Blood Is Not A Contract

Scattered clothes led from the front door to the bedroom. My heart stopped. I came to surprise my boyfriend on our two year anniversary. Instead, l was the one getting the surprise. Deeper inside the apartment,l heard it—moans. Skin slappind skin. And then a voice l would recognise even in sleep. My sister's voice. “Tell me Joshua, who is better in bed? Me or your boring girlfriend Nora?“ Silence. Then my boyfriend laughed that low, cruel laugh l thought l had figured out. Ofcourse, it's you Andy. “Nora is just a rock. She won't even let me touch her” Something cold settled in my chest. I am Nora Jasper Sufu. First daughter of Sufu family. Eldest of three. My family was never the warm, loving kind you see in movies. My father only had eyes for my younger sister Andy. My mom only knew how to stay silent. And my little brother was too scared to speak. Joshua was my escape for two years, he was the only warmth l had. Cold sometimes? Yes. Distant? Yes. But l cherished him, because he loved a scarred soul like me. Or so l thought. Today was supposed to be happy, l had saved for months from my part time jobs to buy for him the Rolex he had been eyeing. I held the gift box so tight my fingers hurt. His car was parked outside. Good, his home, l thought. My suprise will be perfect. I used the spare key, he'd given me when we started dating. I had never used it before. Big mistake to think l wouldnt need it. The door opened and there they were—hus shirt, her skirt, her lace bra leading upstairs—a trail of breadcrumps leading to hell. My heart broke, but me feet kept moving. My brain refused to accept it. It must be a misunderatanding. He is testing me. Yes that must be it. But the closer l got to his bedroom, the clearer the sounds became. Moans. Not forced. Pleasurable. I might have been a virgin, but l wasnt stupid. I knew exactly how good s*x sounded like. The door was slightly ajar. Through the gap, l could see them tangled up in the sheets l picked out with him last christmas. My sister. My boyfriend. “How long?“l said, pushing the door open. My voice didnt shake. That surprised even me. They froze. For two whole minutes, which felt like eternity—no one spoke. They stared at me like they'd seen a ghost. Ofcourse they expected me to scream, to cry, to make a scene like l always did so they could twist it and call me crazy. They didn't expect calm. Hesitantly, my boyfriend—no my ex pulled the sheet up. Not a shred of remorse on his face. “A year and a half” A year and a half. The irony almost made me laugh, “ that's when l introduced you to my sister. So you couldnt wait longer to start f*****g behind my back” l said quietly, too quietly that they would have missed it had the room not been dead silent. One and a half years of being played, of him faking love, faking smiles, while watching me make a fool of myself behind my back. It must have been exhausting. Or hilarious. Or both For them. I didn't say more, there was nothing left for me to say. I dropped the rolex box on the floor. It landed with a dull thud, next to her bra. Then l walked out. I didnt go home, l wandered aimlessly through the streets of City Z until night fell. Letting the cold numb what was left of my heart. When l finally headed home, l thought l could break down in peace. I was wrong. In my house, you don't even get to heartbreak in peace My good sister had run home first, and twisted the whole story— painting me as the devil, as always. The moment l stepped inside, l didnt get a greeting. I got a tea cup flying straight toward my face. Before l could react, hot tea scalded my forehead, and the cup shattered right at my feet……………..