UNCONDITIONAL

SIXTEEN

'What is wrong?'

'Percy I am sorry,I cannot do this'

Khanyi says getting up from the couch after pulling up her underwear. Avoiding eye contact she looks everywhere but Percy.

'Can you atleast tell me what I did wrong or am doing wrong because this is the third time you have stopped us from getting intimate. At first I thought you were not ready but now I am thinking there is more to it. Do you not want to be intimate with me? Do you not find me attractive? Or do you not love me?'

Khanyi fiddles with her fingers,silently pushing herself to tell her the truth.

'I find you very attractive and I do want to be intimate with you but I cannot'

Percy notices that she did not respond to her asking if she did not love her but decides to let it go,for now.

'Why can't you? Khanyi are you seeing someone?'

'No! I am not seeing anyone. I-I-'

'Then what is it,you can tell me,I will not get mad'

Percy is slowly getting agitated with her right now but trying her best not to show it. They are both standing in the middle of the living area. Khanyi still avoiding looking at Percy,she keeps her eyes low,looking at the tiled floor beneath her feet. Percy pulls her into her,lifting up her chin with her index finger to make her look up at her but she has her eyes closed.

'look at me babe'

Slowly Khanyi opens her eyes but she keeps her focus on Percy's lips. Percy notices her glossy eyes which are holding back tears . She envelopes her into a hug for comfort because it just felt like the right thing to do.

'Do not be afraid of me. Tell me what it is,I promise I will not be mad or judgemental. I will try my best to be understanding'

'Something's in life cannot be understood Percy'

Khanyi says pulling herself away from her.

'Hence I said try. Please tell me what the problem is,so I can help you'

Percy says before seating down on the love seat they were laid down on earlier. Smiling a little as she recalled how highly aroused she was when she had her tongue and hand on Khanyi's nipple and breast just a few minutes ago. Just thinking about it gave her a female boner.

'Okay'

Khanyi said just above a whisper.

'Pardon ?'

'This is hard for me to talk about because,I still battle with it myself. It has taken me years to fully accept and I am still dealing with accepting it.'

Khanyi seats on the couch opposite to the one Percy is seated in,nearest to the exit because she knows after her revelation Percy will want nothing to do with her ever again. She even texted Kele to come get her.

'Remember I told you about my first boyfriend,the father of my three oldest_____ well--we started saying when I was seventeen and for five years out relationship was great and we had our kids in those five years. When the twins were around seven to right months old,I found out he was cheating. In that time he left us for his ex girlfriend.'

Khanyi stood up from the couch and started pacing back and forth,rubbing her arms like she was cold while continuing with her story.

'There were rumors in my hometown that this girl was hiv positive. So I decided to go get tested myself later that year,this was in 2008. I got tested in August and found out I was HIV positive.'

Khanyi stopped and looked over at Percy who had her head in her hands as if she was in deep thought. Her head was bent looking at the floor,so she couldn't really make out her facial expression. All she heard was a deep sigh Percy made. Taking her bag she walked out of the house after apologising and saying goodbye to Percy,who was still seated in the same spot in the same position. She ran to her friends car in tears,Kele drive off in silence feeling sorry for her friend.