Chapter 3 - Naledi

# Chapter 3: Naledi

"I DON'T understand why I need to pack a bag if you're installing my security camera," I say as I stand just inside the front door to my rental, watching Mandla mount the gift he bought me last Christmas. I feel guilty that it's been sitting in the box for the past six months, but I'm clueless when it comes to electronic devices.

Mandla was always the one I called for things like this.

But I stupidly went and kissed him in Gogo's garage last Christmas and screwed up everything between us. Which is why I'm still shocked that he not only came to my rescue last night and saved me from the world's creepiest date, but also insisted I sleep in his bed. His insanely comfy bed. I haven't slept that well in ages. If it wasn't for Aries swatting me in the face repeatedly with his tail this morning, I might still be under those covers, bed-rotting.

I'm still confused why Mandla gave up that heavenly cloud and took the stiff-as-a-board couch when I'm the one who inconvenienced him.

I've tried to convince myself that the protective thing is because he sees me like a sister. That he's looking out for me because my bestie is three hundred kilometres away for the weekend. But the way he looked at me last night when I came into the kitchen wearing the T-shirt he loaned me says something very different.

Or at least I want it to.