The Housemates – Episode 7

THE HOUSEMATES – Episode 7

A story by Kennedy C Katongo

 

(MONDAYS) Part 2.

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“Pri… You know what? I don’t like you. Good day madam.” Max said as he walked out of the staffroom.

Max walked in frustration as he made his way to class, he couldn’t belief it, now he had to spend all his days crossing paths with her.

‘I wonder if Bwalya already knows about this.’ He got his phone and hit the call button, it rang until it couldn’t ring any more. Max had a rule he followed, he could only call a person twice and if they didn’t answer at the second attempt then he was done calling.

BWALYA: “Sup!”

MAX: “Hey, did you know that your crush is a teacher?”

BWALYA: “You need to be more specific. Which crush are you talking about exactly?”

MAX: “Am talking about the girl next door, hello! the one that caught you dancing.”

BWALYA: “Iwe! ulelanda bwino (You must be talking properly). She’s a teacher?”

MAX: “Thats what I just said. And she still thinks am the careless dude who threw his clothes carelessly on the corridor!”

BWALYA: “Just avoid her. Am sure you can do that.”

Max was now standing at the door to the class room he was going to be covering. The pupils seemed focused with their study because their was total silence in the room. However, Max was still on the phone with Bwalya as he complained bitterly about Maluba.

MAX: “She called me primitive. Can you imagine that?”

BWALYA: “Maybe it was a historical joke.”

MAX: “Then it wasn’t funny. Anyway talk later I have a class to teach.”

Just after cutting the line, a young lady excused herself, she was approaching him from behind. She introduced herself as Doris; the class representative for 12B.

She kept smiling at Max as she spoke and was blushing through out the time she stood there talking to him.

“Good morning class, My name is Mr Katongo. As most of you know am a History Teacher. Am here for a few minutes to stand in for your teacher who couldn’t make it as she has some commitments.” He said as he opened his laptop.

Doris, the Class Rep, sat in the front, on the same table that he had placed his laptop. She had her eyes fixed on him as he spoke. Max was skilled at public speaking and really knew how to capture peoples attention.

“Can someone tell me what you guys have been looking at.” He said as he faced the whole class.

.

.

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Back at home, Rose was still waiting for Mengo to come and pick her up. She was already late for the first lecture and this meant going to work at the hospital on the weekend.

Her anger had taken a boil and she was pissed, this wasn’t the first time Mengo suggested something and failed to live up to it, she knew very well her boyfriend was all talk and no action. But for some reason, she believed he would change. Despite the daily arguments, she always did her best to treat him like a King. However, all she got in return was a mountain of apologizes.

‘Who does he think he is?’ She said to herself as she wondered around the kitchen in her Nurse’s uniform.

“Talking to yourself huh?” Bwalya said as he walked in. He had no shirt on, his brown body had a shiny glow to it as he showed off his six pack. Rose’s eyes were mesmerized, she couldn’t stop looking at him.

“Am sorry am not dressed. I just thought am home alone.” He said quickly as he noticed how she looked at him.

“Oh! i-t-s okay I guess.” She answered shyly.

“This is almost 9:30 hours, ain’t you late?” Bwalya asked her. His first look at her was a confirmation of Max’s statement, ‘Small cute girl’ and his second look was noticing that she was in uniform.

“Am waiting for my boyfriend. His supposed to give be a lift.” Rose responded.

“I see, you a student huh! being late like this for work would cost the life of your patients.” Bwalya remarked as he opened the cupboards without even knowing what he was looking for.

“What gives you the right to say such?” She asked him. This time around she wasn’t driven crazy by the abs, instead it was Bwalya’s sarcasm that got her attention.

“I know how it is working in the Health business, every minute counts and you can’t afford to be late when needed.” He smiled as he spoke.

“What’s your name?” Rose asked him curiously.

“My name?”

“Don’t try and play damn. What’s your name?” She asked again.

Bwalya knew that if he said the truth, it was game over for him. The way Max described Maluba really got his bones weakening.

“Am Max!” Bwalya responded with a giggle.

“Max? don’t mean to be rude but you don’t resemble your name.” Rose laughed suddenly.

“What you mean I don’t resemble my name?” He asked her nervously.

“I just thought you would have a dragging African name. Something like Hamooba, Chimfwembe or Mavuto.” She giggled as she spoke.

‘What! is it obvious that Max can’t be my name or she’s just playing tricks.’ Bwalya asked himself as he watched her laugh.

Just in that moment there was a knock at the door. With Rose in the Kitchen, Bwalya went to check who it was. When he opened the door it was him, Mengo.

Mengo looked at Bwalya from the head down without a word escaping his lips.

“Who is it?” Rose asked as she came towards the door to check who had been knocking.

“Mengo!” She exclaimed in fear. “Max, this is my boyfriend Mengo and ….” Before she could say the end words of her introduction Mengo jumped in.

“You can save that for later. Get your stuff and let’s go.” Mengo said in a commanding voice.

“Let me get my bag.” Rose said as she rushed to her room.

“So what’s the idea bro? You going around flashing your packs in front of other peoples girlfriends?” Mengo asked Bwalya.

It didn’t take rocket science for Bwalya to understand that Mengo wasn’t comfortable having him walking around the house topless.

“Oh! its not like it looks.” He responded quickly.

“Whatever man. Go put a shirt on.” Mengo coughed. This was the polite version of him, Rose knew very well she was in for it. After all, her boyfriend was against the idea of her sharing a house with guys she wasn’t related to in the first place.

“So this is what goes on around here huh.” Mengo said distastefully as they walked to the road where his car was parked.

“Its not like that.” Rose responded.

“What was it like then, you could have told him to put a shirt on but no sir, you enjoyed looking at his sweaty body.” “Don’t you dare tell me it wasn’t like that.” He said in a heavy voice.

“All this couldn’t have happened if only you came here right on time as agreed. So don’t put the blame on me okay…” Rose said, she had also snapped.

At that moment, Mengo preferred Max to Bwalya. For some reason, he felt challenged by Bwalya even though he couldn’t show it.

“Before I know it, it’s going to be you walking around that house with your bra.” Mengo commented as they got into the car. Romance was for the TV, arguments and cold shoulders were for these two.

“Don’t go there, if you keep at it am going to get on a bus. Because of you and your lies I will have to work at the hospital on Saturday to redeem myself.” She said as she got her small mirror and began to make sure her makeup was still okay.

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CHONGOLO MEETS HER FRIEND.

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Monday was always a busy day for Chongolo, With all the new shipment that came in on Saturday, a lot was needed and this meant her presence at the boutique was needed full time.

She had already rehearsed with Peter and he agreed to pick her up once he knocked off from work.

It was 2 years of dating and 2 years of marriage and yet, they both felt like they hardly knew each other. However, once together they never ran out of what to talk about. Until the topic of having children was brought up.

°°°°°TO BE CONTINUED°°°°°