Peace the Savage

Chapter 4: The Break Ups

AFTER SCHOOL HE WENT to the grocery shops where he was supposed to meet with Grace. Peace walked on the paved pathways towards the butchery where Grace had said she was when she texted him. It was some minutes past six and was beginning to get dark. There was a cool breeze beginning to hit Peace on the face and he wished he had worn a jacket instead of only a long-sleeved muscle top. He wondered where the chill had come from since it had been so hot in the afternoon.

He found Grace standing on the pavement near the entrance to the butchery. She was wearing a jacket, thank God, jeans and some boots.

When she saw him approaching, she smiled, walked up to him, swung her arms around him and gave him a slight kiss on the lips.

"I missed you," she whispered in his ear as she hugged him and once again Peace was nervous.

He pushed her gently off him and smiled uncomfortably at her. "Let's take a walk," he said. Grace looked at him surprised but didn't say anything. They started walking facing north. Peace had his hands in his pockets and his eyes were looking at his feet as he walked. Grace watched him from his side. Something was not right, she felt it. Don't be pessimistic, she thought.

"I don't have much time," Peace said through gritted teeth. "I need to go back home in a few minutes." It was now beginning to feel cold and he shivered. Grace continued to watch him in silence. "Damn, this town is really funny. It never sleeps. People don't retire to their houses early I suppose." Surely the roads were full with people and cars and everywhere was crowded.

"You'll get a chill," Grace said coming closer. "Its very cold."

Peace moved away from her. "I'm okay. Don't worry."

"Are you sure?" She asked, her eyebrows raised in concern. "You don't have a jacket and you're shivering."

"Maybe you should give me your jacket," he said with a laugh.

"Sure," Grace said as she started removing her jacket. Peace stopped her and laughed.

"Don't be ridiculous, G," he said. "I'm just kidding. I'm OK.”

"But-" she pleaded.

"Don't worry," he said. His face was serious again. "Im alright."

"Okay, at least lemme warm you." Grace moved closer but when she tried to put her arms around him, Peace caught them in mid-air and waved them away. He then walked a few steps from her.

"I said I'm ok," he said and then immediately fell into a silence.

Grace stopped and stared at him in wide amazement. What was happening with him today? Peace didn't notice and continued walking.

"Alex!" She called his name softly and Peace looked back at her. "What's going on with you?"

"Huh?

"You've been acting strangely for the past seven minutes we've been together. You close your mouth when I try to kiss you, you push me away when I hug you, you don't say 'I missed you too' or something, and now you Jackie Chan my embrace twice when I try to warm you up and you talk to me roughly. What's going on?"

"When did I talk to you roughly?" Peace asked.

"Just about sixty seconds ago."

"You're very good with numbers ttoday. Especially with time," Peace said with a smile. "When did you get that smart?"

"I'm serious," she said.

"Okay, sorry if I talked to you that way," Peace said softly. "I didn't mean to."

"At least tell me what's wrong and make me feel better. Who knows, maybe I can help." She folded her arms over her chest. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Peace said. "Come on, let's go. Please."

"No," Grace retorted. "Not till you tell me what's wrong."

"Grace, its getting darker and you need to go back home very soon. Come on."

"No," she said unfolding and then folding her arms back on her chest again. "Something is bothering you and I need to know what. You've been quiet tonight and you're never like that. Don't you think I deserve to know?"

"No," Peace said shortly through gritted teeth.

"Excuse me?" Grace said. "What'd you say?"

"I said I dont think so."

Grace waved her hands in the 'what' gesture. "What do you mean?"

“How can I put this?” Peace walked back to her and stood facing her. He swallowed. "I mean its not necessary for you to know everything about me. Not anymore."

Grace's eyebrows were high up on her forehead, with a confused look on her face. "I... I... I don't understand."

Peace took a long breath. "What I'm saying is we can't keep on seeing each other. We need to take a break-"

"You're breaking up with me?" She asked softly.

Peace looked away for a moment and then looked back at Grace. "If you put it that way, then I guess I am."

"But why?" She asked. "Is it me? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no, Grace," Peace said. "Its not you. You didn’t do anything wrong. Look, you're a good girl, beautiful, loyal and kind hearted. You deserve better than me."

"Please don't say that-"

"Someone just told me I need to change. I need to fix myself first, and I think she's right. I'm bad, Grace, very bad. I'm bad for you, too, therefore I need to let you go. You need to do the same, please."

She shook her head. "No, I can't."

"Please, its for your own good. We can't continue seeing each other because we'll never work out. We both know that-"

"I don't know that," she replied.

Peace moved closer. "Tell me something, how many times have I hurt you? How many times have I been angry with you over petty issues, ignored or mistreated you because of that?"

"I don't know!" She waved her hands in the air in frustration. "And it doesn't matter. Every relationship has its problems and people fight every time when they love each other."

"How many times have I told you that I love you?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment then stared up at him with watery eyes. "I don't know, alright?" Grace shouted. "What I know is that you want to leave me."

"I've never told you that I love you, Grace!"

“Are you gloating right now?”

“Hell, no!”

"So what? So, you are going to abandon me-"

"I'm not-"

"You are. You're breaking up with me, Alex, for no reason. What does that mean? I'm some kind of pet you own and give it up anytime you want?"

"No. Besides, I'm sure you were going to break up with me yourself soon enough," Peace said kindly. "I like you a lot, G, but sometimes you have to let people go because you care for them. You got to do the same, please. I'm bad for you and you know that."

"You keep on saying that-"

"Yes!" Peace said. "Because that's the truth. I've known this from the first time we started hanging out. You're too good for me. And, Grace to be honest with you, I'm going to hurt you eventually if we keep seeing each other-"

"That's a risk I'm willing to take-"

"No, you don't!" Peace whispered softly. "You'll hurt, G. I don't want that to happen. You don't want that to happen either. Do me a favour- no, in fact do yourself a favour and ...and let go."

"You enjoy this, don't you?"

"I don't know, Grace. Right now, what I know is I need to go back home and sleep this over."

"When people told me you were a heartbreaker, I thought they were lying. I thought they were jealous or something. I defended you because I saw a good person in you. I put my trust in you, Alex. I changed my ways for you. People told me you dated girls for fun and I told them that they were wrong because I thought your love for me was genuine. I told them that they didn't know you. I told them you were better than what they thought you were. But they weren't wrong, were they? - I was. They knew you better than I did. You're what they told me you were: a heartbreaker-"

"They were right, I'm a heartbreaker! A player! I'm everything they told you I was!" Peace retorted feeling annoyed. "You should've listened to them. I hurt people, Grace, and you shouldn't be exceptional. We both knew that eventually one of us would get hurt on the way, and for your own information, I don't wait to get hurt. And its not my fault this happened. Now please can I take you home? It's high time I returned home myself."

"No. Go home," Grace said softly. "I loved you, Alex. Now I don't ever want to see your face again."

"You will reach home ok?" Peace asked rather indifferently.

"Don't worry about me." Her voice was cold now. "Now leave me alone!"

THAT NIGHT WHEN HE LAY in bed, Peace felt guilty yet relieved. He'd never felt that way before after breaking up with a girl. Maybe it was because of Mitchell, or maybe he was getting softer now.

He had gone to see Peter on his way from where he'd left Grace and they had discussed about the business. He had been preoccupied but conscious of what they were talking about and tomorrow when his mind was clear he would begin. According to Peter, once Peace started creating advertisements, product shoots, and social media campaigns tailored to the brands image, this informal freelance work would open the door for further opportunities. That was really good news.

However, he still had five more girls to break up with. Life was hard, thanks to Mitchell who had told him to settle for one girl at a time. He had thought about breaking up with all his girls except one but then he could not choose who to keep. Instead, he was breaking up with all of them. He wasn't sure how he would break up with any of them. This was a different issue from Esther's. With Esther there had been rumours about her having another boyfriend, and Peace had taken advantage of that. Also, Peace had started the rumour himself.

If he was going to become new, he had to let go of the past, and start afresh. He would be hurting the girls but if he was never going to hurt anyone ever again when, he just had to do it one more time. He might as well hurt five more girls one last time. Nora was next.

NORA WAS BEAUTIFUL- very beautiful- and was not from the same school as Peace. She was short, well built with a heart shaped face, shapely legs and arms. When Peace thought about her, his heart ached. She was his favourite. Maybe he would just make her his one and only? No. He'd promised himself to start afresh and that was what he was going to do. When he broke up with her, Nora who was always emotional, burst into tears and went to hug him tight telling him not to leave her. It was dramatic. He had reassured and encouraged her saying if he was fixed, there might still be a chance for both of them again. She seemed cheered and had wiped away her tears but later that night she had texted and called him and begging for forgiveness God knows what for. She said she wanted him back and from the sound of it, she was crying when she talked to him over the phone. Again.

Takudzwa was next. This one was hurt but hid it from Peace. She told him that she had been meaning to tell him the same thing- that she needed a break from him. It hurt his pride for some time until he found her being comforted by her friend while crying. He felt relieved.

By the end of the week, he had broken up with the rest of them: Nelia, Diana and Jaquelin. All of them were hurt but Peace tried to make them feel better. It hurts a woman's pride to have a man break up with her but Peace was good at comforting. He even went to talk with Esther and apologised to her and encouraged her to move on. She had refused saying she would always wait for him to come back to her. Stubborn Esther.

Now that he was at zero again, he could start afresh.

***