The Swirl

Ep. 15

"Do you want me to just hold you?"

Mabea turned to the man whose bed she was in. She had gotten drunk last night and had come home with this stranger who led her to his room and kissed her. She kissed him back and tried to initiate some sex but she heaved as usual after she had had too much to drink and found herself puking her intestines out in his toilet.

She apologised when she came back and told him that she was going home but he told her that she was in no fit state to go out alone at this time of night as drunk as a skunk. He fixed a spot on his bed for her then they just lay there, his arm supporting her head.

"Soo...who broke your heart?"he asked. "Considering the way you were drinking...someone definitely chowed intliziyo yak'ho (broke your heart)."

She looked at him. He was quite handsome with his almost oak skin and he had a ripped abdomen which she only saw on men on TV and on Hiroto. He wasn't this ripped though.

"Well...my boyfriend. Turns out he was engaged. He's not from around here."

"That's always messy," the man said. He grinned at her. "You wanna hear my story?"

She nodded.

"So...I've been pretty much straight my whole life but about 2 months ago, I started working at this new job and...I think I'm attracted to my boss. But I thought, I'm not gay, alright? So yesterday he kissed me and I was shocked so I pushed him away but truthfully, I enjoyed every bit of that kiss. So tonight, to convince myself that I am not gay, I decided to go and drink and that by the end of the night, I'd have the hottest babe in my bed. You were the lucky lady...or maybe unlucky. While you were kissing me, I didn't feel anything and all I could think about was my boss. So I have concluded that yes, I'm into that man."

"Or maybe I was just a bad kisser," Mabea laughed. "Thank you for not having sex with me. I was so going to regret it tomorrow. I don't usually do one night stands, trust me. Also, your boss seems to like you so just go with it, alright? You're handsome. How could nobody want you?"

The man grinned and some time later, the two were asleep, two strangers holding each other after sharing life stories. Nothing like it. But don't go home with strangers.

.
It had been almost a week now since Mabea last saw Hiroto and often times, she was tempted to call or text him but she always pulled back at the last minute. Why?

Pride.

Oratile watched her and he even called Mama who arrived some days later. When mama arrived, Mabea continued her life as if nothing had happened. She went to school and  work and came back home, worked for a while then went to bed. She talked and acted normal but Oratile knew his sister.

He walked out of the house with an excuse to go to the outside toilet. While outside, he dialled Hiroto who answered within a few seconds.

"Yes?"

"Hey, China." He paced up and down outside. "Look...what happened between you and my sister? Man...she's going around like everything is going fine but I know my sister."

"Oratile," he said, having difficulty pronouncing the name. "Your sister and I...we're going through a rough patch right now, alright? Just...give her space."

"Is it because of what your grand parents said to her? I heard everything. I was eavesdropping."

Hiroto sighed. "Look man...as much as you're concerned for your sister, things stand the way they stand right now. I gotta go, alright?"

"Hiroto just man up for once! She's your girl and you have to fight for her! I wish you knew how much she loves you but I guess you're too blind to actually stand up to your family for her! What you're doing is shitty and you know it." Oratile dropped the call and turned to go back into the house but was met by a scowling Mabea.