The Arrogant Jerk

CHAPTER 41

Time really flies when you’re having fun. My weekend went by very fast. My highlight was the time spent with Makho. I had so much fun with him, I even forgot that Mayor Makhulu had sent me stupid flowers and food. I know my friends advised that I should approach this issue in a calm manner but the mayor’s actions really pissed me off. I am not one of his toys and I don’t want him to think I was charmed by that little stunt he pulled. With the help of the clerk, I manage to get the mayor’s number. I hide my number and then call him because I don’t want him calling me. But I am stupid. If he knows my address then he knows my number. He answers after a few rings.

“Mthimkhulu here, hello.” You can detect arrogancy from his tone. I nearly click my tongue but I stop myself.

“Good afternoon. This is Miss Gwendaline, Mesuli’s teacher.”
“My God, Miss Gwendaline. How are you this evening?”

“Cut the mocking formalities. You sent me flowers and food on Saturday and don’t dare try to deny it.”
He chuckles. “I wasn’t going to deny it, Miss Gwendaline. I am glad that you received my gift.” I huff.

“What you did was uncool. I ate the food because I was hungry and I am a sucker for food but I gave away the flowers because someone decided to turn my apartment into the Garden of Eden on a Saturday morning.”
“So you like a part of your gift? That’s nice.”

“I didn’t like any of it. Don’t put words into my mouth. Don’t ever do something like that. If you wanted to humble yourself and deliver a genuine promise, a simple ‘I am sorry’ would’ve sufficed. Also, life was going on very well without your apology because I don’t take what your kind says into heart.”

“My kind?”
“Yes, your kind. The rich kind who thinks the world revolves around money. That thinks everyone can be bought or charmed by useless grand gestures. The kind that thinks they are Gods just because they are richer than most rich people. You don’t owe me anything, Mr. Mayor, so don’t ever do something like that.”

He clears his throat. “I hear you, Miss Gwendaline, but…”

“That would be all. If you want to talk about your kid’s progress, you would have to use my school email. That’s what’s our little relationship is based on. A parent-teacher relationship and I hope from now on, you won’t go over your boundaries.” I hang up and feel a huge weight being lifted from my shoulders. That had to be done.

I continue with my marking, leaving a few notes for the students. I then remember that waking up this morning, I had tons of missed calls from my family. Most of them were from mom and a few from my siblings, Nneka, Udoa, Chia and Kosiso. I didn’t get a check to respond to them because I had to rush to work. I think about responding now but a call comes in from Bangi, one of Mathenji’s men. Why the fuck is he calling me? I let it ring and the moment it stops, I quickly dial Mathenji’s number.

“Chichi I was with you the whole weekend. Please.” Her voice sounds distraught.
“Okay.” She hangs up and I frown. How the fuck do I account for Saturday and Sunday night because I was with Makho? I hope I am good at lying as I am good at reading. Bangi calls again and I answer this time around.

“Bangi, hello.”
“Hey, Chizoba. I am sorry for disturbing you. I just wanna know if you happened to see Mathenji this weekend.”

“Yeah. She arrived at my apartment on Friday evening and spent the night here. On Saturday we went to the mall to give out flowers and then drove to Zoe’s place. Zoe is my friend and she also happens to be my boyfriend’s mother. We spent the evening together and I only left for the surprise my boyfriend had for me. When we were done dining, we both went back to Zoe’s house and Mathenji was still there. We drank wine and slept really late. She had work yesterday, so she left Zoe’s house at the morning.” I am going to hell for this but this is standard girl code or bro code. Lies to cover your friend’s ass should always be at the tip of your tongue.

“Ohh, thank you for that clarity. I thought I saw her with a white man on Saturday. I guess I was seeing things.”
“Yeah, it may be that. Mathenji could never survive with a white person. I even struggle making conversation with her because we always must communicate in English.”

He chuckles. “Thank you for the clarity. Have a good evening, and I am sorry for disturbing you.”
“It’s no problem, really.” He hangs up and I sigh in relief. What the fuck have you gotten yourself into, Mathenji?

I put my phone away and walk to the kitchen. Having friends like Mathenji is both a blessing and a curse. I don’t know what kind of shit she is into and I don’t know if I wanna know. I drink water and do some few breathing exercises. I am startled by a hard knock on the door. Seriously, why doesn’t security ever call me to confirm my visitors before letting them up?

“Babe, it’s me. Open up.” Mathenji screams from the other side and I exhale loudly. I walk to the door and open it. She is still wearing her work uniform. She just barges in and starts pacing up and down as soon as I have shut the door. “I am in deep shit, friend. I don’t know where to go. I don’t wanna sleep here because I don’t want to endanger your life. I am sure Makhosonke would skin me alive if I were to put you in harm’s way.” I frown.

“What the fuck are you on about? What is happening?”

“Nathan found out about Bangi and Mthoko and Ofentshe. He gave me three days to end it with them if I still want to continue with him. Friend, Nathan is a gangster. He is the right hand man of this gang lord whom his name I have forgotten. So I wanted to dump Bangi first but when I came to his place to end things, he asked me about Saturday. Nathan purposefully took me out in a very busy mall and he kept showering me with kisses. Bangi saw us but I didn’t see him. When I told him that I was dumping him because of his stupid insecurities, he said over his dead body.”

Wow. This is a lot to take in. I head to the fridge and retrieve a bottle of wine. I open it and drink it straight from the bottle. I pass it over to Mathenji and she takes a huge gulp. “How do you feel about Nathan though? Do you love him?” she sits down on the floor and sigh.

“I think so. Before he discovered about my other ‘sponsors’, he was very loving, very gentle with me and so kind. He is still like that but he just wants me to get my affairs in order before really getting back with him.”
“Why did you make me lie to Bangi? You could’ve told him the truth to avoid drama. You would’ve hit two birds with one stone.”

“Because he had a deadly look when he was confronting me. When he walked out to call you, he banged the door and I got scared. I am actually scared of him. Have you seen how muscular he is? It’s sexy when he is about to pick you up and fuck you in many ways imaginable, but if you have wronged him, chances of him crushing you like a bug, are a lot.”

I look at her and sit next to her. “What are you going to do?”

“Nathan can provide for me for eternity, but u don’t want him to force me to change the way I live. I can dump the men I am with and I am going to dump them but I am also going to dump Nathan. If I let him dictate this small thing, he will control me and dictate the way I live.”

“That’s probably a great idea. How are you going to finance your life though?”
She chuckles. “I have money saved for rainy days and it can finance my lifestyle for a whole year.”
“Okay then. Let’s do it. Let’s dump the men.”

“Door to door, friend.” We stare at each other and break into laughter. We are crazy but we are going seriously going to go door to door, dumping Mathenji’s hundred boyfriends.

“But you’re on your own with Nathan.” She rolls her eyes.
“Coward.” She mutters and I laugh.
“What’s that saying you Zulu people like? Cowards always survive. So let me be a coward in peace.”