it.”
For the rest of the day Zaheer kept contemplating what Miriam had said. Maybe he was just being too optimistic; after all, Zahraa did say that she wasn’t interested in him. There’s only so much a guy can take before his own measure of self worth starts plummeting and Zahraa was really making him doubt himself. First he thought she liked him, and then he thought she wasn’t interested; then he considered that perhaps she was playing hard to get- so he decided to remain steadfast in his pursuit. That proved futile however and he was once again left wondering whether she felt anything at all for him. Now, however, he was thinking of just abandoning the project and washing his hands off it altogether.
It was during the last period of the day when a fight broke out between Zaheer’s class boys. Rumour had it that the tense atmosphere had been brewing for a while, but it came to an end when the first boy had apparently looked at the second one in a funny way and had, for that reason, received a sudden punch across his face. That’s the thing with boys, as quick as they are to make friends with each other, they even quicker to assault each other at any ordinary moment for the silliest of things. The fight was quickly broken up by the teacher but not before it managed to receive a number of spectators, all curious to discover what had happened. Soon after the bell rang and the crowds began dispersing, no doubt all eager to head home; and as the crowds passed Zaheer noticed Zahraa who, up until that point, had been looking at him. When she noticed that he had seen her she quickly turned around, slightly embarrassed that she had been caught. When he looked for her again she was long gone and nowhere to be seen
.

CHAPTER 6: VALENTINES DAY

Valentines Day turned out to be one of those days that you actually have to recover from. The school was abuzz with the blossoming of new romance and the resuscitation of old ones, and everywhere you turned you would find dreamy girls with roses, chocolates and hearts. For all that the teachers were lecturing on the importance of grade eleven, it was a wonder that they decided to give the grade elevens the day off from regular classes- a standard tradition that made it easier for the students to organise the day’s events. Despite himself, Zaheer was put in charge of one of the stalls in their quad-turned-market. As if it was not enough that they actually had him working here, he had the great misfortune of being in charge of the stall that sold roses- the stall that happened to be the most popular one.

 From early in the school day they all had to help organise tables and chairs, set up the stalls, place up posters and signs and help pack and unpack. It was tedious work, especially when you really didn’t care much about any of it. The quad, centre of the school and hub of all administrative activities, was commonly known by all as ‘prison block’. Situated at the far end was the tuck shop which led directly into the staff offices and rooms which looked out upon the entrance to the school. The quad was not big by any standards but surrounding it was 2 floors- comprising of classrooms all around. If one were to stand outside of the classrooms and look down towards the quad- well it would be easy to mistake it for a setting straight out of Prison Break. Today, however, the quad looked more like a young girl’s bedroom than the intimidating prison block it usually was. It was transformed into a quagmire of vivid red; red balloons and banners hanging from the banisters, red hearts and confetti strewn over the floor and red signs and posters displayed on the walls. Yes, the girls had gone all out in their attempt to leave behind their legacy and the unwitting boys had been begrudgingly dragged in. The only silver lining was that they didn’t have to sit through equally tedious lessons, and of course the possibility of seeing more of Zahraa.


Though Zaheer had seriously contemplated giving up on her, he had the sneaking suspicion that she liked him too. And while that suspicion was still travelling through his mind, it provided him with hope and possibility, and an unwavering resolution not to give up. So it was thus, with renewed vigour, that Zaheer decided that he would try once more. It seemed to him as if all girls were suckers for all this Valentines stuff, as if Valentines Day suddenly made them all feel romantic, hopeful and, and this was especially important for Zaheer; open to new possibilities. If he was going to do anything, he would have to do it on this day. This was his opportunity and he could not afford to waste it.


For Zahraa he purchased a single rose- not one of the fake ones that he was in charge of selling but rather a real and beautiful, long stemmed, velvety red rose. He had bought it the day before and had to endure the laborious task of ensuring that his parents didn’t see it. If they had then he would be riddled with their various concerns. Who was this girl? Where was she from? Did she like him? Were they dating? Since Zaheer hadn’t made much progress with Zahraa he was not willing to answer any of these questions. He therefore had to ensure that he hid the rose, though he had to keep it in water, and had to ensure that it was well kept so as to not wilt in any way. With all of the effort he put in he was glad that, on bringing it to school, it was as perfect as it was when he first purchased it. Now that he had it here he wanted to give it to Zahraa, not just at the perfect moment, but also as soon as possible- to spare him any additional effort.

It was during the first break that he saw her. While others had come and gone throughout the morning, the Matrics had been in class, busy with their studies. Though the grade elevens complained constantly, Zaheer knew that Zahraa must have had it far worse- what with being the final year and all. He was thus elated when he finally saw her making her way towards the quad. He quickly made some excuse for having to go, grabbed the rose- which he had kept in a tall glass of water in one of the nearby classes, and walked towards Zahraa, motioning for her to join him. She seemed unresponsive at first and for a brief moment Zaheer thought that she was just going to ignore him, but after a while she left her friends and walked over to him. “I have something for you.” He told her when she got there, handing the rose to her. Her response, as always, was calm and collected. She simply said: “Zaheer I told you that I’m not interested, I don’t want anything from you.” “But its Valentines day!” he protested. “I had to get you something.” “No.” She replied in an agitated voice; “You shouldn’t have gotten me anything. You don’t seriously buy into all this Valentines crap do you, because you better than that.”

 Zaheer didn’t know what to say, his courage suddenly drained. He had had a whole speech planned. He was going to explain the significance of the solitary rose; how she was one rose amongst so many other flowers. He was going to explain how he wouldn’t dare to buy her any cheap gifts because she was far superior to any of that, that her beauty could only be matched by the real exquisite beauty of this red rose. But here she stood, once again confusing him, not even acknowledging the rose that he held in front of her. His silence turned into a silent rage; rage at himself for not giving up sooner; rage at all the effort he had to endure for a gift that wasn’t appreciated; and rage at Zahraa for playing games with him. His tone must have sounded angry when he said to her: “Well keep it anyway, what else am I going to do with it!” because at that moment Zahraa’s expression turned grave and she suddenly seemed to regret her response. The rose was now within inches of her face and Zahraa had no other alternative but to accept it. The minute she did, however, Zaheer turned around and walked away- not wanting to spend another embarrassing moment with her.

 The humiliation that Zaheer had endured silently ate away at him for the rest of the day. He was frustrated and angry. Who did she think she was? Why was she hot then cold then hot, couldn’t she just make up her mind already? What had begun as a promise of a new beginning had so quickly turned into a painful memory. “Just forget about her man!” that was Aarif’s response when Zaheer had told him what had happened. “Don’t let anybody make you feel this way, you look depressed. Just forget her and move on. You came, you saw you tried. It’s over now.” Zaheer had to force himself to believe it. Clearly Zahraa was not interested in him, clearly she didn’t like him. Maybe the little attention that she gave him was just her way of being friendly; maybe he had misread the signs and jumped to conclusions. For all that happened at least now he knew that it would never be. He kept on telling himself that it couldn’t have been as real or special as he had thought. Maybe his hormones had just run a little wild and clouded his otherwise sturdy judgement. Zahraa was over and he would have to learn to accept it.

Zaheer was glad when the day finally came to an end. As he walked through the school he couldn’t help noticing all the couples and he felt a twinge of pain that things hadn’t worked out for him. Suddenly he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to see that it was Zahraa’s friend Hafsah. For a moment he felt a pang of joy, hoping that maybe Zahraa had sent her with a message for him, but instead she held out a card and said: “Happy Valentines Day”. Before he could even get a word in Hafsah was explaining that she had waited all day for him to wish her a happy Valentines and had now eventually grown tired. It was that reason that had incited her to track him down to give him this card. She ended with an ever-so-sweet: “So will you ask me out already?” “Hmm what?” was the only response that Zaheer could muster. Hafsah, apparently unperturbed by Zaheer’s lack of enthusiasm, continued: “Well I couldn’t help noticing you- you know that day when I kept your stuff for you and I noticed how you looked at me when you came to get it back, and a lot of guys have asked me out today but I turned them all down for you, so now I was just wondering when exactly you were going to ask me out.” Zaheer was astounded by her. She had caught him completely off guard- when he had least expected it; he didn’t even know what ‘look’ she was talking about; and he was barely surfacing from his last humiliating attempt with a girl- so he replied with a quick: “Yeah, we’ll see, I’ll think about it” and rushed off before she managed to get another word in.

CHAPTER 7: NEW DIRECTIONS

 “You’re joking!” said Aarif choking on his laughter. “So she basically asked you out, except instead of coming right out and asking you, she asked you to ask her. Aay chicks today, I tell you!”
It was the weekend after Valentines Day and Aarif and Zaheer had just returned from Eastgate where they had been searching for soccer supplies. “So what did you say to her man?” asked Aarif, clearly amused at this recent development. “I think I told her I’ll think about it. I don’t know what was going on in my mind, she just surprised me you know.” said Zaheer as he recounted the events of Valentines Day. “So do you like her?” asked Aarif. Zaheer’s answer was immediate: “Who Hafsah? No, of course not man. You know who I like.” Zaheer’s voice and expression had suddenly changed. Though he had highlighted his Valentines encounter with Zahraa to Aarif, he had no need to further delve into his humiliation and so he stayed away from the subject of Zahraa. But even though he prevented himself from discussing her Zaheer found that despite his latest defeat, he still could not get her off his mind. He was however determined to avoid further embarrassment and came to a resolution that his chase for Zahraa had now finally reached its close. He hoped that once he left her alone, his mind would catch on and follow his lead.

When Monday came around Zaheer remained determined to avoid Zahraa. He avoided the usual hangout spots that Zahraa was likely to be at; he ensured that he was constantly engaged in something whenever he saw her; and he steered clear from the usual routes in fear that he might bump into her on the way to class. The most challenging part came in the form of the school bus where he knew that he was likely to see her. On the bus Zaheer chose a spot far away from Zahraa and close to all of his other friends who busied themselves talking about their hatred for Benitez and Gerard’s spectacular goal. This, he knew, would provide a foolproof plan to keep him occupied and, were she planning on confronting him, to ensure that Zahraa stayed away.


There were times, however, that Zaheer found his courage wavering; where he found himself slipping back into old habits of contemplating Zahraa and how best to impress her. When moments like these came around all Zaheer had to do was remind himself of how he felt on Valentines Day in order to remain on course. It was clear to Zaheer that Zahraa was bothered by his coldness because on Wednesday Zahraa and Miriam, apparently coincidentally, bumped into Zaheer and Aarif just after they had finished their match. “How’s it going Zaheer?” asked Zahraa meekly. Zaheer replied softly with a quick “Fine”, and then quickly came up with some excuse for having to leave, leaving a crushed Zahraa behind. Zaheer could sense Zahraa’s displeasure at how he was treating her. She tried, unsuccessfully, to talk to him on a number of other occasions and, on the bus, he would often find her glancing in his direction. He didn’t like to displease her this way but he could not go back to the way things were. He couldn’t keep chasing her after she had shot him down so many times and even though he wouldn’t mind if they were at least friendly with each other, his pride could not overcome the previous events and allow this to happen. The plain fact was that now Zahraa was in possession of all the power and Zaheer, should he choose to keep playing the game, would be at her mercy. Zaheer’s ego got the better of him and, for this reason; he had decided to stop playing the game altogether.


As for Hafsah, well he hadn’t given her or her offer much thought- a fact which she clearly resented as evident by her glares in his direction. When Zaheer had joined this school he had been concerned by the workload and the new environment, he had not, however, imagined that he would have problems like this.


It was because of a stapler, during the fifth period on Thursday that Zaheer, tired of thinking of Zahraa, began considering Hafsah. Miss Van Rensburg, the maths teacher, had given the class a maths mission. She had divided them into groups of about five each and had given each group a series of complicated equations to solve. Zaheer’s group was finished before all the others and began busying themselves in conversation while waiting for the others to finish. It was then that Hafsah walked in. Her teacher Miss Schultz, who was good friends with Miss Van Rensburg, had sent her to fetch a stapler. Hafsah got the stapler and began leaving, but not before she flashed a smile at Zaheer. Zaheer’s friend Sameer, who was seated at his side, began whistling: “Joh! Did you see how she checked you out man?” he said clearly impressed. “She’s obviously into you.” Zaheer mumbled something about not being interested to which Sameer replied: “Why not, are you blind or what? She’s hot. Do you know that every guy in this school would kill to go out with her? If she liked me, man I’m telling you I wouldn’t be single right now.”




The next day Zahraa finally managed to corner him. It was the first period of the day and as Zaheer left his classroom he found her waiting outside. She quickly stepped in front of him and said: “Please Zaheer, we have to talk.” Zaheer, who was caught off guard, had no other alternative but to remain standing while the crowds dispersed. “I’m sorry I hurt your feelings ok” began Zahraa. “The rose was beautiful and I should have just taken it and said thank you. I didn’t realise that I would offend you and for that I am sorry. Can you forgive me and please just stop fighting with me?” Zaheer, still overcome with a wounded ego curtly said: “I’m not fighting with you and I’m not offended either. You just obviously don’t like me and so I decided that I would stop wasting my time with you. You should be glad now that I’m leaving you alone.” “Please Zaheer” said Zahraa “it’s not even like that ok. There’s nothing wrong with you. It’s me.” Zaheer knew that she was trying to make him feel better and the thought of that made it all far worse. He felt patronised. He didn’t need her sympathy or her apologies and because of this, he said: “Look, don’t worry ok its all in the past. As it is I’m going to ask Hafsah out, so it doesn’t matter anymore.” Zahraa’s expression changed instantly. “Oh!” she said softly. “I didn’t know.” Zaheer felt an instant wave of regret when he noticed how hurt Zahraa looked. Before he could say anything, however, Zahraa had already begun leaving.


Now Zaheer had to endure the effort of tracking Hafsah down in order to ask her out. There was no backing out now because he was afraid that, were Zahraa to find out that he lied, she would think less of him than she already did. Luckily for him, he bumped into Hafsah by the tuck-shop towards the end of the day. The tuck-shop, situated at the corner of the quad was usually loud and busy. Try as they might, the teachers had never managed to form proper queues, which inadvertently forced students to mangle their way through the crowds in order to get to the front. Zaheer was standing in the back, waiting for Aarif to resurface, when he noticed Hafsah and her friend Yasmeen approaching the tuck-shop. He quickly made his way towards them and asked to speak to Hafsah alone. “No prob.” Said Yasmeen as she left them and made her way towards the bustling crowds. “So” said Hafsah “You wanna ask me something” “Yeah” replied Zaheer reluctantly searching for the words. “Oh, don’t worry” said Hafsah “Zahraa already told me you gonna ask me out and, of course, I accept.” “Oh, Zahraa told you?” replied Zaheer. “Yeah”; said Hafsah. “I know you guys had this little crush thing or something but I asked her if it was ok for me to go out with you and she said it was fine.” “She did” replied Zaheer overwhelmingly disappointed. “Yip, she said she didn’t like you that way and something about you not being her type. I kind of switched off after she said it was fine, I was just glad that you finally found your courage.” Zaheer barely responded but Hafsah continued: “I mean, I know my beauty intimidates most guys but I would have thought that you, being as handsome as you are, would have no problem with that. We’re in the same league you know. Anyway, it’s better late than never right?” Just then Yasmeen and Aarif emerged and, much to Zaheer’s relief, Hafsah began leaving. Before leaving however she grabbed his hand and said “See you around boyfriend”; leaving behind a surprised Aarif and a dumbfounded Zaheer.

CHAPTER 8: GIRL TROUBLES

All through the weekend Zaheer dreaded returning to school. He could not bear to imagine what would happen with Hafsah on Monday and he was sure that his recent actions had signed the death certificate of his relationship with Zahraa. It was due to these reasons that he spent his weekend bothered and sulking. His father, Imraan, confronted him on Sunday afternoon. “Tell me now,” he said. “What’s going on with you?” Imraan was the kind of father that everybody thought they wanted. Always involved and ready to help, Imraan actually had a real interest in what was happening in his son’s life. He was constantly asking Zaheer questions and genuinely wanted to interact with him. As any teenage boy will tell you, however, the last person you want to be your best friend, is your father.

“Hmm, nothing daddy.” Zaheer replied unresponsively. “So there’s nothing bothering you then?” asked Imraan. “No” replied Zaheer. “I’m fine” Imraan went on: “Because you can tell me if something is wrong you know, like if you’re not coping at school, or you having girl troubles, I’m here to help.” “I know”, replied Zaheer. Although he could not open up to his father, knowing that his father cared provided him a little comfort. “Thanks anyway daddy” he said as he headed towards his bedroom.

 When Zaheer got to school on Monday, Hafsah was waiting for him. There was no denying that Hafsah was beautiful. She was tall and slender with shoulder length hair, wide eyes and full lips. As she walked towards him he noticed that she looked like she emerged straight out of a Bollywood movie, swaying her hips and tossing her hair from side to side. “Hey Zaheer” she said. “I’ve been waiting for you. Come on, let’s go find a cosy spot inside the school.” With that she practically dragged Zaheer off leaving her friends, including Zahraa, watching.


Zaheer and Hafsah had instantly become the talk of the school. From little comments about how cute they looked together, to increased speculation about how long it will last (no doubt attributed to Hafsah’s reputation) Zaheer and Hafsah had become the couple to watch. Even teachers, who had paid no attention to Zaheer before, were suddenly aware of who he was dating. Zaheer, who had reluctantly asked Hafsah out in the first place, had had no idea that their relationship would cause so much buzz. Far from enjoying his instant popularity, Zaheer silently loathed it.


“Man, what did I get myself into?” he told Aarif one day. “Aagh, don’t worry about it” said Aarif. “It will all die down soon; people are just suckers for gossip.” “So what about Zahraa?” asked Aarif, “I mean I thought she was the girl of your dreams and all of that, now you going out with another chick?” “Yeah well, Zahraa’s not interested so I guess that dream was just a dream you know?” replied Zaheer. So what will you do”, asked Aarif “If Zahraa comes to you right now and says that she’s interested?” “Well then I’ll call my life a soap opera and move to Hollywood” laughed Zaheer. “No really,” he continued, “That’s never going to happen so I don’t have to worry about it.”


Hafsah made it her mission to spend every moment she could with Zaheer. Unfortunately for her those moments were not too many because, as a matriculant, Hafsah was constantly in class. Whenever she tried to make plans to meet, she would have to cancel at the last minute due to some extra tuition or some portfolio exercises that needed to be completed.




It was a Wednesday afternoon during second break when Zaheer, retired from the current soccer match, bumped into Zahraa. He had just left the field and was on his way to freshen up in the bathroom when he saw her. Since they had both put in additional effort to avoid each other, they were both clearly caught off guard. Zaheer was the first to talk: “Hey Zahraa, how are you?” he asked. “I’m fine” she said looking slightly flustered. Zaheer knew that Hafsah, who was in the same class as Zahraa, was currently busy with some maths assignment, and so he asked: “How come you’re not in class?” “I’m finished with my assignment and so I came out for some fresh air” replied Zahraa. Zaheer was going to ask her how the studies were going but before he could open his mouth one of Zahraa’s classmates, Talha, strode over to her side and said: “Are you ready to go?” “I’m coming” said Zahraa; “I’ll meet you there ok?” Now Zaheer was not the irrational type but seeing Zahraa with another guy, especially after trying to assure him that she, instead of him, was the problem; was too much for him to bear. “Is that your boyfriend?” asked Zaheer contemptuously. “So I guess he’s your type then- that’s the kind of person you go for?” “No, he’s not” said Zahraa softly. “Well you better go you don’t want to keep him waiting” said Zaheer indignantly.


Zahraa’s sullen face now became grave and her silence quickly turned into rage. “You know you really have no right? She said angrily. “I told you that he’s not my boyfriend and even if he was it really wouldn’t be your business. In case you forgot you have a girlfriend, although it’d be impossible to forget since you’ve been flaunting it around the school ever since. What does it matter to you what I do in my time? And before you jump to conclusions about my life, let me remind you that you don’t know anything about me.” “You’re right”, replied Zaheer. “I don’t know you but whose fault is that? You’ve made it impossible for me, and now you come here and make me jealous with some other dude and you expect me to just keep quiet?” “I’m making you jealous.” exclaimed Zahraa. “You have got to be kidding right? Need I remind you that you’re the one with the girlfriend? Or have you moved on to another conquest already? Not taking it slowly are you?” Zaheer was going to tell her that everything he did was because of her but before he got the chance to, Hafsah suddenly surprised them. “Hey guys what’s going on?” she asked. “Just talking” replied Zahraa. “I have to go anyway though; I’ll see you guys around.” Zahraa quickly rushed off leaving Zaheer and Hafsah alone. “Ok then, what was that about” asked Hafsah. “I heard you guys arguing.” “Nothing much.” replied Zaheer sheepishly. Much to Zaheer’s relief, Hafsah didn’t mention it again.