When Grass ends

When Grass Ends.

I inhale strongly the remnants from my vape in a dark bedroom, confused and afraid as if doomsday was knocking on my door step. The sunrise looms on the windows like a shadow monster descending back to its underground layer.

Flashbacks of yesterday's catastrophe recoil in my medulla. "If only she didn't try to take her own life". Smoke lingers into the air. Multiple tyres moonwalking on the concrete bed outside humming mechanical sounds.

A daunting notification of what is about to happen, my emotional ribbon ties an unpleasant bow in my abdominal area, I stood up from a gigantic sumptuous bed and shuffled to the bathroom towards a creepy squeaking noise of an early morning breeze bouncing on the window. 

After a scorching Tivoli Gadoni drizzle, I stared at my future and fate, pure as snow, scribbled in a bloody coloured ink on the coffee table then summoned it to my palm and into my backpack. Teleported into a Bavarian aluminum molded machine on acceleted motion, speakers emitting uproarious, deep and thunderous tune by Lil Wayne titled John. Body and mind unconnected, with my brain in interrogation mode. 

"I did this for you and I would never do something so horrific" . He said

Panning visuals of township houses on a glass aperture. Betrayal, dishonesty and perfidy became a Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon. As velocity decreases cardiovascular drums kicked harder and harder. I stepped out of the car, fellow students swam in from different directions, laughing and talking voices loud. I took sluggish steps toward the school entrance, that's when a loud voice started shouting my name from a distance. 

Calvin! Calvin! Calvin! It called out. 

Owl turned my neck 60% degrees south and saw a man, dressed in black elite combat clothes with black military boots holding a baton, staring at me. He signaled with his arm to come to him. When I got closer to him my heart rate waved like ocean water during a dangerous storm. 

"Hello, Calvin. The Principal requires your presence in his office immediately." He said

I headed to the office in bullet time stirring, set foot in the office, all eyes on me, a two way optical Mexican standoff. The school principal in the center of the room on the office chair with both elbows on the table, Micheal, Buhle and Siyabonga on the leather couch. 

"Welcome, Calvin we've been waiting for you" The principal spoke. 

I sat on the antique chair across the table. tension owned the air with cold and suspenseful silence.

"We all know why we are here, Buhle can you tell us what happened yesterday" he continued. 

" Micheal, raped my best friend!" Tears fell from her face as she shouts. 

"I didn't! " Micheal interrupted. 

" You did! I saw you leaving the office, right after Christina came out running." Siyabonga shouted in anger. 

"Everybody calm down" the principal calmly spoke. 

"I know tempers are high but let's try to handle this situation as civil as possible." he continued. 

A knock on the door brought peace in the room, the door opened, a tall and muscular man dressed in formal wear entered. 

"Goodmorning everyone... Principal, I am Detective Fourie. I am here on the rape case, you reported." he said. 

"Yes, Calvin would you fetch the Detective a chair outside" He requested. 

"No it's fine, I'll wait outside" he replied. 

"There's no need, we are also here with the same matter. " he said. 

"Micheal, if I may ask is there anyone who can prove that you didn't rape Christina? " he asked. 

"Yes" he replied. 

"Who? " he continued to ask. 

"Calvin.... I was stealing answers for yesterday's exam, he has the pictures as proof. " said Michael. 

A noisy drum filled my ears, the shocked and puzzled principal turned his eyes towards me. Chest pains and shortness of breath took over. 

"Calvin is this true?" he asked. 

"I don't know." I Replied 

"What do you mean you don't know?" He asked again. 

Then a mental picture popped in my head of my family suffering because I didn't go to University. 

"Micheal, didn't send me any pictures of the answers, I didn't see him yesterday until after the examination session." I replied. 

A tear fell from Michael's face, a shattered heart, emotionally destroyed pain shown through his eyes, a look of disappointment shot towards me. I could feel our childhood memories get erased and a friendship bridge burnt to the ground. 

The Detective took out his handcuffs. 

"In that case, Michael you are to come with me to the police station for questioning and you will stay there until Christina wakes up." he said. 

While reading him his Miranda rights and cuffing him, water climbed to the dam gates on the verge of release, looking at the mess I've caused. 

" You may go to your respective classes" The principal commanded. 

Wide smiles on Siyabonga and Buhle's faces. Outside, crowded classroom windows as students watched Micheal get put inside of a squad car. 

During Physics class. Molecules, Mechanics and The Doppler Effect formed no action, my focus was Newton's First law. A voice pierced my dream. 

"Calvin!" it furiously shouted accompanied by a table bang. 

I came back to reality and saw a beautiful woman dressed in a red mock neck solid bodycon dress with a black and luscious pony, staring at me. 

"A 5 Kilo gram block is moving in a straight line at 2 meters per second towards the left. Could you tell the class what is the momentum of the block? " she asked. 

"I don't know" I replied. 

"You are sleeping in my class get out!" She furiously said. 

On my way out of the classroom, my conscious began to speak. 

"How do you live with yourself?" 

"You betrayed your best friend, 

who was only trying to help you pass by stealing answers he doesn't even need, for you to go to University." 

"Remember the dream you had as kids? Is now dead because of you." 

Regret and pain owned my body, I punched, kick, threw bricks on the concrete balcony. I had to clear Michael's name before Christina wakes up and the truth layed beyond +1.00D glass. The journey began to find a samaritan informant. 40 mass trick or treats accomplished in every class room door, fate bats hit the lying piñata stuffed with the truth where fearing forces couldn't smash it open. 

Is it possible that Michael could've forced himself on Christina right after stealing the examination answers? 

Could he?

He would never? 

Why does everyone say, they saw him? 

Maybe I took the right decision? 

Questions going up and down my trust staircase. Sat down on the drive way pavement, exhausted and ready to give up. The school security guard joined me and offered me a canned Coca cola soda . 

"I am really sorry about what happened to your friend" speaking in a calm tone. 

"I still can't believe he would do such a thing, he would never do this, he is always overprotective of women, did you see anyone else leaving the officer?" I asked. 

"No, just him." He said 

Okay... I replied in disappointment 

"Wait, maybe it might not be him because there was a lady who was here to deliver food, she said she saw a boy jumping out of the office window but I didn't take that matter seriously and I think it's about the same time when your friend walked out of the office. " he said. 

Hope, faith and excitement filled my aura. 

" Where can I find her?" I asked

" Four blocks, North next to Billy's Car Wash" He replied. 

Took off as fast I could, neglecting the fact that I just skipped school by walking out of the school premises but nothing mattered only my best friend's freedom. 

Nkukhu box Cafe, heavenly looking as the pearly gates of hope opened up with the description of the culprit, the marathon began to the police station finishing line. Climbing mountain slopes, running through golden hay fields, busy traffic intersections. A frowned face turn into a smiley face eyes staring at the golden star shaped flower surrounded by the sea. 

At the reception area the officer who made the arrest recognized me. 

Calvin.. Right? He said. 

"Yes." I Replied 

"What are you doing here?" he asked

"I'm here to clear Michael's name, according to a witness, a lady who was at school to deliver food. The was someone else in the office. " I replied.

"Really, who? " he asked again

"Thato. He is also known for hitting his girlfriends when they speak to other guys." I replied.

"In that case let's go and meet this witness of yours, young Detective." he spoke in an energetic manner.

The truth curtain got removed, the culprit got arrested and Christina woke up, confirming the occurrence.

As I leaned on my brother's car awaiting Michael's realise at the lawman's gate. He came out, I was extremely happy but the distrust was holding happiness in a choke hold. Our eyes connected then disconnected when he walked away, the cut was still fresh in an eye for an eye distrust, my decision cut me deep.

I ran to him told him what happened how I cleared his name. 

"Thank you for clearing my name, but you and I can no longer be friends. You betrayed me." he said. 

"But you only spent 4 hours in a cell, you can't be angry me for a measly 4 hours. " I replied 

He pulled his shirt up, exposing bruises. 

"This what they do to people who are said to be rapists in 4 hours. So do your own I'll do mine and as a thank you I won't bring up the exam cheating situation. See you around." he said. 

That's when our friendship ended forever.