She called me on a Monday morning to come over to her place. It was cold and raining. I had warm clothes to cover me, luckily. I was so excited that she wanted to see me. I missed her so badly. I wanted to talk to her right away.

I stormed out of bed at the speed of light to take a quick shower. I wrapped my waist with a towel, covering my nudity, just in case someone was stalking me. These days, you never know! I went to dry my hair and looked myself in the mirror, wiggling my cheeks and ears to plant a childish smile on my face. I checked the clock alerting me that if I didn’t leave in five minutes, I’d miss her. I slipped in my warm clothes I had taken out to wear to meet her. I needed to be presentable. I jot out rushing to her place.

I was early. I guess the weather outside empowered me. I lightly knocked on her door. There was no response. On my third attempt, someone opened the door. It was a guy! I suddenly became furious. A guy allowed me in. My nose met a coffee, and I wanted it now. Where is she? I wondered. Thinking of the devil. She came into the living room, lively like she owned the world. She muttered something to the guy, and the guy gave us some privacy. This is it, I am asking her about the guy before I act. My fist automatically balled up.

She smiled to my direction, my fist unravelled. I am so weak! But no one can blame me, her smile has an effect on me. She greeted me with another smile, wow, a bonus! She asked if I was okay and offered me coffee and muffins. Another bonus! Today’s getting better and better.

She started, “Nhlaka, I have an important thing to tell you,”

“Okay. I’m all ears my Sweet-Pea”, I answered with curiosity and my mind racing as to what she could possibly tell me.

“You won’t like this. It might be heart breaking but you’ll have to take it as a man,” she said with a determined look. “Promise me that after I tell you this, you won’t do something drastic. That you won’t look me less of a human,” she asked with blood on her eyes.

“I can’t promise anything,” I answered truthfully. I couldn’t promise anything. What if was something that I was against? Something that was heart drenching? No. I couldn’t possibly do such.

She shot a glare at my direction and I remained emotionless. She intensified her glare, if that’s possible.

“Okay, okay. I promise because I love you. I’d catch a grenade for you. I know that’s an outdated expression but I will. I’d break a bone to feel your pain,” I said giving up.

“Thank you. And I would like you to say that even after what I’ll tell you,” she said as she faced the ground, playing with her hands. “Your heart might get sliced by my words, but please listen until I finish up. Nothing lasts forever. I am moving on with the guy you’ve seen. You and I would never make it. We tried and failed several times. Nothing worked between us, and it will always be like that. I might sound cheesy and selfish, but the truth is, the new guy is all I need. So, please, take it into your heart and follow my example. Long story short, whatever we had, is over. It all ends right here, now. Our journey is over. I will miss you. Perhaps we could be friends,” she said.

My body became numb. The daylight became nightfall. My eyes got soaked up with tears. I felt them boiling. I held them back, forcefully. I don’t believe what’s happening. What did I just listen to? A foreign language? Why was she breaking up with me? Where did I go wrong? Why now? Things were falling back in place. Perhaps all this was a dream. It was time to wake up. No, it wasn’t. News finally sank in. She said it. She was really breaking up with me.

“Why are you breaking up with me?” I finally found the courage to ask. She said she had already told me. I protested that she must clarify it. She denied and politely asked me to leave. And I did.

I wasn’t going to be in her way of happiness. No one must be gloomy because of me. I walked home with my drenched heart as the rain hit my skin hard. I couldn’t care less. I had already been torn apart. This was the worst day of my year!