How To Love

chapter nine

It's Monday morning, and instead of coffee from home, I decide to go to Starbucks for coffee. With Thuso gone, the house felt empty, despite all of our staff being there. It's crazy how after only two weeks living together, I got so accustomed to his presence that I could feel his absence so clearly.

He left for Congo. His father was opening a hotel that side, and it had already reached the construction phase. He was going there in his father's stead, to check if things were going as well as the reports and video calls said. He said he'll be gone for a week, and I don't know, but a part of me is going to miss seeing him around in the house.

I drive the five minutes from my house to the Starbucks store. There aren't that many people, probably because it was early. I got an iced caramel latte, and two croissants since I didn't have breakfast either.

As I waited for my order on the side, someone stood next to me and I looked up.

"Hey," the guy said. As a black person, that didn't really seem weird, we greeted people out of respect, especially when we were in their space.

"Hi," I said, though it came out meekly. As much as greeting is normal in the black community, people lost that sense of humanity when coming to the city, including myself, so it was a bit of a surprise that he greeted me.

"It's a little weird don't you think?" He continued. Oh, he wanted to have a conversation?

"What?" I asked him, confused.

"Spending so much money on a cup of coffee. In retrospect, R40 isn't a lot of money, but if you come here every day of the working day, like I do, then you're looking at about R800 alone, spent on just coffee." He was right, but then again, I didn't come here everyday. It wasn't a money issue, I had lots of that now, Thuso gave me my new card where my allowance was sent, and I could swipe for this coffee without blinking, maybe even buy for everyone in the store too. But I was to savvy with money to just spend it on things like this.

"Yeah, it is. But I don't come here everyday. It's only on occasional days when I'm craving a different make, aside from my regular coffee with creamer from home," I said.

"I wish I was as disciplined as you. Coming here has become a routine even, maybe they should have rehab centres for Starbucks coffee addicts," he said and I chuckled.

"But wouldn't that defeat their profits?" I asked.

"Depends how you look at it. If the Starbucks CEO opened that rehab centre, then, they'll still be making money out of the addicts they created," he said with a shrug. I chuckled once more.

"That's smart." And then, the Starbucks worker called my name. "Enjoy your coffee," I said as I walked off, and he smiled at me on my way out.

When I got to work, I had only five minutes to walk to my class and then the staff room for the briefing. Most people were there when I arrived, our principal didn't tolerate late coming of whatever reason. When the hand hit 7, he started with the meeting.

"Next week, the matrics will start with their finals," he started off. I listened absentmindedly, Thuso's father's words from Saturday suddenly coming to mind. I wondered what he meant that our unity was written in the stars. I believed in soul mates, that someone out there was specifically designed for who I am and who I'll grow to be over the years of my life. But I didn't think that person would be the same one that tormented me for fifteen years of my life, which considering my age, is for most of my life.

My thoughts got interrupted by the sound of a chair scraping off the ground. Immediately, shame settled in me because I missed almost everything that was said today. Sidling next to Thabile, I thought to ask her to catch me up to speed.