HOW I MET MY CHEATING GIRLFRIEND

Episode 19

Later at night after having our supper, we were glued on Citizen TV channel watching news at 9pm. I was seated on the sofa set we sat with Betty during the day. My mom also sat on her chair which was just next to the door leading to her bedroom. The moments we had together kept appearing in my mind. In deed, it was a beautiful memory.

I realized Betty had accepted to be my girlfriend, even though she wanted to take Sweeney's position and let her be the alternative - something that kept disturbing my peace. I went online in WhatsApp to have some chats with Sweeney before I could leave for bed. A lot of notifications kept popping up on the screen. Sweeney sent me some of her pictures with a caption of "my new home, my new house". She had taken the photos while in the school compound and others in hostel. She was very happy.

"Hi darling, thanks for the album and the love note," I texted Sweeney online.

"Welcome Hun. Did you meet Betty in town?"

"Yes. We made the arrangements and met today in town. She told me her dad was just about to be back home and so, we never had more talks. But she told me you're acclimatizing well."

"Oh, yeah, my love. A lot of cold but am surviving."

"Keep yourself warm always love. Don't slay...haha."

"Haha, obvious dear. I have to! Thanks." She wrote.

While still chatting with Sweeney, my mom called, "Oscar!"

"Yes momma," I responded.

"How much was your third year fees?" She asked.

"The current fee structure indicates that it should be Kshs 35,700. But for this semester, it's Kshs 22,500," I answered.

"Alright. That's better. The area MP said that your bursaries will be disbursed  next month. It's ten thousand. I think that will now help me a lot. I will pay for you the twelve thousand and five hundred."

"But mom, these bursaries one can miss or get. How sure are you that I'm going to receive the money?" I asked. The deadline for the applications was to be the following day, Friday.

"As an orphan, you must get it. They always give first priorities to total orphans, partial and then to those who are needy..."

"Ah, mom!"

"Yes. Remember I was working as the secretary to that bursary committee last year."

My morale got reduced by half. Mom knew I had done the application. Anyway, I gave myself hopes that the following day I would go to the office to do that application. I couldn't argue with her on that issue because she had once sat in that committee. I just wished that I be free on that day.

It was getting late and I had to excuse myself that I was sleepy. I went to my room. I knew Sweeney would call me that night because we used to have night phone calls before we could sleep. However, that night, I wanted to talk to Betty as well. If Sweeney could call and get my line busy, that could be the beginning of the unending questioning session. I decided to call her first. I wanted the conversation to be so brief because most of the things we had said online.

"Sweetheart, am very sleepy." I said just about five minutes in the call. I tried to use a sleepy voice.

"No hunny, you can't leave me this early. Don't sleep now." She insisted.

I realized she had began to have emotions, talking as if she was crying. I had to give in to her request. Betty called me that night and I could see her call on waiting. The worst thing to do was to hold on Sweeney just to receive her call. It became a missed call. About six minutes later, she called again. This time, I had to push Sweeney to cut off her stories. I insisted I was very tired and sleepy that I couldn't manage to be on the call anymore. "Sweetheart, I will call you tomorrow, very early in the morning. Please for now, let me have a rest. Am very tired," I said.