His Girlfriend

I was standing in front of the bathroom mirror. I just finished taking a shower. My eyes zeroed on the reddish mark that was on my shoulder. Was that...no way. Was that a bite mark? I blinked and blinked. That...that...couldn't be it right? I mean there's no way. I touched it tentatively with my fingers and shivered. It wasn't painful or anything. Just sensitive. Not knowing how I could even begin to explain what I was seeing I decided to block it out of my mind because even thinking about the possibility of it all being real was terrifying.

I was on the bus, on my way to school. I kept sniffing myself because before I left home my mother made a comment again about me smelling like a wet dog. She said the smell was stronger today than yesterday. I sighed. Either there was something wrong with my nose or my mother's because to me I didn't smell like a dog. I smelled like me.

<i>Precious one</i>

Not this again! I looked around the bus and like before, the handsome man was nowhere in sight. It was all in my head.

<i>Precious one</i>

The voice was more clearer now.

No please, leave me alone. I pleaded with my eyes closed.

<i>Precious one</i>

No no no! I covered my ears with my hands.

<i>Precious one</i>

<i>What do you want from me? </i>I screamed in my head. I waited a few seconds and of course there was no response. I laughed at myself. Wow Zenande, you're really losing your mind. Did you really think you would get a response back? Seriously? It's all in your head. Stop obsessing about a man you don't even know what his first name is.

It was lunch time. I was at my usual spot, under the tree, eating my sandwich.

<i>Precious one</i>

Seriously? Humph. This was starting to annoy me. <i>What?</i>

The voice chuckled. Even the chuckle was like his from the dream. I really had it bad.

<i>So it hadn't been my imagination earlier on. You really can talk back to me. How did you do that?</i>

<i>What do you mean? This is all in my head.</i>

<i>

</i>

<i>You still think that this is not real? That I'm not real?</i>

<i>Yep. I blame myself for obsessing over you. Now my head is playing tricks on me.</i>

<i>

</i>

<i>You're obsessed with me?</i>

<i>You could say so. </i>I said begrudgingly.

<i>This pleases me precious one. Greatly.</i>

I don't know if it was the wind passing by or what but I felt a brush of some sort against my cheek. Like a feather like caress. Which was crazy, I know but nonetheless I felt it and I couldn't help my body's reaction to it. I cleared my throat.

<i>Go away now. You're disturbing my lunchtime. I-I want to eat in peace please.</i>

<i>Okay precious one. Soon.</i>

Was it me or did that "soon" sound like a promise? I shook my head and finished my lunch.

I was in business class, my last class of the day. The lecturer wasn't here yet. I was early. Somebody sat on the seat next to me. I turned to see who it was and was struck frozen because there he was, the handsome man. The real one. Not the one in my dreams.

Him: "Fancy finding you here precious one." He said with that panty dropping ass smile of his. This man was a player. There was no way he wasn't. He laughed... "I'm offended precious one. I didn't know that's how you thought of me." What? There was no way he could've heard what I said right? I shook my head as I looked away from him. I fidgeted with my fingers. I couldn't believe he was actually here. I didn't know what to do or say to him. The dream him and the real him were totally different from each other. I could talk and be myself with the dream him but with the real him, I could never. And it didn't help that the last time I had seen the real him was when I had ran away from him like the coward that I was after I had balled my eyes in front of him. I closed my eyes shut in mortification thinking about that day. What to do? What to do? Please God, help me. "Did you have a good lunch?" I just gave a tentative nod. "That's good." Then silence. Where was the damn lecturer?! I needed the class to start as in now. This is what I get for being early. I fiddled with my glasses, then I rubbed my shaky hands together. "Is this your last class of the day?" Another tentative nod. "Precious one?" Please could you stop talking to me. I'm a loser okay? I don't know what to say to you. "From now on, let's eat lunch together."

Me: "W-What?" I looked at him in surprise. He smiled.

Him: "You heard me." This man was crazy. What did he want from me. "What? You don't want to?"

Me: "N-no i-i-it's n-not t-that. I-I-I..." Argh! You see why I didn't want to open my mouth? I stutter when I'm nervous.

Him: "Then it's sorted." I was screwed. He puffed out a laugh and gave me an affectionate pat on the head. "You're cute precious one, you know that?" I was? I looked away blushing as my tummy flip flopped. I've never been called cute before, let alone beautiful. "You're also that and more. You're everything." I looked at him. Could he read minds? Not possible. But what he said was so sweet that it brought tears into my eyes. I blinked them away and looked forward. Both the dream him and the real him were making it impossible for me not to like him.

It was now after class. We were walking together. I don't know where we were heading to. I didn't care. It was nice having him beside me. I liked how he matched his pace with mine. How he kept brushing against me now and again. How he kept giving me looks that burned me alive inside and out. I liked how even though we were not talking, the silence wasn't awkward or uncomfortable with him. In fact, as the minutes passed by, I noticed myself getting more and more relaxed in his presence. I don't know what all of this meant but I think I'll be brave enough to make a wild guess. I think he fancied me this handsome man. I don't know how it was possible for a guy like him to like a girl like me but there it was. I could feel it. There was a connection between us that was just there. It was so strong that I swear I could see and even touch it, if I wanted to. I looked at him and found his intense glowing eyes already on me. Sheesh. I looked away biting my lip. Okay, here goes nothing. I suddenly stopped which caused him to also stop. I sucked in a big gulp of air and faced him.

Me: "D-do y-you like me?"

Him: "Yes." My heart began to beat out of my chest. Gu gu gu gu.

Me: "I-I like y-you t-too." He smiled.

Him: "Then it's sorted."

Me: "W-what?"

Him: "We're dating now. I'm your boyfriend and you're my girlfriend." He winked and started to walk but I grabbed his arm.

Me: "W-wait."

Him: "Yes?" I let go of his arm and squeezed my hands together.

Me: "Y-your name. I-I don't know it." He bent down getting into my face and I sucked in an audible breath as I held myself still. My heart was beating crazily inside my chest.

Him: "Zukile."

Me: "Z-Zukile?" He gave a short nod as he stood up straighter. "Zukile." I said his name to myself testing it and smiled a small smile. I liked it. It suited him. Surprising me, he grabbed my hand intertwining it with his big one.

Zukile: "Let's go." He said pulling me with him.

Me: "W-where're we going?"

Zukile: "Taking my girlfriend home."