Oscar: Huh?

Me: For you, I’m willing to break the rules. I love you too Oscar.

I couldn’t believe what I had just typed. That was the hardest thing I had ever done in my life. My hands were shaking and I could feel my phone slowly slipping out of my hands. I could see my heartbeat moving my chest. Seriously, I wasn’t on some Shakespearean drug; that was really how I felt. Funny enough though, I hadn’t even seen his picture yet, but I already wanted to be with him for infinity.

Oscar: No. Please, I don’t want to force you into a relationship with me.

Me: No, I mean it.

From that moment onwards, we spent most of our nights chatting. I felt so special, given such special attention. Every time he called me ‘baby’ my world would just pause for a while. We dated for many months and to my surprise, unlike most guys I know, Oscar had never mentioned anything about sex or sexting. That fascinated me even more about him.

Our relationship was so pure; it felt too good to be true. After dating for 8 months, things started changing. Actually, he started changing. He was no longer the humble and warm-hearted guy I fell for. If you went through his texts, you would see what I mean. These changes took place right after Oscar stopped logging in to Mxit as often. Even after I sent a “please call” text, I didn’t really hear from him much. Fortunately, I found him online.

Me: My love.

Oscar: Hey!

Me: How is your day going?

Oscar: Fine.

Oscar: So?

Believe me when I say, in that moment, I felt like someone had literally poured hot water over me.

Me: Umm…what do you mean?

Oscar: Nothing.

Me: I’m so sorry if I did anything wrong; please forgive me.

Oscar: Agh! I’m busy.

He logged off, and that was the last I would hear from him for a while.

Me: I’m sorry for disturbing you. I love you.

Then I went offline too.

I felt so down. After a few days, I sent him a message explaining to him that I wanted to chat with him and that I missed him so much. I felt like I was suffocating. That was when he told me that someone had pressed charges against him and that the police were coming to arrest him around 8 p.m., so he can only chat with me until then.

I asked him what he had done wrong. He said something about beating up another guy who bothered his younger sister. I asked him how bad the beating was, and he said it was really bad. I became so afraid for him. Around 8 p.m. exactly, he logged off and I did the same. I was too emotional and worried to chat to my other chat-mates; that’s how much I adored him. After logging off, I went to my bedroom and baptised my pillow with tears. I even prayed for him. Afterwards, I decided to sleep.

But a few minutes later I found myself wide-awake. I couldn’t sleep; I was too stressed out. I’ve never been that stressed in my life; I could swear I was in matric. When I logged in to Mxit again, I had the shock of my life; Oscar was online, but with a “busy sign” beside his name. Now, he’s either a wizard or he lied about the police coming to collect him, I thought. I had hoped it was the former, because no warm-hearted and Godly person would let someone go through what I went through for nothing. I had been worried sick about him. It would break my heart to find out that he actually lied about going to jail. Anyway, I decided not to jump to conclusions. I knew I needed to hear what had happened from the horse’s mouth.

Me: Wow! You didn’t get arrested after all?

But there was never a response. “Maybe he wasn’t lying after all,” I thought to myself as I logged off again. I had had enough for the day.

***

Tell us: What do you make of Oscar’s sudden coldness? Do you think he really got arrested?