HOW I MET MY CHEATING GIRLFRIEND

Episode 9

Sweeney has been placed in Moi University to pursue a Bachelor’s degree course in Education Science with Special Needs. She received the news while in Kenyatta University. She had gone with her sister Rose, something she was saying was a ‘pre-visit’. Geography language would call it a reconnaissance in field work. Sweeney was never happy with her placement in Moi University. Even though she didn’t know much detailed information about the institution, she naturally hated it. Kenyatta University was her dream!

On that night, she called me while crying. “Oscar, am very disappointed…” She started, “I have been placed in the university I never wanted…”

“Cool down dear. Stop crying. Which university is that?” I asked in a soto voce, trying to bolster her.

“Moi University, of all the universities, imagine…I can’t bear the pains am undergoing dear.”

“You don’t need to worry much about that. You can still do the university inter-transfer.” I found a way to make her cool down. Even though doing the transfer is a process that requires some procedures, I never wanted to tell her about that, maybe, she could have cried more.

“Sure?” She asked.

“Yes. The window shall be opened during which you can make the applications, to get transferred from Moi to Kenyatta University.”

Sweeney gave in. She had placed Moi University as the last one during her application. I failed to understand why she had to select it if at all she didn’t want to join Moi. “But did I do selection for her?” Her behaviours that night were never pleasing and I was getting annoyed. If she did the application by herself, she was to expect anything.

Because she was not happy about it, my decision to congratulate her was on a slippery rock! I resolved to do so in an encouraging way.

“My dear, most people are just yearning to get such opportunities that you’ve got today with no success. You really need to thank God for this. Stop complaining and appreciate it. Congratulations on your placement!”

We never had lots of chats that night because she was sounding generally weak and sad. I left her to have a rest. However, I kept on asking myself why she was on Kenyatta University that much, maybe, she had met some men there or her sister had connected her with one of her best friends. Anyway, it’s said that what you don’t know doesn’t hurt you. I left my thoughts for another day.

The following week was our main exams week, closing my second year. I wanted to prepare adequately for the exams. My mom was very concerned about my performance and she could ask for my transcripts after every semester. I remember I once sent her a screenshot of someone’s results because I had failed in three units. I got resits, what others may refer to as supplementary or just “sups”. I had deeply fallen in love with Nzau Kanini, a Kamba lady from Machakos. Back in high school, I was taught two main things; first, that in campus, no reading and you can sleep the way you want and second, that in campus, there are many ladies of different kinds. You can choose the one you like and some will just come by themselves.

In my first semester, I waited for the ladies to approach me and I never succeeded. I decided to make a resolution to go for them myself in second semester. I couldn’t manage to waste that opportunity.

I was staying alone in my rented house and I decided to have Nzau stay with me. For a period of two months, we stayed together as if we were already married. I was happy I joined the team of campus couples. However, it’s always seasonal as it depends on the period one is in the campus. After our end semester exams, we broke for a long holiday, which went for a period of four months. We maintained our communication with her.

One day, now in our second year, Nzau came over to my place and found me with Cate. We were watching a horror movie, approaching 6pm. She knocked once and opened the door immediately – because she was used to that. When she got in, she found us sitting on the bed (because we had no chairs anyway) and Cate was leaning on me, holding my shoulders. Maybe, it was because of the fear the horror movie instilled which might have made her to hold me. She was carrying a green shopping bag. Cate got surprised and removed her hands from my shoulders. She was staring at the computer where the movie was playing. Nzau wanted to go back immediately.

“Why can’t you sit?” I asked.

“No, actually I was headed to cyber. There is an assignment I should print out. It will be submitted tomorrow morning. I was just passing by to say hi to you.”

“Okay. I think you should come back from cyber.”

“To do what again? It will be late and I need to look for supper as well. Bye.”

Nzau left. I didn’t want to react in a way that could show I was dating her in front of Cate. I chose to communicate just like friends, and nothing else. However, internally, I was sorry for myself. Our sitting posture was very questionable. From then, whenever I texted Nzau she had to ask me “how about your wife?” All my attempts to meet her hit the walls. Slowly, our communication became dead. We remained as WhatsApp status viewers.

During the exam’s week, Sweeney could send me a message of success every morning before I could leave for my papers. In fact, she gave me the adequate time I needed to revise for my papers. The absence of Cate was also an added advantage.

Two days to the end of my exams, something terrible happened. That night, Cate had texted me. It had been awhile since we had our last chats. “Oscar, is this the way you want me to beg for your love?” Just before I could reply to her text, Sweeney also texted me. “Baby, how many papers will you have tomorrow?” As I opened her message, I started to type the reply. “I don’t love you any more my dear.” I clicked the icon “SEND”. I closed her page and went to open for Cate so that I could reply to her text. “What!” I exclaimed. I was to have two papers the following day, and that was the response I was to give Sweeney. However, to my surprise, I replied her instead of Cate.

While I was still waiting for what Sweeney would say about the text which wasn’t hers, I decided to send her another text. “And that’s what I told her.”

“Who were you telling that? Am not even understanding your text. What do you mean Oscar? So you don’t love me?” She asked. Actually, whatever she had asked me about was totally different from my response. It was obvious that wasn’t her text, but I feared she could ask me the person I was chatting with.

“There’s this girl who’s really disturbing me. She wants me to date her despite having told her several times that am already dating.” I replied.

“Oscar, from your text it means that you were dating and now you don’t love her…is that true?”

“Yes dear. Am sorry, I just wanted to show you that I love you, you can trust me.” To cut the long story short, I decided to give in.

“Where is she from?”

“She’s a first year here.” If really saying the truth sets one free, I was ready to be free to her.

“Wait, Oscar! But did you tell me when we met that you’ve never dated because you never wanted campus ladies? Were it you? Goodnight.”

Sweeney switched off her phone after her last message. In the process of freeing space for her, I was like at the verge of losing her, or her trust. I called her several times that night and no call went through. I never revised that night. The following morning, I woke up early to clear our issues with her. My calls and texts went unanswered. I left to exam room, looking tired and stressed up. I imagined going to meet a paper I never read or revised on.

“I don’t have to worry much…yes. My phone has got power and internet bundles.” I said to myself, entering the exam room.