Standing in front of a car doesn’t make it yours. You see people promise each other heaven and hell. Even in Sesotho there’s a saying, “Se sa feleng se a hlola [There’s always an end to something].” We should prepare ourselves because every journey has its destination; some of them reach an end or shelf life. What a pity for such a beautiful thing to come to its conclusion. Trust is like a glass: once broken it can’t be fixed.
The only person Joy was open to was Reneilwe, the former principal’s daughter. She too didn’t know that she was the only one Joy shared things with.
“Hey, how are you doing?” Reneilwe says.
“Not that good,” he said.
“What’s wrong man?”
“My girlfriend thinks that I’m cheating.”
“Really?”
Joy looked up, “Don’t think of anything stupid,” he hesitated, “I’m scared.”
“Scared of what, that she might leave you?”
“No, I’m scared that she might leave me and as they always do, blame boys for everything.”
“So what you going to do now?”
Joy flashed a hint of a smile before answering, “I tried to tell but…”
“Yes?”
“She insisted, so I had to agree with everything she said.”
“What you telling me is that you told her that you’re cheating?”
“Well, I tried to convince her but she didn’t listen.”
“So what if she leaves you?”
“Maybe I have to set her free. Sometimes you do the right thing, and then totally regret it,” he said.
Time passed and a new girl visited same street as Joy’s. Joy went to her and they had a little conversation.
“Hey dear, how you doing?” Joy said.
“I’m doing fine.”
“I’m Joy and you are?”
“Keletso,”she responded.
“Okay Keletso, since you’re always alone. You can come hang out with me. I am with my friends.”
“Are they boys?”
“No, right now I am with my female friends and my little sister, maybe you can find someone to keep you company.”
“Okay, I’ll see if I will come.”
Keletso showed up and Joy introduced her to the other girls, including Elizabeth, “Girls, Keletso needs a friend,” Joy said. But none of them showed interest. Then Joy had to talk to her as he was the one who called her out. Later that day Elizabeth called him.
“What was that all about?”
“What was what about?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, you know what I’m talking about.”
“No I don’t.”
“I’m talking about that little girlfriend of yours.”
“That’s a friend, not what you think.”
“A girl friend?!”
“Yeah, is there a problem? You have boys as friends and I never accused you of cheating.”
“You not even ashamed of it you even introduced her to me.”
Joy was trying to catch his breath, sucking air in little gasps. He couldn’t think of anything to say. A man of few words. He smiled.
“Share the joke; you think this is funny, neh?”
“No, actually I heard enough of this.”
“What are you talking about now? Are you trying to…”
“Shut up!” Joy blurted, his tone froze the blood in her veins, “You don’t care about what I think, I’m… I’m…” his voice cracked.
“But,” she was trying to talk.
“You making a noise,” he said.
That day she didn’t expect what was coming for her. Joy’s words cut through her body like a razor, leaving her in a state of shock.
“I have had enough. It’s my time to speak now. I tried my best to make you happy but all you do is accuse me of doing something I am not.”
People change their minds all the time. Sleep brings a different world when you wake up, who was he to think that he wouldn’t change his mind.
Tell us: Do you think it’s possible to change your mind in a relationship?