Infidelity

2

My shift ends.

I'm so fed up with this guy, I can't wait to leave.

Bra white tells me to leave, he'll lock up. I find my transport waiting for me outside. Bra white was the one who suggested I get a safe and reliable transportation mode. Even though he's a grumpy boss, he does value the safety of his employees. This lovely lady whose name is Thandiwe picks me up from work and from home whenever I need her to. She said that her father gifted her the car and she decided to push her side hustle with it. Our deal is that I pay her at the end of the month.

I get into the car and I tell her where to take me.

"Date night indoors", she winks at me. I watch her on the rearview mirror.

"He's the only one who can turn this bad day into a slightly better night", I say absentmindedly gazing at the stars.

"I know what you mean girl", she winks at me and she starts the car.

I already have the keys in my hand when I exit the car. I unlock the door and I enter. He looks so peaceful sleeping on the couch. I don't want to wake him up but there's this other selfish part of me that wants him to hold me until I fall asleep.

"Hey", I hear him say. His sleepy voice does 'the things' to me.

"Hey sleepy head, are you tired?", I pout.

"I just have a lot of work to do. I must have dozed off", he points at the mess of papers on the table.

"So you're going to choose work over this gorgeous and cute girlfriend of yours", I strike a pose but he doesn't even look at me, not even from the corner of his eye.

"What are you doing here, I wasn't expecting you", he's still not paying attention to me.

"I missed you", I lean in for a kiss but he ducks it.

"I can't... I've got work to do and besides we spent the weekend together and I could've spent that time working on this assignment but I spent that time with you"

"I'm sorry that spending time with me is an inconvenience to you"

"I'm sorry that came out wrong", he finally looks at me

"No it's fine. Your degree is far more important than me"
"I said I'm sorry. Why do you have to turn everything into a fight?!" He raises his voice.

"You're the one who turns everything into a fight", I say quietly.

"I just need to do this and I promise as soon as I'm done, I'm all yours", there's a bit of remorse in his tone and his smile seems genuine.

"I'll be waiting", I head to the bedroom. I wait and wait but he doesn't come. Even when my alarm goes off in the morning he's not there to turn it off like he usually does.

I force myself out of bed.

I'm all done and ready for the day but he's still sleeping on the couch. He melts my heart right away. I try to open the door quietly so as to not wake him up.

"Hey", I jump. I don't give him a reply. I turn around. My eyes are looking around at almost every object in the room except for him.

"I'm sorry about yesterday, I must've dozed off", he scratches his head.
"Yeah you must have", I turn around to leave. He quickly rushes towards me and he grabs my arm. I look at his hand on my arm, then I look at him.

"You're hurting me", he lets go of me.

"I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you, I promise", there's a slight panic in his tone.

"Sure you will", I say indifferently.

"Hey come on don't do that", he begs me.
"Stop making empty promises and apologizing"

"Okay I'm sorry I will stop I promise", He scratches his head.

"I have to go", I announce.

"Where are you off to so early in the morning?"
"I'm meeting Sphe for breakfast before going to class"
"Oh okay. I love you yeah?", He's seeking some sort of affirmation.

"I love you", the tension on his face wears off.
He kisses my forehead.
         
                ***************

I find Sphe at the coffee shop and she has already ordered. She is just devouring her food without a care in the world.

"I see you've already ordered without me" I playful scold her.
"You're late. I have been waiting for 30 minutes", she doesn't look at me.

"Haaa I'm only 5 minutes late", I laugh.

"Then I guess I was too early because I was too hungry but I'm still mad at you for ditching our weekend plans"

"I'm sorry my friend but my man had different plans. Besides I'm sure you had Thabo on standby?", I am trying to get her off my case.

"Oh that one, I last saw him on Friday. He isn't answering any of my calls or texts",she looks sad. I don't like seeing her sad, it's like her vibrant light gets switched of and then she's just lifeless.

"At the club?...(she nods)... what if something happened to him?"

"Oh please if something happened to him, his mother would've called me already accusing me of hurting her son", she rolls her eyes and we both laugh.

"Enough about uThabo, unjani uSandile? (how is Sandile?)" She asks.

"I wish I could say everything is great but it's June", I shrug.

"After all this time?!"

"It's been 4 years and each year I dread the month of June. He just grows quieter and colder then suddenly on the 1st of July he goes back to normal like nothing happened. I wish he could just talk to me, he's so distant and evasive." feel tired.

"Give him time," she says for the millionth time.

"I've given him a lot of time"

"Maybe he needs more?" She shrugs.

My appetite is gone. This conversation has turned my stomach into a knot. I can't keep anything down. A lot of things are going through my mind right now and I don't know if I'll be able to handle my first lecture. I silently wait for her to finish eating. She finishes her food and then she eats mine. She also offers to settle the bill claiming that "I have a lot on my plate already". I know one day she'll definitely remind me of this.