CAT OR CUT? and OTHER SHORT STORIES

BY THE ROADSIDE

I enter the deserted alley that is lined up by a latrines' wall on my left and cedar embedded on tyres on my right. It is dusty and the few cars passing through leave clouds of dust marinating your eyes and moisturising your hair. Matthew is taking long sprints and I am having a hard time catching up with him. A man is sitting on a red plastic chair that is leaned on the latrines' wall. He is holding a whiskey bottle, drinking its content at intervals. He greets a woman who passes by him but he is successfully ignored. To celebrate the rejection, he takes a sip.

Sweetheart! Ah, come on, baby!

He calls as I pass by. I ignore him too. He calls again infuriating me. He has no idea how my emotions are messed up right now. He calls for the hundredth time prompting me to think of kicking his balls to shut him up. His eyes should see that I am in very much of a hurry to catch up with the man who wants to break up with me. Okay, he just broke up with less than an hour ago.

For no solid reason, I might add.

All he could manage to tell me was;

"I'm sorry, Lucy. We're not working out. We haven't been for a few weeks now. I think the chemistry is over and this is where we go our separate ways."

So cliché!

No freaking original reason. It makes me mad. He can't just break up with me for no good reason, damn it. Doesn't he see that I love him? Stupid jerk. My heart is bleeding. The hurt is too much I just want to cry. But I won't. Not until he tells me what I did that made him break up with me. I have been reeling about it and I find no fault on my side. So I'm really curious as to what drove him to the conclusion of wanting a breakup.

"Ey! Are you following him?" he asks bringing me to a stop.

Is it too obvious or should I be worried he's psychic? Never mind.

"Yeah, I am. Why do you ask?" I ask turning to look at him in agitation.

Now I really regret not kicking his balls. His smug face tells me he is enjoying the little show. Damn drunkard! I turn to look at Matthew, he has disappeared into another alley. I cuss under my breath. I hate myself for following him now. It is clear he doesn't want anything to do with me. He is done with me. I'm nothing to him. Suck love. He didn't even look behind despite knowing that I was following him. It's official. I never existed to him. But he did exist to me. I loved him. I still do. Ugh. I'm my own enemy number one.

"Oh, poor you. Do you like him?" he asks curiously drawing my attention back.

I love him.

"Yeah," I respond instead of laying out the truth to him. Tears threaten to fall. I cage them in by blinking severally.

"Does he like you?" the drunkard asks.

I'm insane now if I'm having a conversation about my love life with a random drunkard.

"Yeah. He does. Or at least he used to. I don't know what I did to make him leave. He won't tell me. All he wants is to break up with me."

"Oh, that's sad. People like that just want to be given the attention that they themselves aren't ready to give. It's something they don't see so they make others see as if it's their fault. I will let you in on a secret. You didn't hear it from me though. You are a beautiful butterfly and butterflies don't chase. Instead, they are chased. Don't chase him, sweetheart. Leave him be. He wants to leave? Then let him.

He's not worth it. If he makes you run after him or crawl on your feet just to reach hin then he is not worth the chase. Fly beautiful butterfly. Leave the stupid ex and who knows, sooner or later, you might stumble across a better person. Way better than that stupid man. Sorry, a boy in this case. And once you get them, you'll recall this day, laugh at yourself for how pathetic you look like chasing after an immature boy."

I want to laugh at his comic way of explanation. Though I don't laugh, instead, I agree with what he says. I am darn beautiful and if the man doesn't want me in his life then I'll let him go. There is no need to force issues. I may still love him but it's not like I can't unlove him. I can and I will. He can have the freedom he wanted. It's all his. He can go get another girl who he feels has chemistry with him. He is not worth the chase. Yeap?! Not even a bit.

"A man who breaks up with you without a solid reason has to be pathetic. Well, at least that's what I think. He should be man enough to tell you where the problem is so that you two can solve it," he adds.

That's true. A real man communicates. Properly, I will add. He does not beat around the bush or use stupid excuses like lack of chemistry as if he titrated it just to get the break-up. Worthless jerk!

"You're right you know? He is not worth the chase. For all I care now, he can go to hell. He never loved me enough to stick with me. He can leave. You're very right."

"Of course I am. Swing those hips and tell him to suck it up. He doesn't deserve you. Go get yourself, someone, who deserves you, girl," he hypes making me laugh.

At least a drunkard had the power to make me laugh. I can at least have a good evening without thinking of the fact that I was dumped for no freaking solid reason.

"Thank you for the little and highly appreciated advice."

"Glad it was of help."

I smile at him, salute playfully and then turn to leave heading back to my place. Matthew is from now on a nightmare that I slept through but woke up only to completely forget about it. I delete his number from my phone and all the messages we may have shared. His photos and videos too. It's time to move on. We need not have leeches holding us back!

Hope you enjoyed it. Please leave your votes, comments or a review. I will appreciate it so much ❤️❤️