forced himself into the conversation by draping himself across the shoulders of his cousins. “You’re wasting your time, Kyle. I’ve been trying to get him to talk to her the entire evening, but he’s too scared.”
Jimmy’s shoulders slumped forward and he hung his head in embarrassment. “I know I promised I would talk to her tonight, but …” he whispered towards Kyle.
“It’s fine, Jimmy. Forget about it,” Kyle said reassuringly. “Maybe next time, hey?”
And just then, she walked in and Kyle felt the room fade into a blur.
10
To Kyle it seemed as if the music and voices had dissolved into silence. She walked with regal confidence. Back straight and shoulders back. She glided over to a girl who was sitting in the far corner of the room with somebody Kyle presumed was her boyfriend. Leaning forward, the new girl whispered something into her friend’s ear.
Captain followed Kyle’s gaze and sniggered. “Her name is Amia.”
Amia. A unique name for a unique beauty, Kyle thought.
“Bru,” laughed Captain. “Pick your jaw up off the floor. What, do you smaak her?”
Kyle felt almost insulted. The crude term seemed completely out of place. Mark Antony did not smaak Cleopatra. Romeo did not think Juliet was a lukka-looking stekkie. He felt something in his chest that was incommunicable. It was terrifying, yet exhilarating. She wore all white. Her clothing caressed her body just like he craved to do. As she leant over to whisper in the other girl’s ear, Kyle followed every movement her lips made and he desired to taste them. She tucked a lock of curly black hair behind her ear and away from her face, and for a second, he caught her eyes. He stopped breathing. The second seemed to last for an hour, and yet the instant the eye contact was lost, it seemed it had been all too fleeting.
“Why don’t you go talk to her?” Captain placed a hand on his shoulder.
Kyle laughed at this absurd suggestion. Him? Talk? To her?
“Yeah, Kyle,” Jimmy echoed, his voice mocking but gentle. “Why don’t you show me how it’s done?”
“I’m not here to prove anything to you bastards,” Kyle countered. The truth was, he actually felt nauseous with panic at the thought of having to go talk to her. What the hell would he say to her?
She finished what she had to say to her friend and stood straight, and for the second time their eyes met. And … Was it possible? Had she … just … smiled at him? Kyle could swear that she had. His lungs failed him and he had to force them to take in oxygen.
“You need to act quickly, my man.” Captain was no longer smiling. “She looks like she’s leaving. And it looks like that cake Wesley is also plotting.”
Kyle saw that this was true. He hardly knew Wesley, but he despised him just as Captain did. The creep must have been lurking in a dark corner. Now he slithered out of the door after her, and Kyle felt his heart sink.
“Bru,” Captain urged, “what the fuck are you waiting for? Don’t let that knob get into the game. Go throw her up.”
“Look, Tony Robbins, we’re not all like you. It’s not that easy.”
Captain looked out of the door, then back at Kyle. “It can be, outie.”
“Yeah,” echoed Jimmy. “What did you tell me on Monday? You said you miss a hundred per cent of the shots you don’t take.”
“That’s right.” Captain and Jimmy were double-teaming him. “Go take a shot there, bru. If not for yourself, then just to piss that cake Wesley off.”
It was true, he had said that. And he also had to admit that pissing off Wesley would be good. Possibly second only to getting a date with Amia. Amia.
Kyle made up his mind. “Okay. I’ll waai.”
He rushed over to the front door. Amia and Wesley were at the top of the cement stairs, standing on the pavement. Wesley was flashing his best smile. “I’m getting it next week,” he said. “Convertible as well.”
“That’s nice,” Amia said dismissively. She turned her head to look away from him and down the street.
Kyle was struck by a bolt of genius. He turned and hurried back to Captain.
“Don’t tell me you’re chicken –”
“Quick, give me your phone!” Kyle interrupted.
Captain obliged and fished it out of his pocket. Kyle dashed back to the door. He felt his heart thrash about in his chest like a wild bird in a cage, fighting for freedom. And with each step, that bird became more frantic. More desperate. He hoped his plan would work. He hoped that she would think it was charming, and not pathetic or creepy.
He dialled Captain’s number from his own Nokia 3210, and answered the vibrating Nokia 3310 on the first ring. With a deep breath, hoping to inhale some courage, he bounded up the stairs.
He caught the end of Wesley’s sentence. “ … so sexy, young one. Why don’t you just gaai me your number and I’ll call you sometime.”
“I’m just not interested,” she replied, politely yet firmly.
Before Wesley could answer, Kyle called out, “Amia!” Her name got wedged in his throat and he almost gagged.
She turned and raised a curious eyebrow. Kyle held out Captain’s phone towards her. “It’s for you. It’s your boyfriend.”
Amia’s forehead furrowed with bewilderment. Kyle prayed that she would take the cellphone from him. Please, Lord, let her take the phone.
She took the cellphone from his hand and pressed it to her ear. “Hello?”
Kyle gave Wesley a curt flick of the head before he moved away a few steps and put his phone to his ear. “Hello?” he heard her repeat into the mobile phone.
“Hi.” Again, Kyle almost choked on his words. “Don’t be alarmed. I just thought you needed an escape. I hope I’m not wrong.”
She laughed, and it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. It was like a choir of angels in perfect harmony. “I did. Thank you.”
“So …” Kyle searched for another charming thing to say and came up with nothing but a chuckle. “I actually don’t know what else to say.” He stole a peek over his shoulder and saw her beautiful smile. She, too, snuck a glance at him as Wesley stood next to her, waiting for her to end her conversation.
“Make something up, sweetie,” she said in that beautiful voice of hers.
“Sweetie!” he repeated, with a grin so fierce that it hurt his cheekbones. “I like that. I just hope I wasn’t being too forward.”
“Not at all.”
Wesley cursed, not too softly, and Kyle watched him as he slunk back into the house, probably insulted by Amia’s lack of interest.
Kyle walked back over to her. She ended the call and handed the phone back to him.
“I hope you didn’t waste too much airtime,” she smiled.
“Not at all. I’m Kyle, by the way.” He reached out his hand and fought to keep it steady.
She took it. “Amia. Mind if I ask, why did you say ‘my boyfriend’?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you could have said anything. You could have said mother, brother, sister, friend. But you chose to say boyfriend. Why was that?”
Kyle smiled and shrugged. “It seemed like the right thing to say at the time.”
She smiled back, and cocked her head to the side. “I see.”
“So, where are