FORCED TO MARRY AND I CHOSE YOU

07

HLANGANANI'S POV

"1,2,3,4...5" I count out loud breathlessly. Although I can feel that the weights are starting to strain my biceps and other arm muscles,I don't stop I keep going. I continue to push the 50Kg weight set up above my body,I have my back laid down on the bench and I have ear pods on pumping Hip Hop tunes. Now because I can't smoke,drink or sniff powder,I have no choice but to use gym to destress. "1,2,3...4,5" I keep on going but sadly my flow gets disturbed by Akani who holds up the weights before putting them back on top of the two pillars of the bench.

I get up,paying no mind to him and take a breather for a few seconds before hitting the floor to do push up's. As I'm on my fourth push up and I'm about to go down,Akani kicks my right hand making me lose balance and that's how I fall...face first imagine!. I slowly get up about to throw a right on his face but he ducks. "Hlanganani stop it" he says,I won't stop until I land a mean one because why the fuck did he kick my hand? Why is he even here? I stop fighting him and stand still, "I'm sorry but I had to stop you" he speaks. "Why?" Now I remove both my pods to hear him out. "What you are doing isn't healthy, relaxa mfo" he says before throwing me a sealed bottle of water which I catch.

"Mxm" I just click my tongue at him,take a large gulp of the water and pour the rest on my head before finally achieving my goal. I punch him in the gut and he crouches down holding his stomach. "U ndzi tolovela macimba(ungijwayela amasimba)" I tell him then I hear him laugh. "Ndzi te hade[sorry](I said I'm sorry)" he says getting up but he's still amused. "Is Zama still not talking to you?" He asks,mxm. "She blocked me" I tell him and "yhooo nwana mhani" he exclaims,he looks shocked yena but he sounds entertained too.

"No wonder you have been so moody, you snap easily and you are over working yourself." He's now sitting on the bench looking at me. I have no reply to what he said because it wasn't a question and besides its the honest truth so... "You really love her neh?" He asks and I give it a bit of thought. "No,love is a bit of a stretch,I like her" I say and he gives me a look which says that he doesn't believe me. "You don't usually go crazy over a girl,you haven't even tapped that ass yet mara vona kurhi u njhani(beka ukuthi unjani)" some how I don't like how cheap he speaks of her. "Don't ever speak about her like that, like she's some random hoe" I warn him and my brother laughs.

"Just admit that you have fallen and you fell hard my boy,you FELL makwerhu (my little brother)" he emphasises the word fell. "Try going to her place" he suggests,and I just give him a bored look. "I have been doing that,everyday and she doesn't want to open. I even went to her work place but she refuses to see me." I tell him. You know its unlike me to chase a girl for this long,its unlike me to beg for a girl's attention mara with Zama...? Nah I'm weak,bro she has me on my knees. "Its not that I love her,I'm chasing after her because I'd rather get married to her than to some Farm Julia that your family will force down my throat" I say trying to defend myself and explain why I'm so hang up over Zama.

"Whatever boy mina a ndzi ku tshembi (I don't believe you)" he tells me and I just shrug my shoulders. What he said has got me thinking...I know that I like her. I mean I liked her from the moment that I looked into her eyes,but is it love? Nah I don't think so...

I'm at some club with my guys,it was Mthunzi's idea to drag me out here because apparently yena he has had enough of me "mopping around" and looking like I just got dumped. In a way I did tho. These guys are selfish I swear, they know very well that I can't drink yet here they are ordering the best bottles and filling up the table. "Nazi izinto zakho,khange sik'libale bra yam" Mthunzi says taking out a caddy cooler. I look at him before laughing then I inspect the contents of the cooler. I find water,coldrink and fruit juice ohh wait there's also yoghurt in here. I look at him in defeat but sadly he has a proud look on his face.