Mark had been my best friend for a long time. I really liked him and enjoyed his company. He listened to me and always made jokes. People often thought we were lovers and not besties. I met Mark at school and we were in the same class. After matric we all went to College to get Diplomas. Mark moved away when he found a job as an Accountant. He went to further his degree while working at a big company. I was working as a cashier at a fashion shop.

“Lulu, I miss you hey,” Mark said on the phone.

“Me too, when are you coming back?” I asked curiously.

“Don’t worry Sweety, soon I’ll be back and we will enjoy our hangouts,” he said laughing.

I was happy he was coming soon; we could hang out. I had dated three guys from town but it didn’t work out. I cherished my friendship with Mark a lot. He always called me at night before I went to sleep and I would sleep with a smile. I always wondered what would happen if I fell in love with him. After all, he was my only friend and I didn’t want to risk it. I never spoke about my feelings to him before.

The day came when Mark came back, it was the festive holidays.

“Mark, I missed you, glad you came soon,” I said loudly giving him a hug.

“Our holiday will be nice hey,” he said with a smile.

We looked at each other and we both knew that we would be happy. It was always like this since our childhood days. I was still working, up to a day before Christmas, but he get off on the sixteenth.

I had a date with my best friend that weekend before Christmas. I dressed so smartly and elegantly. He always dressed so smart too. He held my hand as we walked into Mick’s, the restaurant. He pulled a chair for, he was a gentleman. I sat down and we were looking at each other closely. I smiled and he smiled to.

“Lulu, I want to say the truth,” he said seriously. I was confused where this was going. “I know we’re besties but I actually love you. I feel for you, I want you to be…my girlfriend?” he said.

I was out of words but I knew I had feelings for him too. Maybe I have to tell him, I thought.

“I don’t know what to say,” I said shyly. “I have feelings for you too,” I continued.

“Were you afraid to let me know?” he asked.

He took my hand in his. All I wanted now was to touch him and kiss him as a lover. We had a great dinner as first time lovers. He then took me home in his silver Polo. While in the car, I couldn’t control it; I kissed him and he kissed me back. He was touching my body and I wanted more. Suddenly there was a loud noise. We stopped as if we were caught stealing peaches from someone’s tree.

We smiled at each other and drove off. He insisted we go to his home and I agreed because I still stayed with my parents and Mark had a room outside his father’s house. It was easy to sneak in and out and nobody would know what happened.

I could see everyone was asleep at his home but the lights outside were switched on. His room was dark when he unlocked the door. He switched the light on and I entered.

“Mark…Uhm, are we doing the right thing?” I asked, scared that I might lose him.

He pulled me closer and I could feel his hands moving on my back, bums; cuddling me. I kissed him. The more he kissed me the more I wanted. He undid the zip of my black dress and I was only in my undies. He kept kissing me. I was enjoying it as if I had found the right one. I lay on the bed as he was removing his clothes.

“Mark, this is all wrong,” I said thinking about our friendship. What if I lose him?

“Lulu, we love each other, let’s do this. I can’t control this, I love you,” he whispered in my ear as he was on top of me.

I kept quiet because I also wanted what he wanted. We had sex the whole night. Those thoughts of doubt never came back. I slept like a baby on his chest; it was heaven.

Moring came. It was all like a dream; like we were already married. I thought of how romantic he was when I could smell breakfast; Viennas and eggs, my favourite.

“You are up early,” he said smiling.

“I could smell the Viennas Mark, they smell nice,” I said looking at him happily.

I was naked under the sheet and it covered my body. Then it came in my mind all over again as we were eating breakfast in bed. How long will this last? Is he the man of my dreams? I thought we could be lovers but what if I lost him?

***

Tell us what you think: Do you think they should’ve had sex so soon after confessing their love? How long would you wait?