Heartaches And Tears – Episode 5

HEARTACHES AND TEARS – Episode 5

A story by Kennedy C Katongo

CAREFUL WHEN AM DRUNK!

“I’m not gay. I was raised right by my parents.” He said as he tried his best to stop laughing. A giggle still kept escaping his mouth from time to time.

I might have been very frank with him when it came to the way I dropped my questions; who could blame me, Emmanuel was fine, having him say he wasn’t into relationship was a strong blow. I wasn’t going to leave any stones unturned.

“So, what’s next? Now that you’re done with your program.” He looked at me. He had this daring – dark look in his eyes. It was like that of a man who sees food for the first time in a week. The aura that surrounded us was intense, I felt sexually harassed even though he hadn’t even touched me yet.

I cleared my throat, it seemed like he loved it – seeing me lose my mind and feelings in front of him. “I don’t know. I haven’t really thought of it – I guess I was so excited about being in College that I never thought of what comes next.” I giggled, “Amanda and I might find an apartment to rent. We still haven’t concluded on that.” I added.

“That’s a good thought. I feel you should give it much thought.” He smiled, “You look tense!” Emmanuel commented. (How does he expect me not to be tense when his looking at me like food) The nerve this guy had, gush!

The evening was going on well, Nathan came over from time to time to refill their glasses of wine. Emmanuel and i, well, we were having our small talk going. I noticed that he didn’t talk much about himself, with every question I would ask him – he always found a way of twisting it and throwing it back to me.

“I couldn’t wait to meet you.” Emmanuel said out of nowhere as he sipped from his glass. I wasn’t taking any alcohol, for some reason I had a feeling I might end up doing something stupid.

“How come?” I asked him, I had this weird look on my face that screamed ‘liar!’

“Nathan told me to be careful, He also told me that you ain’t afraid to speak your mind. And that you’re bossy.” He said thoughtfully, from the look of things, he was busy comparing what he heard about me with how I was behaving at that moment.

“Nathan said am bossy! That sneaky man. Am not bossy – that’s a lie. I just don’t like being lied to. I mean, I have no problem with being romantic – but I hate people who think I can be taken for a fool.” I said.

“Oh Mwaka!” He exclaimed with his cheeks all puffed up, “That right there is what he meant.”

Regardless of meeting Emmanuel for the first time, I felt like he was someone I knew. Someone who I just wasn’t close too. He went on to suggest that we take a walk around the car park. That’s when we saw Mr Saturday and Amanda kissing, both of us went silent.

“Mwaka…” He called out to me, I was a step ahead of him. When I turned to respond to his call I found myself in his arms. As a thousand things were now rushing in my head, I felt a soft, sweet touch on my lips. Emmanuel had kissed me (he’s kissing me) the wine on his lips had me glued.

“Wait. This isn’t supposed to happen.” I said while looking down.

“I know. Am really sorry. I just couldn’t help myself…” He said breathlessly. “Please don’t think otherwise of me. I don’t do such.” He added as shame rained on him.

I wanted to push him, I wanted to scream – maybe even shout at him (What the hell is wrong with you!) But I couldn’t do it. I was mad and vicious in my thoughts, but for some reason I blushed. For some reason I liked it, taking me buy surprise without having to ask me for a kiss. I hated this, I hated the idea of dancing to his games while he acted like everything was a big mistake. When I imagined going out, this wasn’t what I had in mind.

@@ @@ NATHAN @@ @@

“Did he just kiss her?” Amanda asked as she unlocked my hands from her waist.

“What are you doing? She’s fine. Trust me.” I said to her. But I knew she wasn’t paying me any mind.

“Fine! I don’t know what Fifty Shades stuff your friend has going on for him to go as far as kissing her. I didn’t think that’s the type of company you had in mind when you asked me to bring my friend.” She said word after word, she was pissed and I knew better than to respond to her.

“Just because you and I have this going on doesn’t mean my friend

wants this… What are you doing Nathan? You using me to hook up your friends? Is that what’s going on here?” She perdured to speak.

“It’s not like that Amanda. Emmanuel is an old friend. I swear I wasn’t trying to hook him up, I just thought it would be nice if you met one of my friends.” I said nervously. I was now getting worked out for something i wasn’t even a part off.

If I didn’t do something really fast I was going to be given the boot, for some reason I couldn’t entertain the thought of Amanda not being part of my life.

“Don’t worry baby I will talk to him.” I said as I tried to calm her down.

“Mwaka is like a sister to me and I wouldn’t want her to do what I’ve done.” She added.

“What have you done; what does that mean?” I asked her, “look at me when am talking to you.” I said with a raised voice.

“It’s nothing. Just tell Emmanuel to stop what he’s doing.

Amanda got her glass from the floor and walked back to the tent with me behind her.

“Emmanuel! A word please.” I called him.

“Yes bro, sup?” He asked excitedly.

“What are you doing? I didn’t ask Mwaka out so you can satisfy your cravings.” I told him.

“What do you mean, you’re worried that am going to get laid?” Emmanuel asked me.

“Get laid? I brought you here so that you could meet Amanda and get to know her. Not to get you laid. I would appreciate if you told your dog to behave down there and stop psycho analysing Mwaka with your sex games.” I demanded of him.

“Keep your voice down man. Why you acting all protective bro… If not for the sex then why do you do it? You can’t tell me you spending all this money for nothing.” Emmanuel said.

“Am not going to have this talk with you right now.”

“No! Talk to me Nathan. Because it ain’t making sense man. After you done using her. You going back to your wife. Does she even know you have a wife? Oh snap.” Emmanuel said. He was drunk, just one bottle and all he wanted was to get laid.

“You can’t understand.” I said as I tried to get myself together.

“What can’t I understand? That you have left your wife home to come and hang out with some girl college girl? Stop dreaming man. I told you, don’t get attached to these girls. They a bunch of nothing. But here you are all protective.” Emmanuel said as he shook his head in disappointment.

Mwaka had met up with Amanda, I could tell one or two words of what Emmanuel had been saying had caught up to them. I couldn’t believe nothing had changed about my friend since our University days; if he wasn’t picking a fight with someone then he was being disrespectful and sex hunting. Alcohol always drove him there.

My phone vibrated, it was a text from Amanda notifying me that they were leaving. This meant only one thing, they had over heard every word that came out of Emmanuel’s mouth.

‘Okay. Am really sorry. I will communicate with you better. I need to drop him off.’ I typed and hit the send button.

‘It’s okay. Don’t even bother.’ She replied immediately.

I had a lot planned to celebrate her achievement and now things had taken a turn for the worst. I was pissed, I looked at Emmanuel and wondered if hitting him with a glass would make me feel better.

“Bros over hoes right?” He asked me as he laughed.

“You better mind your laugh or else you will walk home.” I told him. He knew I was very much capable of leaving him stranded. After all, I had done that a lot of times when we were in school.

‘Why do you have to be so sensitive about females man. Hit and run for once in your life.’ he commented as if he was talking to himself.

To be continued...