Mxolisi's phone rang as he was trying to finish up his assignment. An assignment which took four mountains and half a cliff of convincing from Lwandile for him to get started on.
"Sne?"
"I'm outside"
"It's half past eleven?"
"Just come out before I press this intercom"
Her voice struggled to stay afloat in a pool of tears. He took a deep breath and out.
"Ngiyeza"(I'm coming), he said and slipped his feet into his slides. He threw the phone on the bed, grabbed a hoodie and headed out.
He got into her car and pulled her into a hug.
"What's went wrong?", he asked with his hand at the back of her head. She was sobbing like a fresh widow. She didn't answer. All he could do is offer a shoulder. Literally.
When she finally got a grip on her calm, she pulled back and took out a pocket tissue to wipe her messed up face.
"Talk to me", he said and leaned back on the passenger seat, waiting for her to speak with her hand in his.
"Did he cheat on you again?", he investigated. She nodded.
"I honestly don't understand why you insist with being with this mongrel. He always does the same shxt. Over and over again. Sne you're a very beautiful girl. Almost every guy at school ukhala ngawe. Move the fxck on you'll find somebody who will love you better"
A smile spread to the corner of her lips and stretched them.
"You really think so?"
"It's not about what I think. It's a fact"
"I'm done with him this time. For good"
"I've heard that before. Not once. Not even twice"
"I mean it. I was really stupid for choosing him over you Mxo"
She confessed.
"The heart wants what it wants. You were my very first heartbreak you know that?", he said and huffed out a laugh.
"You also cheated on me with Judith don't act like a saint"
"I started dating her after I realized that something was indeed going on between you and Kagiso whereas you thought I didn't know!"
He shot out and she dropped her face.
"But we can still make it work. Can't we?", she tried to take his hand and he pulled it away.
"You can't choose another nxgga over me and expect me to take you back just cause he's treating you like trash? I loved you Sne. You know this because I couldn't hide it, even through my actions"
"Loved? That's past tense", she said wistfully and waited for him to correct her.
"Your understanding of basic grammar is impressive", he said without a drop of remorse. She scoffed in disbelief.
"I can't really say I blame you though. But I do have a question"
"Khuluma ngilalele"(Speak I'm listening)
"Were you using me?", she asked and insisted on making eye contact.
"Using you?"
"Yeah. All the times when you've slept with me?"
He laughed.
"Are you on crack?", he asked sarcastically and looked at her as if waiting for an answer.
"Just answer me, Mxo!"
"After we broke up, was there ever a point where we did it at your house?"
"No. Why are you asking me that?"
"Was there ever a point where I called you wanting to fxck?"
He interrogated and she kept quiet.
"The answers to both these questions is no. Know why? You were always the one to initiate things. The same way you arrived here now when I specifically told you that you shouldn't", he sternly stated and she frowned as the heartbreak gained momentum, signalled by the cold in her chest.
"You're forcing me to hurt you when I don't want to Sne", he went on.
"Cool then. We don't have to... things don't have to go back to how they were initially. We can keep them just the way they were"
"What do you mean?"
"No strings", she suggested desperately.
He folded his upper lip towards his nostrils thoughtfully then released it.
"That's not gonna work"
"Why? It's been working perfectly fine"
"Because you had a boyfriend. The only reason you want us to carry on with this is because you enjoy the privileges of having me as a boyfriend without actually having me as your boyfriend"
"I'll do better this time I promise"
"Oh no don't get it twisted baby girl. I'm just saying that even if we're just fxcking, I can never treat you like trash. I'll still handle you with care and that's what you're addicted to because Kagiso can't give you that. You went for a playa with your eyes wide open and now you want me to help you pick up the pieces?"
"You speak as if the both of yall are different!", she shot out with disgust.
"Yeah well we might be coming from the same factory but we were definitely not cut from the same cloth", he jabbed back.
"Why are you playing hard to get? You're turning me off"
"Whether you're on or uyacisha Sne please get this into your head, we can't be together anymore"
"What has that bxtch fed you Mxolisi?"
He threw his hands in the air, dropped them and exhaled.
"Judith is a basic bxtch compared to me uzobuya and by then I'd have found somebody else"
"Hopefully he treats you right. I have an assignment to finish before I go to bed. Drive safely okay?", he said and pulled her by her neck so he kisses her forehead.
"Mxo...", she lowly called out.
He got out of the car and she did the same. She quickly went round it to go stand in front of him. He inserted his hands into his pockets and waited for her to speak.
"I can't lose you. Not again"
"You made that choice completely by yourself. Now you want somebody to share in on the repercussions?"
She wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled her slender self into him. He maintained his posture.
"Your dad is gonna come here looking for you like last time and I'm gonna get in trouble with MK. Sne, please, go home I'll see you tomorrow at school"
"You mean you're gonna watch me fxck her up for the second time?"
"You will do no such thing"
"Watch me", she said and walked back to the driver's side.
"It's not her!", he confessed from a place of taxed impatience.
She stopped walking and turned back.
"I knew there was something going on between you and Charlotte"
"It's not her either. Just, give up. I'm done with you. With Judith. Charlotte. Neo and whoever else. Nonke nje. I am done"
"As much as I hate to admit it, anybody else apart from all four that you've mentioned who'd be a downgrade in that school"
He said and he huffed out a laugh.
"Mus you're going to die on the spot once you see her", he said cxckily and the arrogant smile disappeared from her face.
"Who is this girl Mxolisi?!"
"You have issues Sne. Umuhle. Kakhulu futhi. But there'll always be somebody better. Always. You should learn to live with this fact before it sends you to an early grave"
"Okay fine. I'm taking my L then. I don't mind being the side ke"
"You don't get it do you?"
His hands were still in his pockets.
She placed her cold hands on both his cheeks and said "Then make me", in a tone she thought will come across as cute and adorable. The tone she always uses to blackmail him emotionally. The tone that comes with a guarantee tag. He put his hands over her hands and placed his forehead on hers. She smiled and he scooped her up bride style and carried her to her drivers seat. She had left it open so he just got there, placed her in car and close the door. He signalled with his head that she should drive. She sucked her teeth and drove off.
...
[The next day]
Manqoba called bab'Sizwe to the royal house to discuss his intentions with Sphesihle. He explained that he saw a beautiful in the Nkosi garden and that he'd like to go pluck it out to so he can plant it afresh emagcekeni akwa Khumalo. Bab'Sizwe was impressed by how MQ wanted to do things by the book.
"Hayi iskhalo sakho ngisizwile ndodana. Ngizokhuluma no Bayede ngimuzwe ukuthi uthin yena then sizokwenza njalo"(I've heard your cry. I'll speak to Bayede and hear what he says then we'll do as per your request)
He then stood up and ironed his grey Brentwood with his palms, put on his hat and left. Manqoba sat thoughtfully on his chair, swinging it sideways lazily in his study, facing away from the door. A call from Tebogo came through and he picked up.
"Tebza"
"Did you resolve that issue?"
"I spoke to the detective that's handling your case. You can come out of hiding now. I just forgot to tell you I have a lot on my plate"
"Dankie skhulu. So, operations? Are we still on?
"I'm telling you this for the last time--"
"Okay okay. We'll talk", Tebogo jumped in and cut his sentence short. They cut the call and Enhle cleared her throat at the door. In a long orange and red maxi red tied around her neck and a black silky doek on top of her blond weave. The colours accentuated her light skin tone. This made her puffy eyes and red nose almost impossible to hide. She stood against the door frame. Manqoba turned his chair and faced her.
"Was that bab'Sizwe I saw walking out?"
"If it was?"
She asked and he wheeled himself closer to the desk and pulled the laptop open. She walked in.
"What was he doing here?", she grabbed a seat across him.
He shot his brow up and she immediately looked down.
"I'm sorry..."-Enhle. He dropped his eyes back on the screen.
"You're going ahead with this aren't you?", she enquired dreadfully.
"With what?"
"I thought you said you needed my permission to marry that--", she stopped herself. "Sphesihle. I thought you said you needed my permission to marry her?"
"What I need from you is your signature on the divorce papers you're going to receive no later than Friday. Help with me with that and I'll forever be grateful to you", he stated and dropped his eyes back once again to the laptop. Her jaw fell.
"Manqoba!"
"Nge mpama eyodwa nje sufun' idivorce?"(You want a divorce because of a single clap?)
"Are you listening to yourself?", he calmly asked as he typed.
"I'd have forgiven you if tables were turned. Like I always do", she mumbled and shoved her fists into her armpits.
"Akasa ngideleli lomfazi uhlalisa isdakwa ethunen lika baba"(The disrespect has gone between infinite limits), he thought silently to himself as his own voice rang in his head.
"When have I ever laid a hand on you makaOluhle?", he raised his irritated face.
"You've never but--"
"You want to turn tables Enhle?"
She digested his question and didn't know how to turn answer.
"Let's turn tables then", he stood up and went to close the door and lock it.
"Wenzan' Manqoba?"(What are you doing?), a panicked Enhle asked as she stood up from her chair. He undid his cufflinks and inserted them in his pockets.
"Baby? Baba? Ngiyak'cela..."(I'm begging you)
He kept a straight face as he folded the sleeves to his sky blue shirt. He loosened his navy tie and went to close both glass doors leading to the balcony. At this point, she was already crying and rubbing her left hand with the thumb of her right.
He approached her and she backed away against the shiny drilled in mahogany desk. He grabbed her by her neck with his left hand and pulled her towards him.
"I want to show you that impama eyodwa ingawuqeda uphele umendo and ungalinge nje uhayize angithi min zange ngawubanga umsindo?"(...a single slap can put an end to a marriage and don't you dare scream because I never made a sound), he threatened.
"Baby bekuyiphutha ngiyak'cela babakhe"(It was a mistake I'm begging you)
"Lalela ke thembalami, mina ngeke ngikushaye ngempama. Ngizokushaya ngenqindi ngoba you want us to interact man-to-man. You're the man of the house angithi wena? Le ndelelo ewunayo ngizoyikhipha ngenkani namhlanje. Uzoyikhipha ngamakhala uyangizwa baby?"(I won't slap you I'm gonna hit you with a fist. You're going to vomit all the disrespect you're housing today),
"Please let me go", she winced meekly under his grip. He stared into her tearing eyes and unexpectedly raised a boltlike fist but made sure that it got close enough but didn't touch her face. She had already shut her eyes tightly ready to feel her jaw break. He let her go and she swallowed with difficulty with her hand around her neck.
"Get the fxck outta my office!", he barked and she tripped on the chair and held on to the air for balance. She ran out and he dropped his high chest and downed the shot of whiskey he had poured for Bab'Sizwe, which he never touched.
...
Melokuhle got home and changed into his daytime clothes when school was out and ran to his girlfriend's homestead. She wasn't at school and she wasn't taking his calls. He stood at one of the corners knowing very well that he was going to get into trouble should he get caught. He kept calling but she didn't answer. He sent messages but she didn't reply. The possiblity of suicide crossed his mind but he immediately shut it down because he felt he wouldn't be able to handle it if it was the case. He contemplated walking in to check on her but he knew that if she was okay, he'd get into deep trouble with both his family and hers. He took 6 steps forward and turned back in frustration. He exhaled and had a "If I die, I die" moment and took nervous strides to the gate. He saw her come out of kneeling by the fire and blowing to fuel it further. There was no one else outside. He called again but it didn't look like she had the phone on her. She had her palms on the ground with her skirt tucked in her underwear on the sides. Since when do they use ground fire to cook? He questioned his shadow. The fire flamed up and she finally got on her barefeet. She noticed him at the gate and popped her eyes. She gestured with her hands with a stern yet panicked frown on her face that he should go away. He was unsure about what to do. She stomped her foot once to emphasize and he raised his hands in surrender. He gestured with his thumb and pinkie finger that she should call him. She nodded and waved him away still. He left.
On his way home, he came across Ndalo trying to get her wrist back from a boy who was adamant on forcing her to listen to him.
"Awungiyeke!"(Let me go!), she yelled and shook herself so hard the books in her school bag swayed left to right.
"Ndalo nginike nje ithuba elilodwa ngikutshengise ukuthi ngikuthanda ka ngakanani. Mfethu dala ngishelana nawe ngeke uyangiqoma namhlanje!"(Give me a chance to show you how much I love you. I've been after you for the longest time now you're going to agree to be mine today!)
Melokuhle ran closer to the scene and grabbed the suitor by the neck.
"Awumuzwa lomuntu umethi akakufuni? Are you deaf, stubborn or stupid?! Intombi ishelwa kahle ngolwimi not this violence you're subjecting her too"
"Melo mfethu--"
"Fseg!", he shot out and pushed him forward. Ndalo was busy massaging her reddened wrist with a frown on her face.
"Are you okay?", Melo asked, concerned.
"I'll be fine. I'm used to it"
"Used to what Ndalo?"
"Nxn!", she exclaimed.
"So he does this every day?", Melo asked. She nodded.
Mxolisi becomes a madman when triggered. He had better not find out about this. Melokuhle thought to himself.
"I'm sorry about that. Go home. Ngik'bhekile. He's not gonna follow you", Melo said and she gave a bland "Thank you" and paced up to her yard. Melo stood and watched her till she was inside. He then took a corner and headed home as well.
[UNEDITED]