Surprise Birthday Is A Heartbreak

"What? What are you doing with my phone?"

I heard him groan out from his sleep, and before I could say a word, he had snatched it from me and peered to see who was calling him. On noticing the name, he sat up in an instant and answered the call, his expression had turned serious like the sleep had vanished from his eyes.

I felt a bit bad by the way he sounded, like he didn't want me to see his phone, I was about to hang up, but I guess the person calling must have been important.

"No wait, I will be there soon okay?" he let out a small groan and after a few seconds, he dropped his phone and turned to me. I stared at him with expectant blue eyes, his eyes gazing at my bare skin that was covered partly with the hotel sheets. My hair was a mess, he was frozen, remembering what had happened last night between us and managed to give me a smile, "business partner. Remember that project I told you I was working on?"

"No…you didn't tell me anything about any project…congratulations." I shifted a little in the bed, turning my back towards him as I battled with an unhealthy knot in my stomach. A few seconds passed before I felt his hands climb across my body.

"Crystal, I'm sorry, it has been crazy for me, I'm just trying—"

"Dont…please dont." I heaved a heavy sigh, moving slightly, we were now staring into each other's eyes with so much intensity, our lips were only just this close to touching, "you're busy, I get. You know James, I feel like you are running so fast, and I'm being left behind. What happened to that team we used to be back in high school? It hasn't been so long you know?" his gaze shifted from me, it wasn't fair, to me.

"I will make it up to you." another line in his book that I had heard too much.

"When? You keep saying this. When, James? When am I going to meet your parents? When are we going to start preparing for our wedding? I feel suffocated you know?" I was letting everything out, and he watched me get out of the bed in silence, "you gave me dreams, of being your wife, a nice home, with a garden and our kids. James I have been waiting for that and I have said no to so many things because I'm waiting for you…" I huffed, tears pooled in my eyes and if I blinked just once, they would spill out.

"You don't want to be with me any more?" Now he was misunderstanding me. He was the only man I wanted to be with, I was ready to turn down record deals just to be his stay at home wifey. I was ready to do anything for him.

I moved closer to him and cupped his face ever so lovingly, my eyes staring deep into his soul, his beautiful soul that I had fallen in love with, "how could you even think that? You are the only one I want to be with. But while I wait for you, to get everything together," the softness of my voice increased, our lips just millimetres apart, the emotions in the room heightened, "don't leave me in the dark," I pressed my lips gently against his and stood upright, "you don't want to keep your partner waiting. Go wash up, I will order breakfast." I gave him a reassuring smile.

James didn't say much, he went straight to the bathroom to clean up while I spoke to hotel services. He had left his phone on the bedside table, and I was so tempted to pick it, but after his reaction a few moments ago, I decided not to.

Eventually we checked out of the hotel and I bade him farewell and good luck on his meeting with the business associate. When I got home, my mum was nowhere to be seen, "mum!" I called out to her and like magic, she appeared with the messiest smile and hairdo ever. She had her decade old gardening boots on and an apron around her petite frame. Seeing that I got most of my genes from her, we looked very identical to each other.

"Look who decided to come home. How was it with James? Is the kid okay?" she dropped the pale she was holding, and it contained fresh carrots she had just uprooted. I smiled warmly at the yield, it was her favourite way of keeping busy.

"He is fine, just stressed from chasing this business deal. He still loves me, but I think he is scared he won't have everything before we decide to get married." I dropped my weight on the chair, and soon she followed suit.

"Well, that is understandable. The world is harsh and a man aint a man if he can't provide for his family." she rolled her eyes as she glanced at the carrots for a while, "but despite a man being the provider, the woman has always been better at hunting."

"Mum…" I groaned out and her features softened, "I talked to him about it…he told me to wait for him… I'm not taking the deal." my decision yet again wiped all the happiness from her face, and suddenly she stood up, not saying another word and went to the kitchen to wash off the dirt from the carrots. I didn't bother to call her back, I didn't want another fight between the both of us.

With the last energy I had, I dragged myself to my bedroom, and the moment I opened the door, I was greeted with all shades of blue and yellow, this room was my safe abode, and mum had painted it herself, to always make sure I felt safe. It even had my initials boldly signed on the wall and anytime I felt unsure, I would place my hand and remember who I was. 

Crystal Blue, that was who I was.

I crashed to my bed and in an instant, sleep overtook me, or maybe it wasn't sleep that overtook me, but I suddenly lost grasp of my consciousness. I recall waking up, being in the garden with my mum but somehow not in control of my own body. I remember falling asleep not just once but numerous times, but it seemed when I finally opened my eyes, days had passed.

"Get up Crystal…" I moaned to myself, turning around in my bed, resisting the urge to fall asleep one again. With closed eyes, my hand searched for my phone and when I finally found it, I brought it close to my face, peering at the time, I noticed the date first, "it is James's birthday!"

Shit! I still had a lot to do! I hadn't even planned out decorations yet! And my hair! I screamed so loud I was sure the whole neighbourhood heard me. That was the motivation I needed to go supersonic mode and get all the things needed for my boyfriend's surprise birthday party.

Yeah it was a surprise, we would show up at his house with all the cake and presents and have a blast. All our friends were going to be there, and I couldn't wait to see the look on his face. I woke up late so I rushed to make all the phone calls and go to the salon to get my hair and nails done, I had to be looking pretty after all. I wanted it to be his best 21st birthday. I had even written a song for him! And I was going to sing it to him to express how much I loved him.

Time passed, and the sun gave into a pinkish purple sky and a few stars dancing about. It was incredulous how time moves so fast, but I was grateful to all my friends who had turned up and were ready to make this birthday the best. I was in a cab with the cake while the others drove in pairs to the house. It was already 7pm and when we got there, I told them to wait outside first and jump in on my mark.

I grabbed the spare key in the pocket of my dress and gently turned the door open and tiptoed in, as I suspected, no one was in the living room, and I was feeling pretty confident. I knew he would be in the bedroom playing Need For Speed and as I approached the room, I could hear faint noises.

Strange noises.

Getting closer, my heart began to twist and with a strength I never knew I had, I opened the door and my mouth dropped to the floor, and so did the cake I spent days making.

"James?" confusion held me by the hand, but reality was choking me, it couldn't be true. My boyfriend was on top of another girl, naked, groaning like an animal, saying he loved her. And she responded with as much enthusiasm. Had they even noticed I was standing there?

It was when the girl caught my eye that she pinched him to stop, he turned, and he saw me, let out a big breath, and the sassiest eye roll I had ever seen.

"Doll, what are you doing here? Why didn't you call me, I had no idea you were coming." he scratched his head and got off from the bed, picking the nearest clothes while his chick covered herself up, he was still rock hard, and he looked irritated that I had barged in?

"How…how… long? How long…has…this…" it was so hard to speak, the palpitations were so intense, it felt like my heart would pop out of my chest. In essence, I was wheezing, tears streaming down my face and even when he moved closer to me, I took a huge step back, I didn't want to be deceived any more.

"Longer than you imagine." The girl answered for him, upset that I had ruined her orgasm.

"Look doll, it is nothing personal I swear. It is just—"

"It is just what James?! Why would you do this to me?!" if I could, I would have hit him straight in the eye so he would have a bit of the pain that was crippling me to death.

"Crystal I can't love you!" he raised his tone back at me, "I mean! Crystal you look sick. Deformed. Do you know how many people have called me a pedo just by being with you?" 

My mouth dropped even further, and I looked at myself, my body? What was wrong with it? I turned back to him with so much pain in my eyes that it was hurting to cry now.

"Crystal you are nice and all but I need someone with a little more, ya know, meat. I'm tired of you, seeing you naked disgusts me, I can't do this any more." he threw his hands in defeat. There were no words left, "please close the door on your way. I'm done." that was how our relationship ended.

Just like that.

Everything in me wanted to fight back, wanted to deny, throw some hands if I could, but everything in me had just died. There was really not much I could do, but I felt so betrayed, and the pain in my chest was preventing me from breathing well, like I would die if I continued to stay. I left, I ran, out of there, as fast as I could, out of the door. My friends called out to me, but I didn't want them to see me in that state.

I didn't want them to see the epitome of sadness I had become in just a few moments. This was supposed to be the best 21st birthday for my ex-boyfriend, but I got the biggest heartbreak of the year. How? Were there signs I didn't see? He was truly the perfect boyfriend until we graduated.

If anyone had told me this was how it would have ended, I would not have believed.