Panting heavily , her hands tightly holding her top you'd think it's someone about to punch her. Trying to gasp for air while at the rooftop where there's fresh air to breathe is suffocating to me right now. 'I – I can't bre- breath,' she gasped as tears roll down her cheeks. Holding unto her shoulders while patting her hair gently 'Yes, you can,' Filly tries to assure her 'you just have to do this with me. Breathe in and out. Let's try it out 'Innnnn! Ouut!' he instructed with his arm moving up and down as if he was choirmaster conducting a choral.
'Let's do it again ,' Filly instructed and she surely was the obedient kind. Letting out a lot of trapped air through her mouth, Filly helped her to the floor slowly. 'Are you feeling any better now? It was just a panick attack' he said as he took the space on the cold floor next to him made sure not to say a word. She coiled herself up. Like a little child whom calamity had struck, claiming both parents, their home, just stranded in the wilderness, no one to turn to, no place to call home, all friends abandoned her. Out in the streets like street kids, shivering on a cold night with no place to lay their heads and rest for a second.
The rooftop, a place she had prepared to go and relieve their sweet, happy memories from the past turned out to be the place she'd deal with her heartbreak and disappointment. An expectation turned disappointment. A place that was supposed to be filled with their laughters, clinking of glasses, cheering to their wins, turned out to be a loud silence full of Malaika's sobs.
Do you want to talk about it? He asked, leaning on the wall, looking up to the beautiful night sky, full of dull stars because one of the angels was crying. Shivering but still acting all manly, rubbing his muscles to try and perhaps generate some heat. 'It's ok if you don't_' 'No it's okay,' she interjected wiping away her tears.
With a shaky tone full of hidden agony she began 'It's been like what ? (shrugging) half a decade of loyalty, being understanding, hope that he'll do the same , come back to me .(Rocking back and forth) but I guess I was just being a wishful thinker and It was not mutual. Quite unrequited.
'What really happ_'
'For a second I felt like I was laid on those hospital beds,' taking breaths only when absolutely necessary to continue her monologue '_and people were just surrounding me, all of them expressing a set of mixed emotions. I was just there, lifeless. Then suddenly boom! The doctor is here trying to resuscitate me back to reality. A glass of water is handed to me, (she paused ) bitter lemons,' she scoffs. 'Yooh! He's gone now. How do I explain this to Khita.'
'Who's Khita?' turning to look at her he inquires with a lot of curiosity. Her non-stop monologue had him somewhat confused considering the fact that earlier she had ordered some strong drink for a friend who was about to get married and the short time he was away preparing it , he came back to her crying. And now she was talking about some Khita whom she didn't even bother to elaborate further about.
'What really happened back there?' he decided to be blunt
'Omar is now engaged,' she bluntly answered.
'Wow!' he exclaimed loudly with eyes wide open, that's quite the bombshell, what was he again ? College boyfriend?'. She smirked then nodded her repeatedly in agreement. 'It's his loss,' he said while shrugging his shoulders. ' For now I think we should work on your heartbreak,' he suggested as he gave her a mischievous grin. 'Kodaine, Screwdriver, gin or vodka?' He listed some of the strongest drinks and once he mentioned a single drink he'd pause before moving to the next. Laughing silently, she shook her head in disbelief 'Kodaine it is,' she gave her a go ahead. 'I'll be right be back,' and rushed back to the pub
Malaika slowly braced herself and walked to the other end of the rooftop. She rubbed her arms together then covered her ears. She focused on the world below, the scarce movement of the vehicles below. The loud distant music from pubs, bars and clubs. The loud drank pedestrians.
_ Mishy, are you okay? I know I am in no position to ask whether you're okay but will you let me explain,' Omar begged. After three seconds of no reply and his impatience he proceeded 'I know I promised that I'd be by your side forever but that doesn't mean I'll not be just because I am together with someone else now. We can still be friends_
"Mmm! Friends you say, that's interesting. Tell me more. Or is that why you got engaged so that we can be friends? She muttered with a dead stare. You've really been dying to be my friend, so now that you are, Hello friend' she said with a wry smile. Just then the other four walked in, "Oooh My God, the friends. The battalion of Judas Iscariot and Delilah is a full army now."
'Huh! That's so unnecessary,' Luca said
' Uncalled for,' Seth seconded.
'Mhh!' scoffing dismissively, 'Just like your presence as a matter of fact my eyeballs feel so insulted right.' with a raised eyebrow while looking over their heads. Her insult left them mouths wide open not to know how to counter them
'Miishy,' Omar pleaded
'Let's talk this in a civil manner,' Ivy suggested taking a step closer to her and in return she took one step back away from her.
'Tell that to your new friend,' she shut her up. She was about to turn away when her eyes caught the attention of something. She then turned to Omar for three seconds. A mischievous evil grin flashed over her face. She looked at the direction where her attention had been caught once again, like a predator that had laid it's eyes on it's prey, confidence and pride written all over her face, she prowled towards that direction.
'The bride, Berlin. Like the 80's conference that 'partitioned' Africa,' Malaika said
'It's Belinda,' she corrected her
'I know just that I don't care,' she said with a serious face.
'Huh!' she stuttered. Rubbing the back of her neck while looking at her friends and fiancé hoping he'd rescue her from this individual who stared at her like a man-eater.
'Ha!ha!' Malaika laughed 'I was just joking,' she clarified.
'Ooh!' you had me there,' Belinda replied
'You see I prepared this place for a re-union I think that's what will happen since everyone is here,' with an open palm sweep she asked her to go first and walked right after her and everyone else followed them.
I'm back, but I think I'll have to go back for more,' Filly said and went back immediately.
Once everyone had grabbed a sit, with a lot of enthusiasm Malaika began ' So, Berlin-Belinda,' '_Belinda' she clarified again.'
' My bad,' Placing her hand over on her chest 'let's get acquinted anyway, how did you guys meet.'
'It's not quite the tale, we just met at the library during our research period,' she stated briefly.
'Haaaa-uh!' placing her right hand over her mouth 'Quite boring,' she remarked
'Ooo yeah I know, it's quite embarrassing,' Belinda seconded her
'You see back then when I was still a alcoholic, I had a sneaky link whom I ended up having feelings for, we attended parties together went to the same college, same course. I bet this guys remember him,' surveying the whole table, everyone sure was avoiding Malaika's eyes. 'Guuuuys!' she insisted 'Do you?
Malaika's eyes surely didn't want to be off her prey. 'One time I remember he told me "If there will ever be a woman after you, she'll go through a hard time trying to replace you,' she recalled. All eyes were fixated on Omar yet still not on him but Malaika.
'I bet you guys are really close, where is he now,' she inquired.
'Mmm mmm' Luca cleared his throat while Seth rubbed his own nose. Omar's head was lowered, Ivy and Anna looked at her as if waiting for her to drop the bombshell.
'Too bad, he broke up with me coz he got engaged to someone else, worst part my friends who were also his friends and knew about the engagement didn't tell me about it,' she explained.
'Your friends ,' she paused ' out of the 1,010,300 english words , I can't string enough words together to express how much I want to hit them with a chair right now,' 'but your ex-man , that is a failed abortion,'
Hah!' Malaika burst into a loud laughter cutting through their ears like a siren.
'What's amusing you like that?' Filly asked as he placed the drinks on the table. 'It's Belinda, she just made my night.' She repeated everything Belinda said without subtracting a single detail.
'Guurl that's harsh,' Filly commented while pouring the kodaine into the shot glasses. He pretended like he didn't know who the people in context were
'I am not insulting them, I only described them,' she clarified
'I Love this girl,' Malaika sighed while laughing