“If I knew Hazel will be an elephant, truly I wouldn’t approach her to be my girlfriend,” Cleo said, mumbling alone, at the back corner of his classroom. “My friends are mocking me, and it’s now getting to my nerves.”
A call distracted him in his intrapersonal communication.
“Hey Cleo boy! Your big mama is coming to you with thousands of junkies on her swelled hands!” Bafana said, shouting.
The whole class busted with a loud laughter.
“Eish!” Cleo held his heard and whispered to himself. “Isn’t Hazel tired of embarrassing me every day? I know she’ll want to eat her greasy cookies with me! Nxl! I wish the bell can ring and end this break before she step her size ten school shoes in this classroom.”
“Sshhh! Be quiet classmates! She’s closer now!”
Hazel got inside. “Hey Bafana? Did you see my Cleo? He’s not at our favourite spot and I’ve been looking for him for the whole break.”
Bafana nearly busted out, however, he held back his laughter. “There!” He threw his eyes to the corner of the class.
Startled, she asked, “I don’t see anything? What are you showing me?”
He pointed. “Look beneath the table.”
“Oh Cleo!” she sighed. “You placed me in a terrible exercise today,” and went to him.
“I’m sorry babe,” he got out of the table.
All the classmates turned to them and shared an odd look.
“I was finishing Mr Makutu’s assignment and my phone’s battery died while I was still searching answers, hence I couldn’t update you and you didn’t find me on our special shadow of the uMganu tree.”
“Mmm!” The whole class said.
“C’mon guys!” Bafana shouted. “We all know that this couple is our Beyonce and Jayzee!”
“As if I still care,” Cleo thought to himself. “Say that again boy!”
The bell rang and curt the weird stare on them.
“Oh babe!” she said looking at Cleo like the most caring mother. “I won’t be able to concentrate in class knowing that I left you with an empty stomach. Please take half of my food.”
“There we go again,” the wolf in Cleo’s mind spoke. “Thanks love, I’ll see you after school.”
Hazel kissed her beloved’s forehead then went to her class.
The bell rang for the last time of that day in Sobahle high. Cleo was puzzled by the jokes and the odd look they threw on him and Hazel during break time. He sat alone in the class driving his mind to endless speculations and he was the last person to leave.
“It’s clear that Hazel’s weight gain turned her into the ugliest baboon. Other girls glow when they become chubby, but to her, I’m getting confused because everything becomes the opposite of the angel she was. I miss her tiny body and coffee light complexion. Now she’s dark, her nose is swelling and she started eating things that I don’t even understand, I know she likes nice things, especially bunny chow, but the way she’s eating them now it’s disgusting, but ah! Why do I care? I’m dumping her today,” he got up and pushed his chair to the table.
Hazel barged in. “Babe, what are you still doing here? I’ve been standing for an hour on our spot.”
He cleared his throat. “Oh Hazy! I’m sorry love,” he went to her and held her hand. “Why can’t I just dump her? This fatty boom irritates me!”
“Babe, are you okay?” she asked, concerned.
“I’m okay love, let me close this door fast. I don’t want troubles tomorrow as the last learner to leave this classroom, you know Uncle Joe (The school caretaker) can be a nuisance sometimes.” He grabbed keys from the door handle, and then locked the door.
“That one thinks he’s the principal of this school.” Hazel laughed out loud with an expectation of hearing her boyfriend’s cutest laughter, however, a cold look from him stopped her.
“Babe, are sure you’re okay?” she asked politely.
“Hey fatty!” he yelled, frustrated. “Leave me alone!” and pushed her to the wall of a corridor.
Hazel’s eyes widened and tears followed. Her beloved left furious. As a result, her heart crumbled into pieces.
“Cleo!” she yelled devastated and threw herself on the floor.
***