Her Poisonous Tongue

Chapter Six - No More Running

She slowly furrowed her brows at me and her face totally changed as if I have offended her. If she wasn't ignoring or avoiding me, then I'd definitely think that I offended her by saying what I said. But at that moment I felt confident that I didn't offend her at all.

"what do you mean?" she asked and I furrowed my brows at her, what I said was pretty obvious and didn't need any further explanation.

But since I was nice, I broke it down for her, "I mean you don't have to feel bad about it, you won't be the first person to wipe me out of your life because I'm..." I looked around us when I saw her eyes widening, probably thinking I'd scream 'gay' in this aisle. So instead of screaming it, I whispered it,".. Gay.. You won't be the first person to not want anything to do with me because of my sexuality, so embrace it.."

She cleared her throat, "I never said I didn't want anything to do with you.."

I shook my head a bit and came closer to her then spoke, "oh come on Zoe. We are both adults here, and you know very well that you don't always have to spell something out to someone, you can just keep quiet and distance yourself. So I was just saying you don't have to feel bad about it because many have paved the way for you.. You are not the first one and definitely won't be the last. "

Her face changed and I knew I hit a spot. I could always trust on reverse psychology to do the trick. A little bit of manipulation works if someone has a good heart, and that was her weakness, she had a good heart.

She sighed, "so you deal with that? People.. "

".. Walking in and out of my life..? I mean I don't have to deal with it, I could just keep quiet and let them believe that I have a boyfriend when they assume that. But I love being my fully self without compromising anything. And to be honest, I never thought that you'd be like that. With how welcoming and helpful you were to that stranger me. I mean you, Thando, Thando's father and this guy over here.. " I said that pointing at Rasaq on the counter, "you guys are the only people that I know her.. So I didn't think you'd be like 96% of people I meet.."

The guilt on her face made me feel satisfied, I knew I was pressing the right buttons then.

"sorry.." a woman said.

She wanted to pass behind me and I was forced to actually step even closer than I already was to Zoe. She looked on the side and I apologised since I was almost face to face with her, "sorry.. Definitely need to make these aisles more wider so that people will pass freely without trying to suffocate each other.."

She laughed nervously, "well tell that to someone who will actually do it.."

I smiled and took a step back after the woman passed, "trust me I will.."

"so.. You managed to make me feel really bad about what I did. Even though I didn't do it because I was wiping you out of my life. I just..." she kept quiet.

"you just what Zoe?"

"this is a very small town Letti and those things usually happen in the cities. So I was shocked. I mean I don't care who you sleep with I just..."

".. Didnt want to be associated with me?" I asked cutting her off and she groaned, "oh my God you are making me out to be this monster.. No.."

I ached my brow and played with her, "really?"

"yeah like I said.. I wasn't..."

Another person wanted to pass behind me and I did the same thing, only this time I touched her shoulder and moved way closer to her again, putting my face on her shoulders.. God she smelled so good.

Then I moved back into the original place when they passed.

"well we will end up knocking this down and I won't afford to pay everything if it's damaged." I said pointing at the things behind her and she laughed, "yeah.. Look can we like do this some other time.. Maybe come to my place..?"

I nodded my head knowing that I definitely won... Again, "alright... So you'll call and not ignore me."

She looked away probably embarrassed, "yeah... Geez I'm sorry.."

I laughed and headed towards the counter to Rasaq. She followed behind me.

I turned to her, "okay I'll take that as a yes. I'll wait on you then.. If I keep messaging you so much it will seem like I want you.."

Her face turned red making me smile internally.

I looked at my employee, "Rasaq, please make sure that those aisles are big by the weekend. People are having a hard time passing each other while shopping. Just make them a little wider okay.."

He smiled, "sure thing.."

I slowly walked out of the store and so did Zoe.

"wait.." she said, "what just happened? Did you just order that guy to widen the aisle?"

I nodded my head laughing a bit, "but you told me to tell him.."

She laughed, "what no.. I didn't mean.. What.. No.."

I laughed at how cute she was and she rolled her eyes, "you're awful.."

I laughed more stopping next to my car on the side of the road, "come on.. It will help you not to get stuck while shopping.. Unless you enjoyed being squashed under me.."

She chuckled, "oh my God I can't deal with you.. So do you want a ride back?"

I pointed at my car, "actually my baby arrived when you were playing a homophobe.. So do you want a ride back?"

She looked at me and then at the car, "oh my God.. Really? Well darn... I'll definitely want a ride someday.."

We both smiled at each other and she sighed after a few seconds, "Letti..."

I waited for her to go on and say whatever she wanted to say. But instead she shook her head a bit and said nothing.

At that moment I wished I could read her mind just to see what she was thinking. She seemed like she was thinking something but she didn't want to say it.

I got inside my car and winked at her, "well.. See you on the other side.. Or when you actually call me.."

She laughed, "totally.. After you."

I smiled and drove back home.

Now things were back to the plan..

..

"I'm just saying.. You believe in love? Really?"

"what's wrong with love and believing in it Zoe?"

"love is insanely overrated. There's no such thing.. Have you ever seen people that love each other even when they don't like each other?"

I did, my parents were exactly like that and my brother and his wife are like that and at the back of my mind I wanted that. I was hoping that after this I'll find someone to settle down with and live happily ever after.

Call me crazy. I was a sucker for love.

"what? Zoe come on? You're what? 28..?" she looked at me and I laughed, "you are trying to tell me that you have never been in love?"

She rolled her eyes, "have you ever been in love?"

I nodded my head, "definitely. When I was 12..i was madly in love with this girl in my art class and she hated my guts. I used to stare at her and she would run from me. That's how I knew I was gay.."

She pushed me off laughing. She was genuinely laughing it was so adorable.

So Zoe did invite me to her house after all, turned out that my manipulative ways played a big role and she called.

Right now we were sitting on the couch talking and having wine after eating dinner, it was actually cute how she was interested in my sexuality but didn't want to directly ask questions.. She'd just tell me to go on.

"I am waiting for you to go on... I want to ask but I don't want to cross any lines or offend you."

I smiled, "aren't you cute.. Ask me anything."

She swallowed, "umh.. Okay.. So how did you know..."

I laughed, "cute again.. Well I had a crush on girls you know the same way you probably have crushes on boys.. I knew when I was that age that I was different you know.. So yeah.."

She nodded her head paying attention, "did you umh... Your family.. Parents.. How did they take it?"

I sighed. God I cornered myself with this.

"if that's okay.. You don't have to answer.."

I swallowed and took the glass of wine that I had in my hand and had a sip. I looked at her. She was a few inches closer to me, so I could smell how amazing her fragrance was. I was actually getting used to loving her scent.

And I had to agree, Zoe was attractive and she didn't even have to try hard to look it, she just had to be clean. I was really blessed that I had to seduce someone like her. It made my job easy and interesting.

She cleared her throat, "umh... I'll get us wine.."

She tried to get up but I held her hand and she looked at me. I moved my fingers a little bit on her hand and she looked at them. I internally wondered if I was moving fast...?

She swallowed and pulled her hand away slowly.

I smiled, "Sorry... Umh. I just wanted to say it's okay.. I... My Parents made me believe in love. What they felt for each other was visible even to a blind person.."

She smiled and I did too, "I knew that when I grow up, I wanted what they had. It was beautiful.. But... Then life happened and I didn't even get to tell them I was gay.. They passed away when I was 11"

She nodded her head a bit and by her facial expression I knew she regretted asking about this.

"it's okay Zoe.. Don't feel bad okay. It's okay to talk about it sometimes.. And thank God I'm not crying this time around." I said laughing and she laughed too, "yeah, that would have scared me away.."

I looked at her and bit my lower lip, "and we don't want you running, do we?"

She shook her head slowly, "no... No we don't."