A Break Apart

CHAPTER 23. Pent-Up Frustration

My eyes opened to a new day, but I answered the lazy call of sleep instead and closed them back, and then they popped open again when a memory flashed in my head. I jerked up and grabbed my phone from my bedside table.

Hot steam flushed out of my nostrils like an angry bull as I stared at my phone screen. My tons of calls and text messages hadn't gotten any response. Who the hell does he think he is? I had been trying to reach him right after Abel left the house.

I wanted calling again, but then I paused. The stupid jerk would feel too important. So I put the phone away, grabbed the pillow nearest to me with both hands and squashed my face into it, suppressing the sound of my scream. Not long into my anger-release exercise, I heard the creaky sound of my door. I raised my head with a sharp reflex and saw Mum standing by the door.

"Good morning, Mummy," I greeted, hoping she didn't notice anything to have her wonder why her daughter was acting crazy at this time of the day as I placed the pillow where it belonged.

"You didn't tidy up the kitchen before going to bed last night," she said, her tone like one who had just woken up at the wrong side of their bed.

Guilty as charged, I stared blankly at her body-hugging pyjamas and suddenly recalled the pyjamas that I had planned on getting her as a gift for Mother's Day, which was celebrated a month ago.

"Go and do that now." She left my room without caring to close the door.

I sighed heavily as I laid with my back, easing the early morning tension that had just been formed by an angry African mum.

"Nadine!"

I rolled my eyes at her piped up voice from downstairs. "Oh, God... did Daddy forget your wedding anniversary?" I muttered to myself as I scooted out of bed. "I'm coming!" I ran to the kitchen to get the chore done.

Thoughts of William filled my head while I washed the dishes, and then a utensil would fall from my hands, and water would splash out of the sink and, the more that happened, the more frustrated I got.

I entered my school apartment, shut the door, and continued walking in, like a lifeless drunk, my purse dangling from my hand.

I stopped at my vanity and faced the mirror, recalling how giddy I had been as Natasha helped me get ready for my date with David earlier this evening, in this gold, shimmering, midi strapped dress with a thigh-high slit, but I had conserved its boldness with a black pantyhose, against Natasha's better judgement. We had also added long, wavy hair extensions that blended well with my tong natural hair, and she had done my makeup. I had looked really pretty, like Barbie on a night out with her girlfriends. But staring at the same mirror now, in the same dolled-up fit, I looked and felt like shit, with my red puffy eyes and dark rims, a mixture of tears and mascara.

I started to think it was my appearance that had woken up the beast in David. And I was thankful that Natasha was away on a weekend trip organised by our school department, so she wouldn't have to see me like this. I hadn't been interested in the social event, but now I wished I had gone there instead. Plus, I wasn't sure I could keep to my promise to fill her in on the date.

I left the vanity to my bed, kicked off the stilettos that Natasha had lend me and settled on the bed. Not having the strength for anything else, I cried myself to sleep.

What happened last night felt like a dream when I woke up the next morning. I managed to look less like a zombie by freshening up in the bathroom, and then pulling out the hair extensions, combing my hair and putting on comfy clothes.

I then settled on the bed with my phone, in hopes to reach David for a resolution. It wasn't the first time we would have a fall out over the same issue, and we always made up, with me constantly making the first move, of course. But this time he wasn't picking up, and all the messages I left in every one of his social media platform got ignored. I was frustrated the whole day, until I finally got a text on WhatsApp. 6:34 PM. A two-worded text that broke me completely.