Melokuhle dropped himself on the chair across where Mthokozisi was seated, who then raised his eyes from his phone screen with irritated eyes.
"Were you never taught any manners?"-Mtho
"Manners are subjective", he replied coolly and Mtho shook his head, raising his hand for the waiter.
"So, to what do I owe the pleasure of being summoned by Mthokozisi the great?"
His lunch partner released a heavy breath before speaking.
"I don't know. I just, can't we put everything behind us and move the fxck on? Like stop behaving lil bxtches?"
"You're the one with issues. Angeke ngidansele isiginci sakho phela mina"(I won't dance to your tune), Melokuhle stated and took out his phone.
"What issues?"
"Remember in grade 1 when--"
"Ahh!", Mthokozisi threw his hands in the air.
"No hear me out. I want to show you where your issues began", Melo said and couldn't stop himself from laughing.
"Show me"
"You dropped and broke my sharpener after I told you that my grandmother got it for me overseas. Remember that one with the glass container?"
"That was an honest mistake"
"If it was a mistake why did you not apologize for it? I actually don't remember you apologizing for anything"
"If I had apologized would it have put together your sharpener?"
"You're an a**hole Mthokozisi"
"So you're still holding on to a 12 year old grudge?
"My car? Was that also a mistake?"
"To be honest, that was purely intentional"
"Why?"
"I was hoping it was enough to break you and Busi apart. You never deserved her and you know it. You could've treated her better but you chose not to"
"Uyanya and unya in abundance. What the fxck do you know about Busi and I?!"
"You don't cheat on the people you love Melo. I hated being the one to always pick up the pieces each time you broke her heart. Fixing your shxt all the way from the friendzone!"
Melokuhle shot up from his chair and pulled Mtho up by his t-shirt. Mthokozisi grabbed him the same way and they shared a death stare. A waiter arrived trying to break the altercation and Melokuhle hissed that he shouldn't hear Busi's name from Mtho's mouth ever again. Mthokozisi kept the stare of intimidation for a moment before turning to the waiter who had his hands on theirs trying to pull them apart. Everyone in the restaurant was watching.
"So we have to fight first before we can get your attention?", he jabbed at him and the waiter cleared his throat, scratching behind his ear.
"What would you like to order Melo and Mtho?"
"We haven't decided. We'll call you once we do"-Melo said, still squashing the front of Mtho's tee the same way he was squashing his.
"Yoh rich kids!", he dramatically left the table. The two couldn't help but laugh at how they just took out their frustrations on the innocent waiter. They dropped back to their chairs. Melo signalled to him that he should bring two glasses of orange juice. His usual order. For a moment it reminded him of Busi but he shut down the thought before it could solidify.
"I'm starting to think you never liked me at all", Melokuhle confessed and Mtho pulled a frown.
"Me? Never liked YOU? You were the one who was always giving me a bad eye on the very first week of school because you definitely felt like I was competition. I never sucked up to you and licked your a** like all the other kids did just cause you're royalty. Until we had to pair up for that stupid numeracy activity and we were the only ones left without partners. If I hadn't come up to your desk you were never gonna come to mine. If there's anybody who never liked the other here it is you"
"Lies. I just loved working alone. I still do"
"Yeah msun whatever"
A light laugh escaped from Melo.
"So, this is your lousy idea of a truce?", Melo said with a mocking smile. The juice arrived and the waiter left with the black tray.
Mthokozisi stabbed him with a thin look before laughing.
"Yeah before that, I kinda need to get something off my chest. It's been bothering me for a while now", Mtho began confessing.
Melokuhle took a sip in his sunken position on the chair.
"Shoot"
"Don't get mad...", he said lowly and Melo sat up straight attentively.
"I'm not promising shxt. What is it?"
"Well, a week before Busi died, I kinda felt like I was running out of time or some crap. The feeling was mad weird like I was the one who was dying yabo? So, I... kinda shot my shot"
Melo laughed.
"What do you mean? You've been shooting your shot since third grade and she been rejecting your a** since then"
"If you weren't distracting her you know very well that she woulda been mine"
Melo huffed out a laugh.
"Keep telling yourself that charmer boy"
"But what I actually mean is, by shooting my shot... I... kissed her"
The friendly face Melo had on immediately disappeared before he sent all the juice in his glass flying to Mtho's face.
