Part 4

“And another thing whatever you thought was going to happen or was already happening between us to make you think you can talk to me in that manner is never going to happen. OH hell will freeze off before I let an insufferable bully in my life, the back and forth we had before, Done. I am done being friendly towards you” I say and I start walking away. “I never loved you anyway, just look at yourself. Who in their right mind would want someone like you” he shouts but this time I don’t answer him not because I can’t or I’m hurt, No No. I am so used to those words they don’t face me anymore.

Every guy who tries to talk to me and I don’t give him the time of day says that or “you are an Ugly Fat B” so that just makes me smile and grateful I didn’t deal with the person or it would have hurt knowing I spent days and nights with the person only for him to say that after. I get to my desk and continue working. A lot of people heard him shout and I got pity looks and many “don’t mind him, you are beautiful” from old ladies who work in the building.

After work I start my journey back home listening to music. I walk by the Congolese guy’s place so fast that his friend didn’t see me. I now know his nationality thanks to that audacious boy. When I get to the gate I get a call from a +243 number without a doubt I knew it’s him. “Hello” I say “You answered, Thank you. How are you?” he asks “I’m ok thanks how was your flight and how is your mother?” I reply “She is as good as she can be in the state that she is in, tell me where are you? my friend is looking for you” he says “oh I’m unlocking my flat right now, I’m home.

Please tell him not to bother himself I’m ok I enjoyed the walk alone I had a lot to think about” I say.

“Oh was I part of that?” he says and I just chuckle “Did something happen? Are you Ok? Is someone bothering you? It’s a 4 hours flight you know I can get there in no time and sort it out” he says “woah woah woah I’m ok. Nothing happened and no one is bothering me. You going home just made me miss my parents that’s all” I say. I’m not about to have a men or his friends fight my battles, I can do that for myself.

“You should go visit them this weekend I’m sure they will be happy to see you, and also it’s not a bother we are just trying to protect you ” he says “From what exactly? I have been walking this streets alone since I was 18 so I believe I am safe” I say. When I matriculated I came to Cape Town to study Criminology at the University of Cape Town and I have been here ever since, so Cape Town is like my second home. “It’s ok if you don’t want to talk to him how about they both come out and walk behind you, a lot is going on out here trust me” he says “walking behind me would be better if it will make you drop this” I say, I hope his friend will refer to him using his name.

The call continues for about half an hour with him updating me on everything that has happened so far and how much he misses me, and me just chuckling here and there to make him think I am enjoying the call, which was the total opposite. He is not boring no I just don’t like phone calls. He only hangs up when I tell him my mother is calling which is a lie, before he hangs up he says “I will video call you before you go to bed, I miss your face already”. Ah F my life, I’m so used to not receiving calls to a point where when I do get it, I get tired quickly. I do call my parents once in a while, but I greet my mother on a daily on WhatsApp, she tells me to send her a voice note so she hears I’m fine & alive and she sends a voice note of herself and my father talking and that’s it for the day.

I need a shower, so I go take a shower and after lay on my bed looking for Flights, ‘ I will go on Saturday morning and come back Sunday evening’ I say to myself booking a return ticket as well. I hope I don’t see any of my aunts and their children. My father always comes to Cape town with my Mother to visit me. He loves going to Robben Island so when I miss them I tell him I will take them there and my father will tell me to book the next available flight, so I last went to Free State last July when one of my cousin was getting married, I regretted really should have just sent a gift card and an apology.

I get to the living room to switch on the television and take my food out of the microwave, I hear the bangs again and this makes me believe Congolese guy when he says there’s a lot going on, after eating I prep meals, wash my plates and head to the bedroom to take out my clothes, I get in bed say a little prayer and start scrolling through my phone to see what I missed today I am interrupted by a Video call, oh how I wish I liked switching off the lights now he gets to see me “Hi” I say, “Hello mama, I miss you so much” he says and I blush, when he calls me “mama” he reminds me of Rio from Good Girls.

“Tell me why don’t you love me back? Are you scared because I am a foreigner? Or you just don’t like foreigners?” he says “I don’t hate you and neither I’m I scared of you, if I was I would have reported you, and I’m not Xenophobic I just don’t trust you enough to give you my heart” I say and tears start forming in my eyes. I have been hurt so much to a point where trusting someone is very difficult for me this days. “Hey hey hey I didn’t mean to offend you, I’m sorry for saying that, I was just thinking about it, I’m really sorry” he says. I get up, leave the phone on the bedside table and head straight to the bathroom to wash my face. “Melissa? Melissa? Mama? Are you okay? I’m really sorry” he says “, “I’m okay, it’s not you, I just remembered something don’t worry” I say walking back and getting in the blankets. 

“Please let me love you right please, let me mend your broken heart, let me treat you the way you deserve to be treated. Please spend time with me so you can see how much I love you, I will treat you right, I swear” he says as I pick the phone “You know what’s sad about everything you just said right now? They all said the same things you just said, but look where I’m at.

What I can promise you is to spend some time with you when you get back as friends please” I say. the look on his face I haven’t seen before, he looks defeated and sad at the same time. “Can you please before you friendzone me, get to know me first? I will understand after knowing me if I’m not what you want I will be your friend” he says. “Ok no problem, let me sleep we will talk, I’m going to court tomorrow” I say “Ok Mama Goodnight I really do love you” he says. “Sweet dreams” I say hanging up and scrolling through my phone before dozing off.