It was by accident that I found out Shalani and Reginald had hooked up.

By then Shalani and I were finished school, both of us dealing with the trauma of job-hunting: writing CVs and facing interviews and waiting, waiting, waiting for call-backs that didn’t come. So we didn’t see each other daily. It was easy for her to keep her romance secret.

I don’t blame her. If I were the one hooking up with Reginald, I would have kept it a secret from Shalani. For many reasons.

But I walked into Nandos one Saturday morning – and there they were! Right in the darkest corner, gazing at each other like the rest of the world didn’t exist. Their hands were clasped together across the table top.

Shalani was glowing. There is no other word for it. A golden aura seemed to surround her.

I stumbled back into the morning pavement crowds, seeing a tidal wave of red before my eyes. Jealousy washed over me so that I could barely breathe.

Why do they call jealousy the ‘green-eyed monster’? Why do they talk about being ‘green with envy’? Jealousy is not green, it’s dark crimson red. Trust me on that!

I never asked Shalani about her new boyfriend. And she never spoke about him.

But then, just three months later, I got a phone call.

“Jane? Is that you? Have I got the right number?” asked a male voice.

“Yes. Who’s this?”

“Reginald. I was in your class in Matric – maybe you remember me?”

“Yeah. So?” I pretended to be calm and uninterested.

“Yeah, so I was wondering if we could maybe go out sometime? Like on a date?”

Okay, so it was the best, most exciting thing that had happened in months. I wanted to yell out a big ‘yes’! But then I thought of my bestie Shalani. How could I hurt her like that?

“Let me think about it,” I said.

* * * * *

“Feel free with Reginald,” Shalani told me.

I was at her house. It was mayhem there – one of her sisters was getting married, so people were rushing past us, this way and that, carrying flowers and food and decorations.

“Are you sure, Shalani? I’ll tell him no if you want me to.”

“Sure I’m sure. I dumped him weeks back. He’s just a playa, Jane. The minute he gets what he wants, he’s off on the next conquest. Off looking for the next chick. I don’t need someone like that in my life.”

So when Reginald phoned back, I said yes to a date. And when I looked in the mirror, I could see my eyes were glowing. I knew – I just knew – that the two of us would be magical together. Once we connected, he would stop being a playa. Once he had me, he wouldn’t want any other girl. Not ever!

Shalani warned me after I’d been on a few dates, “Don’t lose your heart to Reginald, Jane. Have fun, but don’t get serious. Don’t trust him! I don’t want to see you hurt.”

But she was too late. I’d already lost my heart to him. No problem, though – I knew he loved me too. There was no way he would ever dump me. Not ever!

Maybe my bestie was just feeling jealous? Wishing that she hadn’t dumped him? Wishing that she was still with him, instead of me?

***

Tell us what you think: Is Shalani jealous or is she trying to protect Jane?