JUST FOR YOU

《37》Betrayed.

I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing softly beside my ear. I looked at the caller ID, it was Alex. I answered the call, "Hello." I rolled my eyes.

"I'm at the door." He mumbled into the phone and hung up. I looked at the time it was six thirty in the morning. So now the prodigal boyfriend returns. I sighed deeply and ambled towards the door. I already knew we were going to fight.

"Hey." As soon as I opened the door, I was petrified by what I saw and smelled. A whiff of different odours oozing out from him and entering into my nostrils. It was a mixture of alcohol, body odour, cigarettes. He looked beaten up and bruised. The only thing he had on him was his phone, a barely white stretched out singlet and shorts. He was even barefooted. I stood there completely stunned by the unpleasant sight in front of me and horrible smell oozing out from him. I was rooted to the ground.

He scoffed. "Would you let me in now?" I immediately paved the way for him. He had many explanations to give. My anger turned to pity. When did the good-looking Alex I used to know turn to this.......bag of bones? He looked very ill. I was scared for his life.

"What happened to you?" I managed to ask after holding my breath so that his mixture of odours wouldn't choke me to death.

"I'm not in the mood." He remarked grumpily and walked into the bedroom.

"Fine, but you have a lot of explaining to do." I yelled after him. I didn't bother to follow him, I just stayed in the sitting room. And I also wasn't going to let him leave the house without answering all my questions. After one hour, I went to check on him. He had taken his bath and was fast asleep. I bundled the clothes he wore when he came in and took it straight to the dustbin.

What an eyesore! At least he looked better after he showered.

Since I couldn't sleep, I cleaned the house, prepared breakfast, had my bath, ate and then went back to bed to try to sleep. Later, I started hearing various sounds coming from the sitting room. I had gotten used to staying at home alone so I was scared at first until I remembered Alex came earlier in the morning.

I stood up from the bed, yawned and stretched. The questions I was going to bombard him with were forming rapidly in my head. I walked into the sitting room and saw him devouring the yam and stew I prepared in the morning.

"Are you enjoying your food?" I asked and flung myself onto the other sofa.

"Yes, this is so good." He moaned. "I've missed this."

"Good. I hope you will be in the mood to answer my questions." I looked at him and saw his countenance change.

He scoffed. "Leave me alone. At least allow somebody to eat." He hissed again.

"Take your time, I will wait. In fact, I will take some for myself too." I replied coolly and went into the kitchen to take three pieces of yam; I wasn't even hungry. I just wanted to be busy while he ate. Minutes later, we were both done. I cleared my throat as I did a mental arrangement of my questions in the order they would come out.

I cleared my throat again. "Where have you been, Alex?" I stared down at him hoping to see any sign of discomfort.

"At a friend's house." He looked at me and immediately shifted his gaze to the floor. He was avoiding eye contact, he lied!

"Your friend?" I scoffed. "Why didn't you answer my calls or reply to my texts or even the notes I left for you on the table?" I looked at him waiting to hear his next lie.

"I didn't feel like it." He said with a shrug and stared straight at me.

Ouch! It was true

I raised my voice. "You didn't feel like it? You didn't feel like talking to your girlfriend! Incredible, Alex, really incredible." I snarled.