Present and Past Desires

Mel’s POV "Mel, you don’t have to abort the baby." Jabari pleaded, giving me a pleading face. I really wished he wouldn’t do this. He was only making me feel more guilty than I already did. I loved him and would be willing to spend the rest of my life with him, but these days, his poverty ranking was just climbing higher by the day, and it really scared me. I was poor enough already and didn’t need to sink lower. “Listen, I have the intention of earning a degree so we could help each other and stay afloat at least. But carrying this baby now would only make us sink deeper.” I tried to reason with him. We had been close friends since high school, till he graduated two years ago. I had only just graduated this year, full of plans and hope for college admissions, and now this. “Besides, you have to consider me too.” I added quietly. “You don’t expect me to skip school to nurse a baby, do you?” He shrugged. “It would only be for a year. I will marry you and look after you. I promise.” My shoulders shook as I burst out in laughter. Jabari was the most optimistic being I have ever known. He worked multiple jobs just to pay his fees, and here he was talking about marriage. “Please, can you be realistic? You and I both know you are barely managing. Didn’t you borrow money from my brother last week to get drugs for your mum and sister? This shirt you have on is about the only thing you have been putting on for the past week and…” I had to stop this time as I noticed his countenance looked sad and broken like he was going to break down and cry. I hated to see him this way. “You know I can’t be like this forever, right? Besides, it doesn’t change the way I feel about you and…” “And I am only eighteen. Would you at least consider that?” I sighed in exasperation, wriggling my hands out of his grip. He had been holding on as though it could make me change my mind. “I have to go now. It’s getting late already. My folks will start worrying. Just think about it. I could abort the baby, then go to school. Soon you will graduate, get a great job, then come marry me.” He slipped something into my palm with a wan smile, squeezing my hand one last time. “What’s this?” I asked, glancing down. He smiled. The smile lit up his dark handsome features as he stared at me. “It’s a bracelet. I got it for you.” I raised it to the dim lighting on the street. It looked beautiful. And cheap. Brown and black fanciful beads spelling MelJay, with two ropes, a simple slider bracelet. “Wow, it’s nice." I murmured with sincerity, slipping it on and raising my wrist to admire it. I watched his face lit up as though he had given me a very expensive and rare gift. It reminded me of the one my friend Ella had received from her rich boyfriend. An expensive diamond studded necklace. In contrast to this one Jabari gave me, it was like a piece of trash. But they say love is blind, right? We held our gaze a little longer till he leaned his head forward to kiss me. Since the streets looked dark and empty. I threw all caution to the wind as he pulled me close, and enjoyed every moment of it, before pulling away. “Thanks for this. But I gotta run now. See you later.” I hurried off before he would say something else to delay me further. Tears were pooling up in my eyes, and I didn't want him to see it. However, I had barely turned around when I heard an excited squeal behind me. “Jabari!!!" I halted in my steps and looked back to find Ella run up to Jabari and pull him into a hug. “I missed you all day!” She whined with a pout. "You promised to call, but you didn't!" I thought my vision blurred for a moment as I felt numb. "Ella?” "Oh, is that you, Mel?” She left Jabari's side and took a step closer to me. “Oh, it's really you." She gave me her usual wide smile and that was when I saw it on her neck. The diamond studded necklace. “What are you doing here? By the way, meet my boyfriend, Jabari." No way. No way Jabari bought her that expensive necklace and left me with a strand of dirty old beads. My rage surged to the surface as I glared at him, my wrist trembling with the urge to punch him. "Is everything okay?” Ella asked me. Totally ignorant. No way Jabari has been Ella's rich boyfriend all this while. Jabari stared at me like a moron, unable to utter a word. I was so mad I flung the bracelet at his forehead in fury. “You're such a damned fool and a pig!" I cursed, turning around. "Hey, I swear, it's not what you think!” I heard him run after me. “Wait, let me explain!" But I was faster and didn't stop. Fortunately, a taxi pulled up to drop a customer and I hopped in immediately. My head was in a swirl of thoughts throughout the ride back home. I couldn't believe in my wildest dreams that he could do this to me. I felt so hurt and shocked I couldn't cry. There were two things I had not bothered telling Jabari because I had no intention of hurting him, and was still trying to weigh the situation. If only I had the slightest idea that he had been cheating on me. With my best friend. What I didn't tell him was that I was getting married. It was a sudden arrangement because my dad was trying to secure a business deal with one of the most successful men in the city. My dad worked as an accountant in an investment bank and had once overheard one of the important clients yelling over his phone on how he needed a laundry person urgently. Smart dad, he quickly linked his wife, my mum, who worked multiple part-time jobs. Then two weeks ago, when I had gone to replace her for the weekend because she was ill, I met the son of the house owner. Walter. He was so handsome and breath-taking. Also an arrogant jerk too, who kept stealing glances my way. Back then, I thought Jabari would have looked more handsome if he had the money like this guy. But right now, I think he was the ugliest being in the world. When I was about leaving that evening, Walter stopped me. “What’s your name?” he asked. “I’m Melody.” I mumbled shyly, staring down at my feet, wishing I didn’t feel shabby in my tight jeans and faded pink top, in contrast to the expensive designer clothes he had on. “You are beautiful,” he said in a deep husky voice, assessing me. I blushed and thanked him, then made for the door. But he grabbed my hand and held my gaze for a moment longer. “Let's have a drink." He slurred in a husky voice. I knew that tone. From the way he ogled at me, I knew what he wanted and it only made me irritated. “I'm sorry, I don't intend to keep my mum waiting." I broke free and left. He didn’t say a word to me the following day, but I felt his eyes on me all through. I never went back there again after that weekend because my mum resumed. But just the previous day, my dad returned with hot news, as he termed it. He explained that months ago, he had submitted a proposal to Walter’s father for a business firm he intended to start up, but it had been rejected. Now, suddenly, the man had agreed. On the condition that I marry his son. An offer I had blatantly refused. But with Jabari's betrayal now, I was so willing to do it. To marry Walter and prove to Jabari that he was not the only one who does things at his will. Let's see who gets hurt.