Ntando had never felt that much pain, but he knew that his mom could never accept Mbali because their religions were too different. The following day Mbali brought a resignation letter to work. She couldn’t work in the same area with Ntando. After that she didn’t pick any of his calls or reply to any of his messages. It was too much to bear.. Their family would clash, they would never be happy. She would have to change her behaviour to something she didn’t understand. She couldn’t follow rules she didn’t understand. This was the best way

Mbali’s heart ached day by day. Not a single day passed without her missing Ntando. The following weekend there were going to be poetry sessions at U.K.Z.N where Mbali was a student, part time. Mbali loved poetry and Ntando did too. It was one of the things she loved about him. He was a beautiful poet. She missed him so much she longed to see him just once. She knew she didn’t have the courage to talk to him but she just longed to see his beautiful face.

Ntando knew Mbali loved poetry and that she liked to attend the poetry sessions. She talked about them all the time. They had never gone together before so that was one less place to run into Ntando. Mbali thought she would just spend the day relaxing. Listening to music and poetry always took her mind off things. She was relaxing and listening to the poets without a thought in the world. She was enjoying herself.

She had just thought of how the guy who had just left the stage reminded her of Ntando when she got the shock of her life. Suddenly Ntando was on the stage. The girls started screaming, making a loud noise. He got on stage and he started recited his poem.

Good pain of love

Better off apart when I need you most.
Matter of fact is a part of me is lost.
Isn’t this pain my life going to cost?
I wish to you my heart I can post.
That to me matters the most
So you can see in my life you are the host.
Without you I feel more like a ghost
I need you in my life, in you I still see my wife.
My love for you is still sharp like a knife.
Choosing God over you is good
But it’s good pain, good pain of love.
I just have to think about the above.
As long as I live this will be good pain
Good pain of love.
Because I’ll never stop loving you

As soon as Ntando was done he walked off the stage. Mbali could not hold the tears as they fell down her hot cheeks. I can’t take this anymore, I can’t fight it anymore. I am going to love everything Ntando loves, starting with his religion, starting now. Mbali thought to herself as she sat in the crowd with tears falling, falling and falling.

The End

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Tell us what you think: Have you ever loved someone who believed or followed a different religion to yours?