Pamela Jackson sat by the small window of her mother’s house in Soweto, staring at the dusty street outside. The sound of children playing mixed with the hum of traffic from a nearby road. It was a normal day, but to her, it felt like another day of failure.

At twenty-one, Pamela had dreams of finishing her degree in Business Management. She had always believed that education would lift her and her family out of poverty. But reality had been cruel. Her father had lost his job two years earlier, and her mother made little money by selling vegetables at the taxi rank.

Every month, the bills piled up higher, and Pamela watched her dream of graduating slowly disappear. She had already missed two months of classes because she couldn’t pay her tuition. One morning, she received an email that confirmed her worst fear — she was officially deregistered from college.

Tears had rolled down her cheeks as she read the message. She felt embarrassed and hopeless. Most of her friends were still studying, sharing photos of campus life, while she sat at home with nothing to do.

Her mother, Martha Jackson, tried to comfort her.

“My child, maybe it’s just not your time yet. God knows what He’s doing,” she said softly, holding Pamela’s hand.

But Pamela didn’t want to hear that. She wanted answers — not comfort.

“How can it not be my time, Mama? I’ve worked so hard. Why must life be this hard for us?”

Her mother sighed. She had no answers.

Pamela spent most of her days cleaning the small two-room house, cooking, and helping her mother with the vegetable stall. Sometimes she would just sit alone, scrolling through her phone, pretending to be okay.

One Saturday afternoon, she decided to go to Maponya Mall with her cousin, Tumi. She just wanted to get out of the house — to feel normal for once. The mall was full of laughter, music, and people carrying shopping bags. It was a world that felt far from hers.

As they walked through the clothing section of a store, a tall man in a navy-blue suit caught sight of Pamela. His name was Felix Mathers. He looked like someone who had everything — confident, well-dressed, and calm. Felix was thirty years old, a successful lawyer who had built his name from the ground up.

Felix watched Pamela from a distance for a while. There was something about her — the sadness in her eyes mixed with quiet beauty. He decided to approach her.

“Excuse me,” Felix said with a smile. “You dropped something.”

Pamela turned around, confused. She looked down and saw nothing. “No, I didn’t,” she said coldly, then turned away.

Felix chuckled softly. “Maybe not, but I think you dropped my attention,” he added with a grin.

Tumi giggled, but Pamela rolled her eyes.

“I’m not interested,” she said sharply and walked away.

Felix stood there, half-embarrassed but still smiling. He wasn’t used to being ignored.

Tumi whispered to her cousin as they walked, “Hai girl, that guy was fine! Why did you do him like that?”

Pamela didn’t respond. She just shrugged. Deep inside, she wasn’t ready to entertain anyone. Her life was already too heavy to think about dating.

But as the days passed, she couldn’t forget the man at the mall — his confident smile, the warmth in his voice. Still, she pushed the thought away.

A month went by. Pamela was still home, feeling lost. Every night before sleeping, she thought about how much her life had changed. Her once bright future now looked like a dark tunnel with no end.

One sunny afternoon, she decided to take a walk to the same mall again — this time alone. She just wanted to buy herself a cold drink and clear her mind. She didn’t expect to see him again.

Felix was sitting at a coffee shop, working on his laptop. When he looked up and saw her walking past, his heart skipped. He couldn’t believe it was her.

He quickly stood up and called out, “Hey! Wait!”

Pamela stopped, turned slowly, and sighed. “Oh, it’s you,” she said.

Felix smiled. “Yeah, it’s me — the guy you ignored last time.”

Pamela couldn’t help but smile a little. “Well, maybe you deserved it.”

Felix laughed. “Maybe. But can I at least make it up to you? Just one cup of coffee. No strings attached.”

She hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded. “Fine. Just one.”

They sat together at a quiet table. The air between them was surprisingly calm. Felix asked about her life, her studies, and her dreams. Pamela found herself talking more than she expected. She told him how she had to leave college because of financial problems, how her parents tried but couldn’t help.

Felix listened carefully. He didn’t interrupt or judge her. He just listened. That was something she hadn’t experienced in a long time.

“You’re a strong woman, Pamela,” he said gently. “Life can hit hard, but it’s not over yet. You’ll find your way back.”

For the first time in months, Pamela smiled genuinely. His words gave her a strange sense of hope.

Before leaving, Felix handed her his phone. “Can I get your number?” he asked.

Pamela hesitated again, but this time she didn’t say no. She gave him her number and saved his as “Felix (Mall Guy)”.

That night, as she lay in bed, her phone buzzed. It was a message from him.

“I enjoyed our chat today. I hope you got home safe.”

She smiled before replying, “Yes, I did. Thanks.”

From that day, they started texting every night. The more they talked, the more Pamela realized that Felix wasn’t like other men she had met. He was respectful, kind, and genuinely cared about her life.

Weeks passed, and Pamela began to see life differently. She started helping her mother again with a lighter heart. Her mother noticed.

“You seem happier these days, my child. Is there something I should know?” Martha teased.

Pamela blushed. “No, Mama. Just… feeling better.”

But deep inside, she knew Felix was becoming part of her happiness.

They continued to meet occasionally. Sometimes Felix would pick her up and take her to a quiet park or a restaurant. They would talk for hours about life, work, and dreams. Pamela loved listening to how he built his law career from nothing.

“I didn’t have much either,” Felix told her one evening. “My father died when I was young, and my mom raised me alone. I worked hard because I didn’t want poverty to define me.”

Pamela looked at him with admiration. His story gave her strength.

That night, she went home thinking about him — not just as a man, but as someone who might truly understand her pain.

End of Chapter 1