Chapter 7 - Chapter 6

"I'm not sure which of them is happier," I say, watching Sphe and Mahlathini tear along the bank of the river, both of them getting liberally splashed. "But yoh. I should have waited to have the Range valeted. All that mud."

The first rains came through this week, so the water is running properly over the falls for once, and the banks have gone to that red Highveld mud that never really comes out of anything.

"I got you." Zee grins, patting the small backpack at her feet. "I remembered from last time and packed a towel."

We fist-bump and chuckle as Mahla leaps for the Frisbee Sphe threw, only to land in the water and sink out of sight. He breaks the surface a few seconds later, Frisbee gripped between his teeth.

"Suka. Show-off," I mutter.

"You love him," Zee teases.

"Whatever." I roll my eyes and clear my throat. "So your mother tells me you're bunking. What's that about?"

"Oh, my God." Zee groans and presses a hand to her eyes. "She keeps making it a big deal. It was one period so I could watch a livestream. An important one. I wish she'd just leave me alone."

"Yeah, that's not exactly how parenting works. No social media for the next week."

"Baba! No. I've already got posts scheduled."

"Unschedule them."

"You can take anything else," she pleads.

"Which is exactly why we're taking this."

"We?" Suspicion narrows her eyes. "Did she put you up to this?"

"It was my idea." My brows lift to the level of now what. "Your mother's not the enemy. She wants what's best for you. We both do. We're not paying school fees like that every month for you to mess around at Ashford!"