Is this Love – Episode 39

IS THIS LOVE – Episode 39

A story by Kennedy C Katongo

 

WRONG TURN – 2

“You really have a thing for bad boys my friend. What do you do to them…” She said jokingly as both of us began laughing.

“I wish I knew!” I said while trying to stop myself from laughing.

Lister had a valid point, I always found myself with the weird guys who seemed to be down to earth and innocent – then suddenly they transform into their normal selves and all hell breaks lose. That day ended without me communicating with Chileshe, I wanted to drop him an emoji in his inbox but that would bring up other issues which I wasn’t prepared to handle.

Not only that, even though he looked at me like he still considered me, there was something different about him. He didn’t look at me the way he did when we first met nor the time I invited him for a party with my friends.

‘If only I could jump on him – kiss him and hide myself in his arms.’ I thought to myself. My thoughts had wondered off and that kept me calm and was a way for me not to think about what Ben had done. I followed Listers advise to meet him at a public place and just talk. Hear him out and the like. The truth was I began to think things between him and me would actually work out, but with the stunt he pulled – coming to my office unannounced and almost making a fuss, ‘Damn!’

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“Have you texted him? Infant, call him. The sooner the better.” Lister interrupt my moment of solitude. It always came up at the wrong places. She was really rooting for him.

“Hell no! Am going to meet him up on Wednesday.” I told her.

” W-eh thought you have a meeting.” She gave me the suspicious look and then covered her mouth.

“The meeting was moved. Dad won’t be in town. And the meeting can’t go on without him.” I told her.

@@ @@ CHILESHE @@ @@

After what seemed like forever, I settled down at South Gate mall. Hungry Lion was full as usual and hunger was killing me, with less options on my hand I decided to get a Coca-Cola, some fries with a piece of chicken at KFC. The minute I opened my drink to take a sip, Lydia walked in and began chatting with the lady at the counter. It was like they knew each other. From the blues she pointed at where I sat and in a flash Lydia was standing at the table were I was.

“Can I join you?” She asked me. I looked around just to rub it on her face that there were other tables that didn’t have people.

“Please!” She added.

I couldn’t help it but sigh, “Sure. Help yourself.”

“The lady at the counter is my friend. I was actually here before you came through, so when she saw you she immediately texted me that you were here so I came back.” Lydia explained to me.

“How does she even know me?” I asked her.

“She’s seen pictures of you in my phone. Remember the ones we use to take when we went shopping.” She blushed.

“I see. You better delete them before your boyfriend sees them.” I told her, I ignored her blush and just kept the serious face on.

“He doesn’t touch my phone.” She responded confidently.

“That’s good for you. Anyway, what do you want? I promised I wouldn’t be in your business. I’ve even left your work place.” I told her, my voice was low and sounded lazy if I might add.

“Don’t you think you taking this a bit too far? This is your life, are you going to give it up just because of your emotions? Non of us expected things to turn out this way.” She said in a thought provoking way.

“I don’t know if you trying to comfort me.” I cleared my throat, “But as you can see am trying to eat. Am starving.” I told her.

Lydia didn’t take my last comment too well so she went off. Off as in raising her voice at me as she went on and on about how childish I was behaving with regard to my life.

“You making it hard for me to move on. Am dating and all I keep thinking about is you… If you’ve eaten since you lazy at cooking. And then there is that panic thing you experience. You seriously expect me to move on!” She yelled at me. It was a good thing there weren’t a lot of people present.

“Can you lower your voice?” I asked her.

“No!” She responded in a sobbing manner. I couldn’t believe my eyes. She was actually playing the victim.

“Okay. Let’s talk. Why are you making this all about you? You acting like am the one whose unfair here. But what about my feelings… Doesn’t that count?” I asked her.

“It wasn’t my fault that you couldn’t ask me out.” She practically dropped a bomb on me.

“Are you for real! How was I going to do that when we were always talking about some guy having a crush on you… Maybe you didn’t notice but you left no room for us to have a real conversation about us.” I told her, I was also getting pissed. I mean, I was pissed already.

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MWENDA: ‘How was your day?’

CHILESHE: ‘I got put off at work. Just waiting for the manager so that he can say his final words.’

MWENDA: ‘You wanted to do this. I just hope you get the teaching job, when are you attending interviews?’.

CHILESHE: ‘I haven’t gotten any feedback from Matimba. All I have to do is wait for now’

MWENDA: ‘Do you think she’s being for real?’

CHILESHE: ‘Are you asking the ‘what if she’s lying question?’ I do believe she will do her best to help me.’

MWENDA: ‘You know she likes you a lot right?’

CHILESHE: ‘That’s what I thought last time and were did it get me? No where.’

MWENDA: ‘Love is something you can’t force. It just happens. It’s more than a crazy feeling, it’s the butterflies in your tummy, the warmth of heart and soul when you think about that person.’

CHILESHE: ‘So imwe (you) – you a poet now?’

My little chat with Mwenda went on and on. He had already started off coming to the big City. Even though he wasn’t coming to my place just yet because his uncle insisted that he goes at their place first. I didn’t have a problem with that, it was him who kept nagging about it and behaving like it was a death sentence.

MWENDA: ‘Am not ready to talk about marriage.’

CHILESHE: ‘Just tell your girl the truth that’s all.’

MWENDA: ‘and what truth is that?’

CHILESHE: ‘That you ain’t ready for marriage instead of pretending to be on her side. Are you going to live the rest of your life knowing that you were forced or manipulated into getting married?’

MWENDA: ‘Manipulated is rather a strong word neh. She just wants to settle down.’

CHILESHE: ‘And you do not want to settle down. Listen man, if you do it just to please her – you might end up cheating on her in the long run.’

MWENDA: ‘No! That’s crazy bro. I can’t cheat on my wife.’

CHILESHE: ‘That’s what they all say until they realize that they ain’t feeling the ‘union’ any more. You gat to be truthful to yourself mate. Sex alone can’t sustain marriage – it’s the same thing with money.’

 

To be continued…