A Heartbreaking Surprise

Onika’s POV

As I returned to my department to clear my desk and bid my final goodbye to my colleagues, I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. Raelynn was beaming with excitement, but I was deep in thought, my mind racing with worries.

We walked to the bus stop, Raelynn chattering nonstop about Paris, but I wasn't listening. I was too preoccupied with the daunting task ahead: leaving everything behind, including my mum and boyfriend, Chris.

Chris, my boyfriend, is a 6'0" tall, dark-skinned guy with short dark hair and piercing dark eyes. We met in college, and he asked me out on a date. A few weeks later, he proposed being his girlfriend, and I agreed. We had a lot in common, and we were happy. But now, I was about to move to another country, and I didn't know how to break the news to him.

As we got on the bus, my worries intensified. How would Chris react? Would he understand? Pat, noticing my distress, asked, "What's wrong, Onika?"

"I was just thinking of how to break the news to Chris," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Oh, I think Chris would understand perfectly," Pat said reassuringly. "You guys have been together for a while, and he loves you. He'll support your decision."

"But what if he's not into long-distance relationships?" I asked, my doubts creeping in.

"Well, then you'll cross that bridge when you come to it," Pat said pragmatically. "But I think you're overthinking this, Onika. Just go talk to him and see how he feels. Maybe you both can make it work."

Raelynn, who had been quietly observing our conversation, chimed in, "Yeah, Onika, Pat's right. You and Chris are strong. You can make this work."

I nodded, taking their words to heart. Maybe they were right; maybe I was overthinking the whole situation. Chris loved me, and I loved him. We could make this work, couldn't we?

I then got the courage to go talk with him once and for all, so I got down at the nearest bus stop to his house and bid my friends good bye.

As I walked to Chris's house, I felt a mix of emotions: anxiety, uncertainty, and a hint of hope. I used the spare key he kept outside and let myself in.

The silence was eerie, and I noticed a pair of unfamiliar female slippers in the entrance. "Maybe he has a guest," I thought.

I entered the living room, and the TV was on, but no one was there. I heard voices coming from his room and grabbed my pepper spray, thinking it might be a robber. As I approached the door, the noises grew louder, sounding like moans. Confused and concerned, I opened the door, and what I saw left me dumbfounded...

.........

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, unsure where I was headed or if I should even stop running. But the more I ran, the more the memories of what I saw tormented me.

Flashback:

I opened the door to Chris's room, and my world came crashing down. My boyfriend was with another girl, bent over, and he was taking her from behind.

She was moaning, and he was hitting her with each thrust. They were so lost in their sinful world that they didn't even notice me. The can of pepper spray fell from my hand, and it caught their attention.

Chris turned back, and his face drained of color. Before he could say anything, I ran out of there as fast as my legs could take me, not wanting to find out if he was following me or not.

Flashback over:

I ran till I got to a park, deserted and eerie, and sat on a bench, shedding more tears.

“How could Chris do this to me?” I felt betrayed.

Five years of dating, down the drain. In the midst of my tears, I could hear my phone ringing nonstop. I brought it out, and seeing his name as the caller made me scream so hard that it scared the children in the park, but I didn't care.

Declining the call and blocking his number on all social media platforms, making sure I left no way for him to contact me. I hated how I felt right now, because I shouldn't be crying over an asshole who chose to betray me, but I couldn't help it.

Chris was my first everything, and I thought we would end up together forever, but I guess it is what it is. I sat on the bench for what seemed like hours, crying, before I finally got the strength to call an Uber to take me home.

Finally, I got home, paid the driver, and got out. I felt drained, emotionally and physically. I dragged myself to the door, opened it, and walked to the living room, where I found my mom seated and watching her favorite reality show.

She looked up from her show, surprised to see me home early.

"Hey, baby, why are you back home so early?" she asked, noticing my tears.

"Were you crying?" she asked, looking more surprised, and I burst into more tears, which confused her further but she rushed to me and pulled me into a tight hug as I continued to cry.

She dragged me to the sofa and sat me down, then rushed into the kitchen and got me a glass of water. She handed it to me, and I drank it all.

She took the glass and dropped it on the table, then turned to me for an explanation.

"Chris," I said, choking on my tears.

"What happened to Chris?" she asked, looking worried, as I continued to sob. "Did anything bad happen to him?" she asked, and I shook my head to dismiss her claims.

"So, what happened, baby girl?" she asked again.

"He cheated on me," I finally said, and more tears burst out of my eyes like a broken dam.

"Oh my god," I heard her exclaim.

She looked pissed, then sad, as she sat down close to me and hugged me. "Oh, my baby girl, how did you find out?" she asked, handing me a tissue with which I blew my nose.

"I went to his house because I got off work early to tell him about my promotion, and I saw him screwing a bitch," I said, with more mucus and tears coming down my nose and eyes.

"Oh, my baby...," she stopped and looked at me, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You got promoted?" she asked, her voice laced with a hint of suspicion. I nodded

“Oh my gosh, that’s good news” she says

I took a deep breath, my heart racing. "Mom, I got promoted to the headquarters... and I'm leaving on Saturday," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

The room fell silent, and my mom's face turned pale. She looked like she had seen a ghost. "What do you mean you're leaving on Saturday?" she asked, her voice shaking. I could see the fear in her eyes.

"My baby, you can't just leave like that! What about your life here?" she asked, her voice rising.

"Mum, I just found out the supposed ‘love of my life’ cheated on me and I'm not going to waste another tear on him. And my life here? It's over. I need a fresh start, and this promotion is my chance," I said, my voice firm.

My mom looked at me, her eyes searching for any sign of hesitation. But I was resolute. I had made up my mind, and I was not going to change it.

"Okay, baby. If this is what you want, I'll support you. But promise me you'll stay in touch and come back to visit often," she said, her voice softening.

"I promise, Mom. I'll stay in touch and come back to visit. And who knows? Maybe one day I'll come back for good," I said, trying to reassure her.

My mom nodded, a small smile on her face. "I know you will, baby. You'll always be my baby, no matter where you go."

We hugged each other tightly, both of us trying to hold back tears. I knew this was goodbye, at least for now. But I also knew that I had to do this, for myself and for my future.

As we pulled back from the hug, my mom looked at me with a determined expression. "You go out there and show them what you're made of, Onika. Make me proud."

I nodded, a smile spreading across my face. "I will, Mom. I'll make you proud."